Alien Sex Fiend

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Alien Sex Fiend
Background information
Origin London, UK
Genres Deathrock
Gothic rock
Industrial
Post-punk
Electronic
Years active 1982–present
Labels Anagram Records
13th Moon Records
Flicknife Records
Website Official website
Members
Nik Wade (Nik Fiend)
Chrissie Wade (Mrs Fiend)
Past members
David James (Yaxi Highrizer)
John Freshwater (Johnny Ha-Ha)
RatFink – Drummer/Guitarist
Doc Milton

Alien Sex Fiend is a deathrock band from the UK, composed of the married couple Nik Fiend (Nik Wade) and Mrs. Fiend (Christine Wade).[1] Currently[when?], the band is based in Cardiff, Wales[citation needed].

Contents

[edit] History

Formed in late 1982 at the Batcave club in London (where Nik worked) by the Wades along with David James (aka Yaxi Highrizer, guitar) and Johnny "Ha Ha" Freshwater (drums), the band became known in the gothic scene for its psychobilly, dark electronic, industrial sound, heavy samples and loops and manic vocals. Wade had previously been a member of the Alice Cooper-influenced bands The Earwigs and Mr. & Mrs. Demeanour, and later the punk band Demon Preachers (later known as The Demons).[1][2] They recorded a cassette (The Lewd, The Mad, the Ugly and Old Nick) with Youth of Killing Joke, which brought them to the attention of the UK music press.[3] They signed to Cherry Red label Anagram Records, releasing their first single, "Ignore The Machine" in August 1983.[1] The band was immediately successful on the UK Independent Chart with this single reaching number six and a further eleven singles and five albums reaching top-twenty positions in the chart in the period up to 1987.[4] The band also became popular in Japan and in 1985 released a live album recorded there.[1][2] Freshwater left in 1985, the band continuing as a three-piece and supporting Alice Cooper on his The Nightmare Returns tour in 1986.[1][2] The band was reduced to a duo of the Wades in 1988 after James left.[1] They recorded a one-off single as The Dynamic Duo before continuing as Alien Sex Fiend, using electronics and sampling more as part of their sound.[1][2] They reverted to a four-piece with the addition of Rat Fink Jr. (drums and guitar) and Doc Milton (keyboards).[2] Following the departure of Milton and Fink (the latter going on to play drums in UFX and Starfish), the Wades became a duo once again and launched their own 13th Moon label in 1996.[1]

The band has had limited mainstream success in the UK; in October 1985, its album Maximum Security reached No. 100 on the UK Albums Chart and remained there for the week of 12 October.[5] They also had two top-100 singles, with "Dead and Buried" in August 1984 (#91) and a reissued "Ignore the Machine" in March 1985 (#99).[5] However, throughout the early 1980s their work was frequently in the UK Indie Chart[6] and remained a fixture on college radio.

The band recorded two BBC Peel Sessions in 1984. In May, they recorded "Attack!!!", "Dead And Buried", "Ignore The Machine" and "Hee Haw"; in August "In God We Trust", "E.S.T Trip To The Moon" and "Boneshaker Baby".[7]

The band released the world's first[citation needed] 11" single, "E.S.T. (Trip To The Moon)" in October 1984. Their video for "Now I'm Feeling Zombified" was featured on an episode of the MTV animated series Beavis & Butt-head. The band also provided the soundtrack for the Digital Image Design game Inferno.[1]

The band produced its own publication, the Fiendzine.[3]

[edit] Discography

[edit] Studio albums

Alien Sex Fiend live in Paris (2007)
  • ''The Lewd, The Mad, the Ugly and Old Nik (1983) – cassette only
  • Who's Been Sleeping in My Brain? (1983), Anagram – UK Indie No. 10
  • Acid Bath (1984), Anagram – UK Indie No. 4
  • Maximum Security (1985), Anagram – UK #100, UK Indie No. 5
  • It – The Album (1986), Plague – UK Indie No. 7
  • Here Cum Germs (1987), Plague – UK Indie No. 22
  • Another Planet (1988), Anagram
  • Curse (1990), Anagram
  • Open Head Surgery (1992), Anagram
  • Inferno (1994), Anagram
  • Nocturnal Emissions (1997), 13th Moon
  • Nocturnal Emissions (Special Edition) (2000), 13th Moon
  • Information Overload (2004), 13th Moon
  • Death Trip (2010), 13th Moon

[edit] Live albums

  • Liquid Head in Tokyo (1985), Anagram – UK Indie No. 7
  • Too Much Acid? (1989), Anagram
  • The Altered States of America (1993), Anagram
  • Flashbacks! (Live 1995–1998) (2001), Yeaah
  • Zombified (2002)

[edit] Compilation albums

  • The First Alien Sex Fiend Compact Disc (1986), Anagram
  • The Impossible Mission Mini-LP (US release) (1987), PVC
  • All Our Yesterdays (1988), Plague
  • The Legendary Batcave Tapes (1993), Anagram
  • Drive My Rocket (USA) (1994), Cleopatra
  • I'm Her Frankenstein (USA) (1995), Cleopatra
  • The Singles 1983–1995 (1995), Anagram
  • War Dance of the Alien Sex Fiend (1997), Snapper – 2CD-set
  • The Batcave Masters (USA) (1998), Cleopatra
  • Fiend at the Controls Vols 1 & 2 (1999), Anagram
  • The Best of Alien Sex Fiend (2001), Anagram
  • Fiend Club (2005), Cleopatra
  • The Very Best of Alien Sex Fiend (2005)
  • Para-Abnormal (2006), 13th Moon
  • R.I.P. – A 12" Collection (2008), Anagram
  • Bat Cave Anthems (2009), Cleopatra

[edit] Singles

  • "Ignore the Machine" (1983), Anagram – UK Indie No. 6
  • "Lips Can't Go" (1983), Anagram – UK Indie No. 12
  • "R.I.P. (Blue Crumb Truck)" (1984), Anagram – UK Indie No. 4
  • "Dead and Buried" (1984), Anagram – UK #91, UK Indie No. 4
  • "E.S.T. (Trip to the Moon)" (1984), Anagram – UK Indie No. 3
  • "I'm Doing Time in a Maximum Security Twilight Home" (1985), Anagram – UK Indie No. 6
  • "Ignore the Machine" (re-issue) (1985), Anagram – UK #99, UK Indie No. 22
  • "Ignore the Machine Electrode Mix" (1985), Anagram
  • "I Walk the Line" (1986), Flicknife – UK Indie No. 12
  • "Get Into It" (1986), VAT
  • "Smells Like..." (1986), Plague – – UK Indie No. 7
  • "Hurricane Fighter Plane" (1987), Plague – UK Indie No. 12
  • "The Impossible Mission" (1987), Plagiarism – UK Indie No. 11
  • "Here Cum Germs" (1987), Plague – UK Indie No. 14
  • "Stuff the Turkey" (1987), Plague – UK Indie No. 14
  • "Where are Batman and Robin?" / "Batman Theme" (released as Dynamic Duo) (1988), Anagram
  • "Bun Ho!" (1988), Anagram
  • "Haunted House" (1989), Anagram
  • Box Set of 5 Singles (1990)
  • "Now I'm Feeling Zombified" (1990), Anagram
  • "Magic" (1992)
  • "Inferno – The Youth Mixes" (1994), Cherry Red
  • "Inferno – The Mixes" (1995), Anagram
  • "Evolution" 12" (1996), 13th Moon
  • "Evolution" CD (1996), 13th Moon
  • "Evolution Remixes" 12" (1996), 13th Moon
  • "On a Mission Remixes" 12" (1997), 13th Moon
  • "Tarot Mixes" 12" (1998), 13th Moon

[edit] Video

  • A Purple Glistener (1984), Jettisoundz
  • Edit (1987), Jettisoundz
  • Overdose (1988), Jettisoundz
  • Liquid head in Tokyo (1991), ReVision
  • Re-Animated – The Promo Collection (1994), Visionary
  • The Making Of Inferno – The Odyssey Continues (1994), Visionary Comms Ltd

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Strong, Martin C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, ISBN 1-84195-335-0, p. 196-7
  2. ^ a b c d e Thompson, Dave (2000) Alternative Rock, Miller Freeman, ISBN 0-87930-607-6, p. 151-2
  3. ^ a b Igymeth, Daz (1988) "Loving the Alien: making Up With Alien Sex Fiend", Underground, April 1988 – issue 13, p. 35
  4. ^ Lazell, Barry (1998) Indie Hits 1980–1989, Cherry Red Books, ISBN 0-9517206-9-4, p. 5
  5. ^ a b Alien Sex Fiend, Chart Stats, retrieved 2010-06-05
  6. ^ Guinness Book of British Hit Singles and Albums 2006 edition
  7. ^ "Alien Sex Fiend", Keeping It Peel, BBC, retrieved 2010-06-05

[edit] External links

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