XTC - Drums And Wires (Remastered) (1979/2025) (Blu-ray)

XTC’s 1979 album Drums and Wires is being reissued in September as a new CD+blu-ray edition with a new Dolby Atmos Mix from Steven Wilson, an updated 5.1 Mix (originally created in 2014) and a host of other extras. The CD features the original 2014 Steven Wilson stereo mix of the album, with minor revisions for 2025, along with singles and additional tracks. The Blu-ray features

2025 Dolby Atmos versions of the album and additional tracks
2014 5.1 Mix of the album (with minor revisions for 2025) and additional tracks
96/24 LPCM Stereo of album and additional tracks
1979 original mix/master of full album in 96/24 plus additional tracks
A vast amount of additional material including all available demo, rehearsal & pre-album sessions recordings

Steven has again worked his magic and offered a new perspective of our ground-breaking 1979 album, expanding the audio picture through 360° and revealing details previously overlooked. The whole album shimmers with a sonic gloss that’s brought it to the 21st century with no loss of historic integrity; the songs are as strong today as they were 46 years ago. Immerse yourself, but be prepared for the closing maelstrom that is ‘Complicated Game’…you may never recover.

Dave Gregory
Interestingly, Steven Wilson has stated that “during the remix process it became apparent that the masters of ‘Officer Blue‘[a B-side] and ‘That is the Way‘ were both slowed down significantly for the original release. It’s not uncommon for tracks to be slightly speeded up during mastering to make them sound sprightlier, but no one could remember why, in this case, the tracks were slowed down. For the 2025 mixes, in consultation with Colin Moulding – songwriter of both titles – the decision was made to include B-side ‘Officer Blue’ as the band recorded it, at the correct speed for the first time”.

Steven added that “In the case of ‘That is the Way’ – it being a key album track – the new mix has been slowed down to match the familiar album version but additionally, a bonus version is included which has no adjustment to the pitch and is exactly as the band recorded it”.

The album was originally produced by Steve Lillywhite but 2025 & 2014 material is mixed & produced by Steven Wilson. This CD+blu-ray set is presented in ‘paper sleeve’ / mini-LP CD / vinyl replica packaging with booklet including photos & album lyrics.

In addition to this format, Steven’s 2014 mix (with the minor revisions) is available for the first time on vinyl – a 200g LP pressing at that.

Drums and Wires will be released by APE records on 26 September 2025. You can pre-order both the CD+blu-ray and the vinyl LP from the SDE shop, via this link or the buttons below. A specially-priced bundle is also available.

Tracklist
2025 Dolby Atmos Mix
BR-1 Making Plans For Nigel 4:16
BR-2 Helicopter 3:55
BR-3 Day In Day Out 3:05
BR-4 When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty 3:21
BR-5 Ten Feet Tall 3:15
BR-6 Roads Girdle The Globe 4:49
BR-7 Real By Reel 3:47
BR-8 Millions 5:36
BR-9 That Is The Way 2:58
BR-10 Outside World 2:41
BR-11 Scissor Man 4:00
BR-12 Complicated Game 4:58
BR-13 Homo Safari 2:15
BR-14 Chain Of Command 2:41
BR-15 Limelight 2:25
BR-16 Bushman President 3:17
BR-17 Pulsing Pulsing 1:37
BR-18 Wait Til Your Boat Goes Down 4:43
BR-19 Ten Feet Tall (Electric Version) 3:13
BR-20 Officer Blue 2:32
BR-21 Over Rusty Water 1:37
BR-22 Sleepyheads 4:52
BR-23 That Is The Way (Original Pitch) 2:53
2014 5.1 Mix
BR-24 Making Plans For Nigel 4:16
BR-25 Helicopter 3:55
BR-26 Day In Day Out 3:05
BR-27 When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty 3:21
BR-28 Ten Feet Tall 3:15
BR-29 Roads Girdle The Globe 4:49
BR-30 Real By Reel 3:47
BR-31 Millions 5:36
BR-32 That Is The Way 2:58
BR-33 Outside World 2:41
BR-34 Scissor Man 4:00
BR-35 Complicated Game 4:58
BR-36 Homo Safari 2:15
BR-37 Chain Of Command 2:41
BR-38 Limelight 2:25
BR-39 Bushman President 3:17
BR-40 Pulsing Pulsing 1:37
BR-41 Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down 4:43
BR-42 Ten Feet Tall (Electric Version) 3:14
BR-43 Officer Blue 2:32
BR-44 Over Rusty Water 1:37
BR-45 Sleepyheads 4:52
BR-46 That Is The Way (Original Pitch) 2:53
BR-47 Life Begins At The Hop (Upmixed From Stereo) 3:48
2014 Stereo Mixes
BR-48 Making Plans For Nigel 4:16
BR-49 Helicopter 3:55
BR-50 Day In Day Out 3:05
BR-51 When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty 3:21
BR-52 Ten Feet Tall 3:15
BR-53 Roads Girdle The Globe 4:49
BR-54 Real By Reel 3:47
BR-55 Millions 5:36
BR-56 That Is The Way 2:58
BR-57 Outside World 2:41
BR-58 Scissor Man 4:00
BR-59 Complicated Game 4:58
BR-60 Life Begins At The Hop 3:48
BR-61 Homo Safari 2:13
BR-62 Chain Of Command 2:41
BR-63 Limelight 2:25
BR-64 Bushman President 3:17
BR-65 Pulsing Pulsing 1:37
BR-66 Wait Til Your Boat Goes Down 4:43
BR-67 Ten Feet Tall (Electric Version) 3:14
BR-68 Officer Blue 2:32
BR-69 Over Rusty Water 1:37
BR-70 Sleepyheads 4:52
BR-71 Complicated Game (Out-take) 5:49
BR-72 That Is The Way (Original Pitch) 2:53
BR-73 Chain Of Command (Alt Take) 3:16
2014 Instrumental Stereo Mixes
BR-74 Making Plans For Nigel 4:16
BR-75 Helicopter 3:55
BR-76 Day In Day Out 3:05
BR-77 When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty 3:21
BR-78 Ten Feet Tall 3:15
BR-79 Roads Girdle The Globe 4:49
BR-80 Real By Reel 3:47
BR-81 Millions 5:36
BR-82 That Is The Way 2:58
BR-83 Outside World 2:41
BR-84 Scissor Man 4:00
BR-85 Complicated Game 4:58
BR-86 Chain Of Command 2:43
BR-87 Limelight 2:25
BR-88 Pulsing Pulsing 1:37
BR-89 Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down 4:43
BR-90 Ten Feet Tall (Electric Version) 3:14
BR-91 Officer Blue 2:32
BR-92 Sleepyheads 4:52
BR-93 That Is The Way (Original Pitch) 2:53
Original Master
BR-94 Making Plans For Nigel 4:12
BR-95 Helicopter 3:56
BR-96 Day In Day Out 3:06
BR-97 When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty 3:23
BR-98 Ten Feet Tall 3:16
BR-99 Roads Girdle The Globe 4:48
BR-100 Real By Reel 3:46
BR-101 Millions 5:38
BR-102 That Is The Way 2:57
BR-103 Outside World 2:40
BR-104 Scissor Man 4:00
BR-105 Complicated Game 4:55
BR-106 Chain Of Command 2:32
BR-107 Limelight 2:24
BR-108 Life Begins At The Hop (Long Version) 4:08
BR-109 That Is The Way (Long Version) 3:31
DJM Stereo Mixes
BR-110 Helicopter 3:29
BR-111 When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty 3:32
BR-112 Real By Reel 3:47
Saucy Plate Session
BR-113 The Beautiful People 2:19
BR-114 Cheap Perfume 2:44
BR-115 I Feel Blue 4:06
BR-116 Someone's Been In My Room 2:44
BR-117 If I Had My Way 2:46
Unknown Session
BR-118 Life Begins At The Hop 3:57
Swindon Town Hall 1
BR-119 Life Begins At The Hop 4:36
BR-120 When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty 3:02
BR-121 Cheap Perfume 2:46
BR-122 Outside World 2:44
Swindon Town Hall 2
BR-123 Chain Of Command 2:46
BR-124 Ten Feet Tall 2:50
BR-125 Helicopter 3:55
BR-126 Making Plans For Nigel 4:17
Toots Garage
BR-127 Officer Blue 2:49
BR-128 Don't Lose Your Temper 2:41
BR-129 I Overheard 3:49
BR-130 Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down 5:14
Tudor Barn Album Rehearsal
BR-131 Millions (Instrumental) 4:22
BR-132 Limelight (Arrangement Query) 0:27
BR-133 Limelight 2:33
BR-134 Limelight (Drum Arrangement Chat) 1:16
BR-135 Complicated Game 6:39
BR-136 Diddley-Beat Jam 3:07
BR-137 Millions (Drum Arrangement) 2:51
BR-138 Millions (With Vocals) 6:21
BR-139 Limelight (With Vocals) 2:30
BR-140 Day In (Preamble) 1:06
BR-141 Day In, Day Out 4:03
BR-142 Real By Reel 4:27
BR-143 This Is The Preamble 1:11
BR-144 That Is The Way (Breakdown) 2:22
BR-145 That Is Another Way 3:34
BR-146 Helicopter 4:01
BR-147 Game Set-Up 1:24
BR-148 Complicated Game 3:45
BR-149 Complicated Analysis / Scissor Set-Up 2:58
BR-150 Scissor Man (Fades) 3:20