Terry Chambers (August 2005 Issue)
Senses Working Over Time

Twenty years ago, when he walked away from the band that he helped create, drummer Terry Chambers didn't see much future for Brit-pop innovators XTC. Leader Andy Partridge had pulled the plug on live performances, and he and bassist Colin Moulding had written a new batch of material generally unsuited to Chambers' hard-hitting style.
After recording two songs for the follow-up to XTC's seminal album English Settlement, Chambers moved to his wife's native Australia and - except for a brief stint with Aussie band Dragon'turned his back on the music industry - and the drums.
Now, in a sense, Chambers is back on the drum throne. Still going strong, XTC has recently released a four-CD retrospective of its fifteen-year career with Virgin Records, titled A Coat Of Many Cupboards, which showcases his playing. And Chambers' son, Kai, has become a well-known drummer in the Sydney/Newcastle area, most recently with power-pop trio Tone Orange.
Now making his living as a construction foreman, Chambers turned his attention to the drums again about five years ago, when Kai asked for lessons. "I warned him about life as a musician, and figured he'd get it out of his system in six months. But it never happened," Chambers says proudly. "I'm glad, because it's created an interest for me."

Todd Bernhardt

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