Fanny (artist)
Encyclopedia
Fanny is a musical alias of Winnipeg, Manitoba breakcore
producer and Scottish
expatriate, Fraser Runciman (also known as Frasier Runciman and Fraser "Fraz" Rosetti). He was signed to Winnipeg's Sublight Records
in 2004, and founded his own record label
, Girlcum Records, in 2006. Since his shift from a rock guitarist to an electronic music
ian, Runciman has toured Europe
and the United States
several times with notable acts such as Venetian Snares
, Sickboy Milkplus
, Duran Duran Duran, Xanopticon
and Abelcain.
explosion, playing guitar
for bands in Edinburgh
. He used influences from The Banshees to Def Jam, and Stravinsky
to P-Funk
. Runciman's unconventional playing style drew attention from local notable punk rock band, The Exploited
. In 1991, Runciman joined The Exploited as guitarist (under the moniker "Fraz"), and went on to tour Europe and South America
with the band. He was also featured as "the human bone" on the band's Buenos Aires 93 concert video tape. Runciman co-wrote and recorded the The Exploited's Beat the Bastards
LP
; however, Runciman left the band (for unknown reasons) in 1995, just prior to the LP
's release in 1996, and thus he was not included in the album credits.
In 1995, Runciman relocated to Montreal
to play in the Canadian
funk rock
band Bootsauce
. After the band fell apart in 1996, he decided to remain in Canada, living in Winnipeg.
experiments that he first began in the 1980s. He traded in his guitars for synthesizer
s and a PC
. In 1999, Runciman released a Booty house/Dub CD
entitled, Come and get it up yer, which made the Top 5 charts on local Winnipeg radio.
When Runciman met Aaron Funk
, he was introduced to new musical styles which led him to change his own direction toward producing breakcore
. Weekend trips to East Troy, Wisconsin
for barn parties
further pushed him toward this new direction, as these parties are where he met Destro from Zod Records and Eiterherd
from Widerstand Records; both labels made plans with Runciman to release his upcoming tracks.
Breakcore
Breakcore is a style of electronic music largely influenced by hardcore techno, drum and bass and Intelligent dance music. Its sound is largely characterized by a high-tempo, well-timed mingling of distorted kick drums , break beats arranged from samples of the Amen break, and audio samples from a...
producer and Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
expatriate, Fraser Runciman (also known as Frasier Runciman and Fraser "Fraz" Rosetti). He was signed to Winnipeg's Sublight Records
Sublight Records
Sublight Records was a Canadian record label started in 2004 by Aaron Rintoul and ran until June 2007. Based out of Winnipeg, Canada. It was named among the top 25 indie record labels of 2006 by XLR8R magazine - "Sublight has gone from spewing out splattered beats fresh from bedrooms where the sun...
in 2004, and founded his own record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, Girlcum Records, in 2006. Since his shift from a rock guitarist to an electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
ian, Runciman has toured Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
several times with notable acts such as Venetian Snares
Venetian Snares
Venetian Snares is the main performing alias of Canadian electronic musician Aaron Funk .From Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Funk is known for making electronic music often in odd numbered time signatures...
, Sickboy Milkplus
Sickboy Milkplus
Sickboy Milkplus is the stage name of Jurgen Desmet, a Belgian electronic music producer of Breakcore Gives Me Wood and "servants of the apocalyptic goat rave" with music releases on Tigerbeat6, Peace Off, Mirex and Wood.- Discography :* Ganja Bullet / Worst Trade Central * Swingin' in the Rain EP...
, Duran Duran Duran, Xanopticon
Xanopticon
Ryan Friedrich , better known by his moniker Xanopticon, is an electronic musician. One of breakcore's most prominent producers, he has toured internationally and released music with several electronic labels including Hymen Records, Mirex, Cock Rock Disco, Entity and Tigerbeat6...
and Abelcain.
Early years
Runciman began his musical career in the 1980s at the end of the British punk rockPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
explosion, playing guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
for bands in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. He used influences from The Banshees to Def Jam, and Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
to P-Funk
P-Funk
P-Funk is a shorthand term for the repertoire and performers associated with George Clinton and the Parliament-Funkadelic collective and the distinctive style of funk music they performed...
. Runciman's unconventional playing style drew attention from local notable punk rock band, The Exploited
The Exploited
The Exploited are a Scottish punk band from the second wave of UK punk, formed in 1979. Originally a street punk band, they transformed into a faster hardcore punk band with a heavy political influence. From about 1987 on they changed into a crossover thrash band...
. In 1991, Runciman joined The Exploited as guitarist (under the moniker "Fraz"), and went on to tour Europe and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
with the band. He was also featured as "the human bone" on the band's Buenos Aires 93 concert video tape. Runciman co-wrote and recorded the The Exploited's Beat the Bastards
Beat the Bastards
Beat the Bastards is an album by the Scottish band The Exploited, released in 1996 through Rough Justice.-Track listing:# "Beat the Bastards" – 4:21# "Affected By Them" – 3:04# "Don't Blame Me" – 5:00# "Law for the Rich" – 3:20...
LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
; however, Runciman left the band (for unknown reasons) in 1995, just prior to the LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
's release in 1996, and thus he was not included in the album credits.
In 1995, Runciman relocated to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
to play in the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
funk rock
Funk rock
Funk rock is a music genre that fuses funk and rock elements. Its earliest incarnation was heard in the late 1960s through the mid-1970s by acts such as the Jimi Hendrix Experience , Eric Burdon and War, Trapeze, Parliament-Funkadelic, Betty Davis and Mother's Finest. The 1990s were known for acts...
band Bootsauce
Bootsauce
Bootsauce was a Canadian rock band formed in Montreal, Quebec in 1989 composed of Drew Ling , Pere Fume , Sonny Greenwich Jr. , Alan Baculis , and John “Fatboy” Lalley...
. After the band fell apart in 1996, he decided to remain in Canada, living in Winnipeg.
Shift to electronic music
After the disbandment of Bootsauce, Runciman returned to the samplerSampler (musical instrument)
A sampler is an electronic musical instrument similar in some respects to a synthesizer but, instead of generating sounds, it uses recordings of sounds that are loaded or recorded into it by the user and then played back by means of a keyboard, sequencer or other triggering device to perform or...
experiments that he first began in the 1980s. He traded in his guitars for synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s and a PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
. In 1999, Runciman released a Booty house/Dub CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
entitled, Come and get it up yer, which made the Top 5 charts on local Winnipeg radio.
When Runciman met Aaron Funk
Venetian Snares
Venetian Snares is the main performing alias of Canadian electronic musician Aaron Funk .From Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Funk is known for making electronic music often in odd numbered time signatures...
, he was introduced to new musical styles which led him to change his own direction toward producing breakcore
Breakcore
Breakcore is a style of electronic music largely influenced by hardcore techno, drum and bass and Intelligent dance music. Its sound is largely characterized by a high-tempo, well-timed mingling of distorted kick drums , break beats arranged from samples of the Amen break, and audio samples from a...
. Weekend trips to East Troy, Wisconsin
East Troy, Wisconsin
East Troy is a village in Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,564 at the 2000 census. The village is located southeast of the Town of East Troy. A small portion extends into the adjacent Town of Troy...
for barn parties
Rave
Rave, rave dance, and rave party are parties that originated mostly from acid house parties, which featured fast-paced electronic music and light shows. At these parties people dance and socialize to dance music played by disc jockeys and occasionally live performers...
further pushed him toward this new direction, as these parties are where he met Destro from Zod Records and Eiterherd
Eiterherd
Eiterherd is an Austrian breakcore artist.He first got into experimental music in 1994, when he started DJ'ing hardcore and gabber around Graz, Austria and Maribor, Slovenia. In 1995 he started making music on a computer, using various trackers. In 1996 together with Gwal he founded the record...
from Widerstand Records; both labels made plans with Runciman to release his upcoming tracks.
Selected discography
- Fear & Loathing For Dummies 1 7" (2001) (Mirex Records)
- Fear And Loathing For Dummies 2 12" (2001) (Zod Records)
- Fear And Loathing For Dummies CD (2002) (Mirex Records)
- Fuck Everything That Moves 12" (2002) (Black Monolith Records)
- Leopards of Mass Destruction 7" (2003) (Death$ucker Records)
- Revelry & Decadence As The Right Of Slaves CD (2003) (Mirex Records)
- Welcome To The Machines 12" (2003) (Violent Turd Records)
- Strange Planes Spray Cancers On Winnipeg CD (2004) (Sublight Records, Inc.)
- Shoebomb Hurricane CD (2006) (Sublight Records, Inc.)
- NRFT1203 12" (2006) (No Room For Talent Records)
- The Great American Fear Meter 12" (2007) (Girlcum Records)
- The Dr Who Split W/ Davros 12" (2007) (Noisetek Records)
- I Can't Believe You Were Ever A Musician LP (2008) (Widerstand Records)
- Mandatory Freedom (2009) (Girlcum Records, Digital)
- Be Your Own God (2009) (Girlcum Records, Digital)
- Slapinthefacewithacoldfish (2009) (Girlcum Records, Digital)
- Le Sacre Du Printemps (2009) (Girlcum Records, Digital)
Film and theater soundtracks
- Peepshow (2006)
- Afternoon (2006)
- Praying Mantis Upskirt (2007)
- Whiteside (2008)
- Le Sacre Du Printemps (2008)
- Metal Church (2009)