Alien Sex Fiend
Encyclopedia
Alien Sex Fiend is a deathrock
band from the UK, composed of the married couple Nik Fiend (Nik Wade) and Mrs. Fiend (Christine Wade). Currently, the band is based in Cardiff
, Wales.
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). 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. They signed to Cherry Red
label Anagram Records, releasing their first single, "Ignore The Machine" in August 1983. 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. The band also became popular in Japan and in 1985 released a live album recorded there. Freshwater left in 1985, the band continuing as a three-piece and supporting Alice Cooper
on his The Nightmare Returns tour in 1986. The band was reduced to a duo of the Wades in 1988 after James left. 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. They reverted to a four-piece with the addition of Rat Fink Jr. (drums and guitar) and Doc Milton (keyboards). Following the departure of Milton and Fink (the latter going on to play drums in UFX), the Wades became a duo once again and launched their own 13th Moon label in 1996.
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. 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). However, throughout the early 1980s their work was frequently in the UK Indie Chart
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".
The band released the world's first 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
.
The band produced its own publication, the Fiendzine.
Deathrock
Deathrock is a term used to identify a sub-genre of punk rock incorporating horror elements and spooky atmospherics, that emerged on the West Coast of the United States in 1979.-Characteristics:...
band from the UK, composed of the married couple Nik Fiend (Nik Wade) and Mrs. Fiend (Christine Wade). Currently, the band is based in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Wales.
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 sceneGoth subculture
The goth subculture is a contemporary subculture found in many countries. It began in England during the early 1980s in the gothic rock scene, an offshoot of the post-punk genre. The goth subculture has survived much longer than others of the same era, and has continued to diversify...
for its psychobilly
Psychobilly
Psychobilly is a fusion genre of rock music that mixes elements of punk rock, rockabilly, and other genres. It is one of several subgenres of rockabilly which also include thrashabilly, trashabilly, punkabilly, surfabilly and gothabilly...
, dark electronic, industrial
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
sound, heavy samples
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
and loops
Music loop
In electroacoustic music, a loop is a repeating section of sound material. Short sections of material can be repeated to create ostinato patterns...
and manic vocals. Wade had previously been a member of the Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
-influenced bands The Earwigs and Mr. & Mrs. Demeanour, and later the punk band Demon Preachers (later known as The Demons). They recorded a cassette (The Lewd, The Mad, the Ugly and Old Nick) with Youth of Killing Joke
Killing Joke
Killing Joke are an English post-punk band formed in October 1978 in Notting Hill, London, England; other sources report the band formed in early 1979.Related news articles: Founding members Jaz Coleman and Geordie Walker have been the only constant members.A key influence on industrial rock,...
, which brought them to the attention of the UK music press. They signed to Cherry Red
Cherry Red
Cherry Red is a London-based independent record label formed in 1978.-History:Cherry Red grew from the rock promotion company founded in 1971 to promote rock concerts at the Malvern Winter Gardens...
label Anagram Records, releasing their first single, "Ignore The Machine" in August 1983. 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. The band also became popular in Japan and in 1985 released a live album recorded there. Freshwater left in 1985, the band continuing as a three-piece and supporting Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
on his The Nightmare Returns tour in 1986. The band was reduced to a duo of the Wades in 1988 after James left. 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. They reverted to a four-piece with the addition of Rat Fink Jr. (drums and guitar) and Doc Milton (keyboards). Following the departure of Milton and Fink (the latter going on to play drums in UFX), the Wades became a duo once again and launched their own 13th Moon label in 1996.
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
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
and remained there for the week of 12 October. 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). However, throughout the early 1980s their work was frequently in the UK Indie Chart
UK Indie Chart
The UK Independent Chart or Indie Chart is a chart of the best-selling independent record releases in the UK.- History :In the wake of punk, small record labels began to spring up, as an outlet for artists that were unwilling to sign contracts with major record companies, or were not considered...
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".
The band released the world's first 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
Digital Image Design
Digital Image Design was a British video game developer founded by Martin Kenwright and Phillip Allsopp in 1989 and was originally based in Runcorn, Cheshire, England. The company had employed around eighty developers who specialized in areas of software and simulation...
game Inferno
Inferno (video game)
Inferno is a computer game developed by Digital Image Design and published by Ocean of America in 1994 for the IBM PC. This game is a sequel to Epic.-Reception:...
.
The band produced its own publication, the Fiendzine.
Studio albums
- '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 SecurityMaximum Security (Alien Sex Fiend album)Maximum Security is an album by Alien Sex Fiend, released in October, 1985 on Anagram Records. The record peaked at number 100 in the UK Albums Chart. The record was re-issued in 1986 in CD format under the name The First Alien Sex Fiend Compact Disc with four additional tracks including the single...
(1985), Anagram – UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#100, UK Indie No. 5 - It – The AlbumIt - The Album (Alien Sex Fiend album)It - The Album is an album by Alien Sex Fiend, released in October 1986 on Anagram Records. The record was later re-issued on CD format with 3 additional tracks and retitled It - The CD.The album cover was painted by Nik Fiend.-Track listing:...
(1986), Plague – UK Indie No. 7 - Here Cum Germs (1987), Plague – UK Indie No. 22
- Another PlanetAnother PlanetAnother Planet is an album by Alien Sex Fiend, released in 1988 on Anagram as LP , cassette and CD . The cassette version includes "Satisfaction" which is also on the CD...
(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 OverloadInformation Overload (Alien Sex Fiend album)Information Overload is an album by Alien Sex Fiend, released in February 2004 on 13th Moon Records.-Track listing:# “Information Overload” 8.34# “Motherfucker Burn” 9.01# “Baby” 5.40# “Drug Of Choice” 0.14# “Gotta Have It” 9.29...
(2004), 13th Moon - Death Trip (2010), 13th Moon
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)
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
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 – UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#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 – UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#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 ThemeBatman Theme"Batman Theme", the title song of the 1966 Batman TV series, was composed by Neal Hefti. The song is built around a guitar hook reminiscent of spy film scores and surf music. It has a twelve bar blues progression, using only three chords until the coda...
" (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
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