In 1985, the British pop band XTC recorded an EP of affectionate parodies of '60s psychedelia and guitar-pop called 25 O'Clock. Instead of releasing the EP under their own name, they released the record under the name the Dukes of Stratosphear. Working with producer John Leckie, all three members of the group adopted pseudonyms — Andy Partridge was Sir John Johns, Colin Moulding was the Red Curtain and David Gregory was Lord Cornelius Plum. For this one project Gregory's brother Ian joined the band under the nameIan E.I.E.I. Owen. The EP was released without mention of XTC's name anywhere on the record, and the group claimed they had nothing to do with the project.

Two years after the appearance of 25 O'Clock, the Dukes of Stratosphear released a full album, Psonic Psunspot. By the time Psonic Psunspot appeared in 1987, XTC were beginning to admit in interviews that they were indeed the Dukes of Stratosphear. Later in 1987, both the EP and album were released on a single compact disc, Chips from the Chocolate Fireball. — Stephen Thomas Erlewine