Complicated Game

Complicated Game offers a unique insight into the work of one of Britain's most original and influential songwriters-and an unprecedentedly revealing and instructive guide to how songs and records are made. Developed from a series of interviews conducted over many months, this fascinating book explores in detail some thirty XTC songs-including well-known singles such as 'Senses Working Overtime' and the controversial 'Dear God' - from throughout the group's thirty-year career. It casts new light on the writing of lyrics, the construction of melodies and arrangements, the process of recording, and the workings of the music industry. But it is also filled with anecdotes about Partridge, his XTC bandmates, and their adventures around the world, all told with the songwriter's legendary humour.

The book also includes pages from Partridge's songwriting notebooks and reproductions of his original artwork designs, as well as a guide to Andy Partridge's Swindon and a foreword by Steven Wilson, the guitarist, songwriter, and record producer best known as the founder and leader of Porcupine Tree.

About the Authors

Born in Malta but raised in Swindon, England, where he still lives, Andy Partridge is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is the founder of the internationally renowned new-wave group XTC, with whom he recorded fourteen widely acclaimed albums-among them English Settlement, Drums and Wires, and Skylarking-during a career spanning four decades.

Todd Bernhardt has played, recorded, and toured with a number of bands based in the DC area. He also has years of experience in corporate communications and freelance writing, having created pieces for Modern Drummer magazine and a number of other music-related publications. He's proud to be the father of two wonderful children, lover of a beautiful woman, and friend of Andy Partridge.