On October 27, 1986, “Virgin” label released “Skylarking”, the ninth XTC studio album. It was recorded in 1986, at “Utopia Sound Studios” in Woodstock, NY; “The Sound Hole Studios” in San Francisco, and was produced by Todd Rundgren.

Personnel:

• Andy Partridge– vocals, guitar
• Colin Moulding– vocals, bass, and bonfire
• Dave Gregory– vocals, guitar, piano, synthesizer, Chamberlin, string arrangement, the odd tiple
• Prairie Prince– “the part of the time bomb” (i.e., drums)
• Beech Avenue Boys (i.e., XTC) – backing vocals
• Todd Rundgren– melodica,  keyboards, backing vocals, orchestral arrangements, computer programming, engineer
• Mingo Lewis – percussion
• Charlie McCarthy – alto and tenor saxophone, flute
• Bob Ferreira – tenor saxophone, piccolo, bass clarinet
• Dave Bendigkeit – trumpet
• Dean Hubbard – trombone
• John Tenney – violin
• Emily Van Valkenburgh – violin
• Rebecca Sebring – viola
• Teressa Adams – cello
• Jasmine Veillette – vocals
• Kim Foscatoand, George Cowan – additional engineering
• Greg Fulginiti – mastering

Track listing:

All tracks by Andy Partridge, except where noted.

1. Summer’s Cauldron
2. Grass – Colin Moulding
3. The Meeting Place – Colin Moulding
4. That’s Really Super, Supergirl
5. Ballet for a Rainy Day
6. 1000 Umbrellas
7. Season Cycle
8. Earn Enough for Us
9. Big Day
10. Another Satellite
11. Mermaid Smiled
12. The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul
13. Dying – Colin Moulding
14. Sacrificial Bonfire – Colin Moulding