Why XTC frontman Andy Partridge retired from music
Although the 1970s was a bleak time socioeconomically for music, it was arguably the most febrile time that Britain has ever seen. It gave rise to a myriad of acts that all did their bit to help culture make a break from the past and lay the foundations of a more fluid future. From Ian Dury to Siouxsie Sioux, the list of pioneers the decade gave us is extensive. Whilst the likes of Dury and Sioux are frequently mentioned, one man did just as much as them but is often overlooked in discourse, XTC mastermind Andy Partridge.
An enigmatic character who is part guitar hero and part eminent lyricist, Partridge’s songs concerning the mundanity of everyday life in Britain touched a nerve for many listeners. They were just as impactful as the social commentaries of The Jam’s Paul Weller. Possessing a knack for writing earworms imbued with pulp, from ‘Mayor of Simpleton’ to ‘Senses Working Overtime’ or later, more incisive cuts such as ‘Dear God’, Partridge’s oeuvre is an incredibly dense one. Since many of his themes are as prescient as ever, Partridge is revered as one of the greatest of his era by his fans.
However, Partridge’s story is more complex than many of his peers. Whilst he is undoubtedly celebrated by those in the know, with prominent artists such as Kurt Cobain and Peter Gabriel lauding him, he isn’t as much of a central figure in the era’s discourse because he’s been away from the limelight for decades. This has, of course, increased the intrigue surrounding his work, but on the other hand, it has led to music lacking one of its most vital voices.
Unsurprisingly, it was a revelatory moment when Partridge stepped out of the shadows for a rare interview with The Guardian in October. As well as discussing the meandering career of XTC and the notorious relationship he had with Todd Rundgren when making 1986’s Skylarking, he explained why he decided to take a step away from music in an exceptionally realistic account of his life and career.
It opened with Partridge discussing that he knew he would never play live again as he lay on a stretcher in 1982 in a Los Angels hospital between two gunshot victims. Forty years later, he noted that the rest of XTC did not know it at the time, but they had just delivered their final performance. Patridge said: “My dream had died”.
In 1982, the band were at their commercial peak, following the release of 1979’s ‘Making Plans for Nigel’, which remains their biggest hit. Although they were everpresent on the scene at the time, Patridge was battling lifelong demons exacerbated by the trappings of success. The most unyielding of these came in his Valium addiction, a drug he attempted to wean himself off after being prescribed it at 12 when his mother was temporarily placed in a mental hospital. “It was the ’60s,” he recalled. “‘Poor kid’s upset, his mum’s loopy, why not stick him on Valium?’ I became addicted.”
Then, when touring the US in 1981, the XTC frontman attempted to go cold turkey, but it didn’t go to plan. “Over the next year, my brain melted,” he continued. As a result of his stark decision, he suffered episodes of immobility and memory loss. Still, despite repeatedly telling his management and record label Virgin that he was done, they ignored him in the face of profits. As self-aware as ever, he reflected: “I was laying them a golden egg.”
Things got so fraught that during a live televised show in Paris, Partridge had a panic attack which was so crippling that he was found backstage in the foetal position. Things continued, though. Only a few days later, he was on a plane to start a US tour. XTC were scheduled to play a sold-out show at Hollywood Palladium, but it never happened. Patridge was rushed to the hospital, and instead, the cancelled dates landed the band in excessive debt.
However, taking a step back from the live arena became a “blessing” for Partridge, as reflected in the artistic brilliance of records such as Skylarking. He told the publication that it allowed him to express himself properly: “My love of making records came to the fore once I knew they didn’t have to be built for reproduction.”
This period saw Partridge and XTC refine their craft, with seven celebrated albums coming before they called it a day in 2006. Whilst we might have thought that the post-XTC world would see Partridge exploring music in different ways, it is quite the opposite. He is completely done with music and has stopped writing songs.
Partridge explained that with time and age, he’s lost “the anger and the fight” he once had. He was even reluctant to be interviewed, saying he’s in his “withdrawal years”.
Briefly exploring what that means, he noted the abstract essence of his comment, “it’s difficult because it’s just a feeling”, before concluding, “it’s just ‘getting old’ shit.” However, with him turning 70 next year, and suffering from a heart condition, OCD that’s plagued him since childhood and tinnitus that once made him contemplate suicide, there is no other option for Partridge.
From his songs and interviews, you get the sense that Partridge is an uber-realist, and given the gravity of the factors influencing his decision to step back from music, it’s clear that this will never change. In fact, it’s more solidified than ever.
