Drums and Wires

Drums and Wires is an XTC album released on August 17, 1979. It reached No. 34 on the UK album chart, and No. 176 on the U.S. Billboard album charts. It contained the successful single "Making Plans For Nigel", which was released on September 14, 1979, and reached No. 17 on the UK singles chart. It also contained the original recording of "Ten Feet Tall", a re-recorded version of which was released in March 1980 in the U.S. only, as their first U.S. single, designed to coincide with the band's first American tour. Certain versions of the album also include "Life Begins at the Hop", which was released on April 27, 1979, and reached No. 44 on UK singles chart. "Making Plans For Nigel" was covered in 1992 by Primus on their EP Miscellaneous Debris.

A working title for the album was Boom-Dada-Boom.

Track listing

This album was originally released with at least six different track listings in various parts of the world. Some versions contained a two/three-song 7" single in addition to the 11 or 12 song album. One version moved all of Colin Moulding's songs to side one. Another version of the LP contained 14 songs.[1]

All songs written by Andy Partridge, except where noted.

Original UK Release

• Side One

1. "Making Plans for Nigel" (Colin Moulding)
2. "Helicopter"
3. "Day In Day Out" (Moulding)
4. "When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty"
5. "Ten Feet Tall" (Moulding)
6. "Roads Girdle the Globe"

• Side Two

1. "Real by Reel"
2. "Millions"
3. "That is the Way" (Moulding)
4. "Outside World"
5. "Scissor Man"
6. "Complicated Game"

The first 20,000 copies of the LP had a free 7" single, "Chain Of Command"/"Limelight" (Moulding). The song "Life Begins at the Hop" (Moulding), released as a 7" single before the original LP's release, appears on other versions of the album, either as a substitution, a bonus single, or bonus tracks on CD releases.

2002 US Reissue

1. "Making Plans for Nigel" - 04:13
2. "Helicopter" - 03:54
3. "Day in Day Out" - 03:08
4. "When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty" - 03:22
5. "Ten Feet Tall" - 03:16
6. "Roads Girdle the Globe" - 04:50
7. "Real by Reel" - 03:47
8. "Millions" - 05:39
9. "That is the Way" - 02:56
10. "Outside World" - 02:41
11. "Scissor Man" - 04:00
12. "Complicated Game" - 05:04
13. "Life Begins at the Hop" - 03:49
14. "Chain of Command" - 02:33
15. "Limelight" - 02:26

The reissue CD was digitally remastered by Ian Cooper at Metropolis Mastering.

Personnel

• Andy Partridge - Vocals, Guitars and Synthesizers
• Colin Moulding - Vocals and Bass
• Dave Gregory - Guitars, Keyboards and Background Vocals
• Terry Chambers - Drums, Percussion and Background Vocals
• Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding, Dave Gregory, Terry Chambers, Steve Warren, Hugh Padgham, Al Clark, Jumbo Van Reinen - Vernon Yard Male Voice Choir on "Roads Girdle the Globe"
• Dick Cuthell - trumpet on "That Is the Way"
• Ricky Wilson - Bass On Ten Feet Tall,Roads Girdle the Globe
• Steve Lillywhite - Producer
• Hugh Padgham - Engineer