The Dukes of Stratosphear

The Dukes of Stratosphear
L-R: The Red Curtain, Lord Cornelius Plum, Sir John Johns, E.I.E.I. Owen
Background information
Origin	UK
Genre(s)	Neo-Psychedelia
Years active	1984 to 1987
Label(s)	Virgin
Associated acts	XTC
Former members
The Red Curtain Lord Cornelius Plum Sir John Johns E.I.E.I. Owen

The Dukes of Stratosphear was a pseudonym used by the British rock band XTC in the mid to late 1980s, in parallel with XTC's continued musical activities. The project was intended as a homage to 1960s pop and psychedelic music by groups such as the Beatles, The Byrds, The Kinks, The Beach Boys, Pink Floyd and the Pretty Things. The band only released two records, the EP 25 O'Clock (1985), and the full-length album Psonic Psunspot (1987). The two releases were compiled onto a single CD under the title Chips from the Chocolate Fireball: An Anthology, which was also released in 1987, simultaneously with the vinyl issue of Psonic Psunspot. The Dukes were also mentioned in the credits of XTC's 1986 album Skylarking, where they were thanked for the loan of their guitars. The band briefly reformed in 2003, to record the track "Open A Can (Of Human Beans)" for the MS Society charity compilation album The Wish List. The track was later included on Andy Partridge's album Fuzzy Warbles Volume 7 (2006).

Members

The pseudonymous personnel included:

• Sir John Johns (Andy Partridge) - singing, guitar, brain buds
• The Red Curtain (Colin Moulding) - electric bass, song stuff
• Lord Cornelius Plum (Dave Gregory) - mellotron, piano, organ, fuzz-tone guitar
• E.I.E.I. Owen (Ian Gregory) - drum set

Both 25 O'Clock and Psonic Psunspot were produced by John Leckie.

Discography

25 O'Clock 1985 (Vinyl only 12" EP)

Psonic Psunspot 1987 (Vinyl only Album)

Chips from the Chocolate Fireball 1987 (CD compilation of 25 O'Clock and Psonic Psunspot)