----
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'The early 80s saw the emergence of the electronic/dance phenomenon in Europe. At the forefront of this movement were four names: Cabaret Voltaire, The Human League, The Normal, and Fad Gadget (Frank Tovey). Tovey released his first single Back to Nature in 1979 and was the first signing to Daniel Miller's Mute label. Miller (as The Normal) had previously put out his own composition "T.V.O.D." c/w "Warm Leatherette" and was thinking of starting a label when he met Tovey. As Fad Gadget Tovey played solo with a drum machine and synthesizer confusing audiences at the time used to the standard rock format. Now, obviously, the scene is radically different with electronic sounds and beat boxes being the norm.
'Fad Gadget's music was characterized by a use of synthesizers in conjunction with sounds of found objects, including drills and electric razors. His bleak, sarcastic, and darkly humorous lyrics, often layered in meaning and discussing subjects such as machinery, building construction, human sexuality, and physical violence, were sung in a droning, often expressionless voice.
'The influence of Tovey's early experiments in electronic music can be heard in the likes of the Pet Shop Boys, New Order, Depeche Mode, and all the Techno/Dance Bands of the 90s. The main characteristic of Tovey's work that distinguished him from his contempories and his followers was the quality of his lyrics. Not satisfied with singing pseudo science fiction (a la Gary Numan) or crass love songs, Tovey developed a style more akin to Dylan or Lou Reed, his black humour often confusing the punters at the time more interested in style than content. His songs "spoke of the diseases and fears poorly hidden from view. They spoke for and against the little man, the ubiquitous civilian bewildered by the speed of events threatening to sweep him up or leave him behind. And they spoke in a variety of voices: dead pan, severe, sardonic, satirical and, finally, disarmingly sincere...." -- Biba Kopf '91.
'Imagewise Tovey never played the pretty pop singer role preferring to be photographed by Anton Corbin covered from head to toe in shaving foam or tarred and feathered. His stage shows were often been mad acrobatic events. Where most performers remain untouchable he would purposely goad an audience, sometimes somersaulting from the stage (before stage diving became an international sport), like a latter-day cockney version of Iggy Pop his audience passing him around above their heads before depositing him back on the stage and screaming for more.
'In 2001, after a number of years recording and performing under his real name, Tovey resurrected his old Fad Gadget pseudonym to support his former colleagues and Mute label-mates, Depeche Mode, on their Exciter tour. He continued to perform live, and was working on a new album at the time of his death. Tovey suffered from heart problems since his childhood, and died of a heart attack on 3 April 2002 at the age of 45.'-- fad gadget.co.uk
_____
Gallery
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________
Interview 1
on German TV
________
Interview 2
by Edwin Pouncey
![]()
______
Further
Official Fad Gadget/Frank Tovey Website
Frank Tovey Fansite
Fad Gadget Discography
Alex Proyas' film 'Frank Gadget by Frank Tovey'
Boxset: 'Frank Tovey by Fad Gadget'
Fad Gadget @ Mute Records
Fad Gadget @ Trouser Press
Simon Reynolds 'Cult Heroics: Frank Tovey'
Frank Tovey obituary @ NYT
______
Tribute
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March 1 - April 8 - EXHIBITION Opening Reception, envoy enterprises (131 Chrystie Street)
March 3 - LIVE PERFORMANCES, Dixon Place (161 Chrystie Street)
March 10 - FILM, Fad Gadget by Frank Tovey, Anthology Film Archives (32 2nd Ave)
envoy enterprises, in collaboration with NP Contemporary Art Center and Mute Records, is pleased to present FG.Ft, a three-part project series in homage to Frank Tovey – founder of the 1970s/1980s British electronic group Fad Gadget, marking the 10 year anniversary of the pioneer’s death. Summoning a diverse group of artists and musicians who have been both directly and indirectly influenced by Tovey, the series will take place from March 1st through to April 8th, 2012 featuring a group exhibition, live music performances, and a film screening. All events are free and open to the public.
Show catalog and flyer will be available for purchase along with CD released by Mute Records of rare archived material from Fad Gadget. To purchase, please contact office@envoyenterprises.com
All events are free and open to the public on a first come, first serve basis.
Participating Artist Roster: FG.Ft
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Olaf Breuning, Nick Cash, Nathan Cash Davidson, Thomas Dozol, Fischerspooner, David Flinn, Erik Hanson, Kelsey Henderson, Tom Kalin, Erika Keck, Brian Kenny, Robert Knoke, Terence Koh, Lovett/Codagnone, Slava Mogutin, Micky Pellerano, Edwin Pouncey, Alex Rose, Desi Santiago, Matthew Sims, Stephanie Snider, Gail Stoicheff, Una Szeemann, Frank Tovey, Conrad Ventur, Martynka Wawrzyniak, Liz Wendelbo, Grant Worth
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Live Performances: FG.Ft
March 3, 2012, 10:30pm: Dixon Place
Xeno & Oaklander
Ike Yard
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Film Screening:Fad Gadget by Frank Tovey
March 10, 2012, 8pm: Anthology Film Archives
Directed by Morgan Tovey Frost
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
envoy enterprises
________
Statement
(1984)
![]()
___
Gig
'Swallow It'
'Love Parasite'
'Collapsing New People'
'Ricky's Hand'
'Coitus Interruptus'
'Luddite Joe'
'Back to Nature'
'Luxury'
'Plainsong'
'For Whom the Bell Tolls'
'Ladyshave'
Fad Gadget & Boyd Rice live at the ICA, London
*
p.s. Hey. I'm actually launching this post from Paris, which is why you're seeing it at closer to the normal time that I launch posts. However, even though this p.s. was written last Sunday, I can guarantee you that I can barely keep my eyes open long enough to send this four year old Fad Gadget fest out to you, but I will try to right my body clock between now and Monday when the blog will be back live with a new post and a p.s. in which I will catch up with every comment you've left over the past week. Guaranteed. See you on Monday.
'The early 80s saw the emergence of the electronic/dance phenomenon in Europe. At the forefront of this movement were four names: Cabaret Voltaire, The Human League, The Normal, and Fad Gadget (Frank Tovey). Tovey released his first single Back to Nature in 1979 and was the first signing to Daniel Miller's Mute label. Miller (as The Normal) had previously put out his own composition "T.V.O.D." c/w "Warm Leatherette" and was thinking of starting a label when he met Tovey. As Fad Gadget Tovey played solo with a drum machine and synthesizer confusing audiences at the time used to the standard rock format. Now, obviously, the scene is radically different with electronic sounds and beat boxes being the norm.
'Fad Gadget's music was characterized by a use of synthesizers in conjunction with sounds of found objects, including drills and electric razors. His bleak, sarcastic, and darkly humorous lyrics, often layered in meaning and discussing subjects such as machinery, building construction, human sexuality, and physical violence, were sung in a droning, often expressionless voice.
'The influence of Tovey's early experiments in electronic music can be heard in the likes of the Pet Shop Boys, New Order, Depeche Mode, and all the Techno/Dance Bands of the 90s. The main characteristic of Tovey's work that distinguished him from his contempories and his followers was the quality of his lyrics. Not satisfied with singing pseudo science fiction (a la Gary Numan) or crass love songs, Tovey developed a style more akin to Dylan or Lou Reed, his black humour often confusing the punters at the time more interested in style than content. His songs "spoke of the diseases and fears poorly hidden from view. They spoke for and against the little man, the ubiquitous civilian bewildered by the speed of events threatening to sweep him up or leave him behind. And they spoke in a variety of voices: dead pan, severe, sardonic, satirical and, finally, disarmingly sincere...." -- Biba Kopf '91.
'Imagewise Tovey never played the pretty pop singer role preferring to be photographed by Anton Corbin covered from head to toe in shaving foam or tarred and feathered. His stage shows were often been mad acrobatic events. Where most performers remain untouchable he would purposely goad an audience, sometimes somersaulting from the stage (before stage diving became an international sport), like a latter-day cockney version of Iggy Pop his audience passing him around above their heads before depositing him back on the stage and screaming for more.
'In 2001, after a number of years recording and performing under his real name, Tovey resurrected his old Fad Gadget pseudonym to support his former colleagues and Mute label-mates, Depeche Mode, on their Exciter tour. He continued to perform live, and was working on a new album at the time of his death. Tovey suffered from heart problems since his childhood, and died of a heart attack on 3 April 2002 at the age of 45.'-- fad gadget.co.uk
_____
Gallery
________
Interview 1
on German TV
________
Interview 2
by Edwin Pouncey
______
Further
Official Fad Gadget/Frank Tovey Website
Frank Tovey Fansite
Fad Gadget Discography
Alex Proyas' film 'Frank Gadget by Frank Tovey'
Boxset: 'Frank Tovey by Fad Gadget'
Fad Gadget @ Mute Records
Fad Gadget @ Trouser Press
Simon Reynolds 'Cult Heroics: Frank Tovey'
Frank Tovey obituary @ NYT
______
Tribute
March 1 - April 8 - EXHIBITION Opening Reception, envoy enterprises (131 Chrystie Street)
March 3 - LIVE PERFORMANCES, Dixon Place (161 Chrystie Street)
March 10 - FILM, Fad Gadget by Frank Tovey, Anthology Film Archives (32 2nd Ave)
envoy enterprises, in collaboration with NP Contemporary Art Center and Mute Records, is pleased to present FG.Ft, a three-part project series in homage to Frank Tovey – founder of the 1970s/1980s British electronic group Fad Gadget, marking the 10 year anniversary of the pioneer’s death. Summoning a diverse group of artists and musicians who have been both directly and indirectly influenced by Tovey, the series will take place from March 1st through to April 8th, 2012 featuring a group exhibition, live music performances, and a film screening. All events are free and open to the public.
Show catalog and flyer will be available for purchase along with CD released by Mute Records of rare archived material from Fad Gadget. To purchase, please contact office@envoyenterprises.com
All events are free and open to the public on a first come, first serve basis.
Participating Artist Roster: FG.Ft
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Olaf Breuning, Nick Cash, Nathan Cash Davidson, Thomas Dozol, Fischerspooner, David Flinn, Erik Hanson, Kelsey Henderson, Tom Kalin, Erika Keck, Brian Kenny, Robert Knoke, Terence Koh, Lovett/Codagnone, Slava Mogutin, Micky Pellerano, Edwin Pouncey, Alex Rose, Desi Santiago, Matthew Sims, Stephanie Snider, Gail Stoicheff, Una Szeemann, Frank Tovey, Conrad Ventur, Martynka Wawrzyniak, Liz Wendelbo, Grant Worth
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Live Performances: FG.Ft
March 3, 2012, 10:30pm: Dixon Place
Xeno & Oaklander
Ike Yard
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Film Screening:Fad Gadget by Frank Tovey
March 10, 2012, 8pm: Anthology Film Archives
Directed by Morgan Tovey Frost
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
envoy enterprises
________
Statement
(1984)
___
Gig
'Swallow It'
'Love Parasite'
'Collapsing New People'
'Ricky's Hand'
'Coitus Interruptus'
'Luddite Joe'
'Back to Nature'
'Luxury'
'Plainsong'
'For Whom the Bell Tolls'
'Ladyshave'
Fad Gadget & Boyd Rice live at the ICA, London
----
*
p.s. Hey. I'm actually launching this post from Paris, which is why you're seeing it at closer to the normal time that I launch posts. However, even though this p.s. was written last Sunday, I can guarantee you that I can barely keep my eyes open long enough to send this four year old Fad Gadget fest out to you, but I will try to right my body clock between now and Monday when the blog will be back live with a new post and a p.s. in which I will catch up with every comment you've left over the past week. Guaranteed. See you on Monday.