Mummer (album)

Following the band's retirement from touring in 1982, frontman Andy Partridge and his wife Marianne vacated their rent-free flat at King's Hill Road and moved to an Edwardian home in Swindon's Old Town,[2] while bassist/songwriter Colin Moulding spent more time with his family.[3]

Partridge became reclusive, later stating, "I didn't want anyone connected with the outside world seeing me. I felt trapped like a monkey on a barrel organ. Everything I did was some sort of performance."[4] Partridge resumed hypnotherapy sessions and began composing a series of new songs in his back garden, later commenting, "I was in a strange frame of mind but I couldn't stop these songs tumbling out".[4]

A string of debts in the wake of the band's cancelled American tour led to a contract renegotiation with Virgin Records, wherein the band agreed to provide six more albums and a "best of" compilation, in return for which Virgin would alter their contract and lend the band an advance to cover all outstanding debts.[4] Additionally, the band negotiated to take control of their own finances going forward, with any money owed by Virgin going into a deposit account, where they would pay themselves a monthly wage of £650.[5]

Drummer Terry Chambers, who now lived in Australia with girlfriend Donna and new son Kai, reluctantly moved back to Swindon to prepare for the new album's sessions.[5]

The band recruited Steve Nye to produce Mummer, after Partridge became enamored with his work on Japan's Tin Drum (1981).[6] Band member Dave Gregory later opined that "Japan was a very different group from us. They were keyboard driven. [Tin Drum] was a very beautiful record, but Steve wasn't right for us."[6]

Rehearsals for the album were conducted at the Swindon Mechanics' Institute theatre.[5] Initial recording sessions began in September 1982[7] and were conducted with Nye at Martin Rushent's Genetic Studios in Pangbourne.[6] These sessions were for "Beating of Hearts" and "Wonderland"—two songs that had been selected by Virgin to be released as a double A-sided single[5]—as well as a third song, "Toys",[8] later issued as the B-side of the "Love on a Farmboy's Wages" single.[9]

After Virgin decided that the three new recordings weren't potential hit singles,[8] rehearsals then resumed at the Mechanics Institute theatre.[6] It was during these sessions in October that Chambers left in the middle of rehearsing the song "Love on a Farmboy's Wages", due to displeasure with both the band's retirement from touring and their new material, as well as difficulty with his girlfriend.[10] Chambers' frustration was exacerbated when Partridge attempted to demonstrate the kind of drum part he wanted for the song, with Partridge later recalling, "He put his sticks down, picked up his keys and cigarettes, and said, 'I'm off then, chaps. I'm leaving the group. So...er...see ya!' And that was it, cymbals swinging on their stands."[10] Gregory then suggested former Gary Glitter drummer Pete Phipps as a replacement, who had also drummed for Random Hold, a band that had once supported XTC on tour.[10] Recording continued with Phipps at the Manor Studio through November.[7]

Regarding the album's title, Partridge later commented, "We had wanted to call it Fruits Fallen From God's Garden and I'd got Dave Dragon from the Design Clinic to draw up a sleeve in which we had fruit for our heads, sitting outside an old country estate. But they didn't want us seen as fruits and the mention of God in the title induced panic amongst the marketing bods [people]."[11] The new title, Mummer, referred to Mummers' play performers in the West Country of England, who appear in disguise, a concept that Partridge felt reflected the band's new retirement from touring.[12] A subsequent photoshoot featuring the band dressed in mummer suits was rejected by Virgin, who complained about the members' identities being concealed.[12] On May 6, 2022, Ape House reissued the album on 200 gram vinyl with the originally intended sleeve art restored.[13]

The album's release was delayed for many months by Virgin, who did not think the album contained any hit singles.[11] The label recruited Bob Sargeant to produce more tracks, and Partridge provided "Great Fire" and "Gold", which were then recorded at Odyssey Studios in London, with the former becoming the album's first single.[11] After "Great Fire" was issued as a single on 22 April and was not successful, Virgin asked the band to provide additional new songs, to which they refused, so a compromise was struck; four potential singles that had already been recorded—"Wonderland", "Funk Pop a Roll", "Deliver Us From the Elements" and "Human Alchemy"—would be remixed by Alex Sadkin and Phil Thornalley,[14] which eventually led the album to go over budget.[11]

"Wonderland" was issued as a single in June but was also unsuccessful, leading Virgin to ask the band for a third time to develop more songs.[15] Gregory later recalled, "Virgin said, 'No album, sorry chaps. We want more songs.' We said 'No! You're not having any more songs. You're putting the album out. We're sick to death of it. We want it out of our lives so we can look to the future. We're fed up with this.'"[15]

Mummer was finally released on 30 August 1983.[16] The U.S. release was initially scheduled for 26 May 1983 by Epic Records (it was even assigned a catalog number: BFE 38516), but the label thought it was too acoustic and pastoral for American audiences. It was finally issued in the U.S. by Geffen Records (who subsequently issued all of XTC's Virgin releases) in February 1984. "Wonderland" was the only single from the album issued by Geffen in the U.S.

The only promotional public appearance made by the band for the album was in late 1983, when they appeared on the BBC-TV show Pebble Mill at One, where they lip-synced to "Love on a Farmboy's Wages". A promotional video was made for the "Wonderland" single, and five more videos were made in July 1983 for the television documentary program Play at Home.

• CD issues prior to 2001 placed the bonus tracks between the original sides one and two of the album.
• Original release information for bonus tracks sourced from Chalkhills and Children (1992), by Chris Twomey.[9]

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes,[25] except where otherwise indicated.

Bibliography

• Farmer, Neville (1998). XTC: Song Stories: The Exclusive Authorized Story Behind the Music. London: Helter Skelter Publishing. ISBN 190092403X.
• Twomey, Chris (1992). XTC: Chalkhills and Children. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780711927582.