1956 - 2002    'For whom the Bell Tolls'

Review further down ...

So began the Mute press release that finally confirmed the worst for fans of one of the true pioneers of electronic music. 

After beginning as a message, supposedly from Mute Records boss Daniel Miller, posted to the guestbook of the official Fad Gadget website, rumours about Tovey's death quickly circulated on bulletin boards on the Internet. Initially, it was believed to be another April fools joke, but it wasn't long before the dreadful confirmation came through from his record label. Within hours over fifty pages of messages of condolence, disbelief and utter devastation had filled the official Fad Gadget website.

The first signing to the Mute label, Fad Gadget released his debut single, the ground breaking, 'Back To Nature' in October 1979. Recorded using a drum machine and synthesiser a string of classic singles followed including 'Ricky's Hand', 'Fireside Favourites' and 'Collapsing New People'. A truly unique artist his live shows were legendary and quickly established Fad Gadget as one of the most exciting acts of the time.

After four critically acclaimed albums, "Fireside Favourites" (1980), "Incontinent" (1981), "Under The Flag" (1982), and "Gag" (1984), Tovey dropped the Fad Gadget name and recorded a further five albums for Mute under his own name throughout the '80s and early '90s. He continued to experiment with many different styles leading to him becoming one of the most influential English acts of the last twenty years.

After 18 years locked away in some dark cupboard, Tovey decided to revive the Gadget persona early last year and played live, for the first time in 18 years, as Fad Gadget at the Elektrofest festival in London last April. Playing to a packed house, the performance was astounding and attracted such luminaries as Depeche Mode's Andy Fletcher and Mute's Daniel Miller. It was clear Fad Gadget was back with avengance. A slot supporting Depeche Mode on the European leg of their Exciter tour at the end of last year quickly followed as did a series of further European dates as part of a solo tour. Gadget played in Gothenburg on the Saturday prior to his death just four days later.

Speaking about this desperately sad news, Daniel Miller said "Frank was the first artist I ever worked with on Mute, he made some very special and influential records and was an exceptional live performer. Frank played a big part in helping to lay the foundations of what the label was to become in the ensuing years, I will miss him greatly." Tovey was working on new Fad Gadget material at the time of his death and plans were in preparation for live dates around the globe.

All at Kaleidoscope extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to his family and friends. The world is indeed poorer for his passing and he will be sadly missed. - Rob Dyer

The following message was posted by Frank Tovey on the official Fad Gadget website just the day before his death...

02-04-2002 - SAMA and beyond 

Thank you my children of the night. Fad loves you. The Sama festival in Gotenburg was great. We all had a good time even though our dressing room was burgled while we were on stage. Gunther had his jacket stolen, Tommy lost his shades and Huw (our sound engineer) had his sweatshirt nicked. Luckily my collection of severed hands and my complete set of hand drills were untouched. Also an idiot from some Norwegian band was upset that we left the stage covered in feathers and started shouting at my girlfriend. You find these amateurs everywhere, unfortunately.Apart from these minor hiccups the show was a great success and the band enjoyed themselves tremendously. It was fun to meet some of Sissy Prozac and Statemachine back at the hotel. Thanks for the beers Sunil. The short European tour was a gas and we were pleased to see so many of our fans. I read all the messages in the guest book. Its good to see what real people think. The music biz is so full of bullshitters. The guestbook keeps me in touch so don't stop writing.As you may know I'm currently writing new material. Be patient my little rodents, I know you crave blood but these things take time. You may not see me again for a few months while I check my circuits, reprogram my nerve system and regenerate some new flesh for you to devour. I hope that there will be something for you to consume by the end of the year but, in the meantime we will be playing some festivals in the summer (dates to be announced when gigs are confirmed).And for our Amercan fans (North & Latin) and Japanese fans we hope to visit you as soon as we find suitable agents in your territories. Keep the letters coming in. We will see you soon - Love Fad Gadget x

pictures - STEVE DIXON (kaosuk)

The Garage - London - Fri 18th Jan 2002

Strangely enough though, despite a devoted underground following he seems to have remained a well-kept secret amongst the hardcore of loyal fans in the know. A secret that is until late last year when Mr Gadget found himself playing to heaving sweaty crowds of 30,000 plus Depeche Mode fans when he supported the electro-rock merchants on their ‘Exciter’ tour. Coupled with the release of the ‘Best Of’ album last year and successful appearances at the Electrofest in Germany, Mr Gadget obviously felt that the time was nigh to reap what he had sown and after a seven year sabbatical present himself to the adoring masses once more. And a bloody good job too. Thus, the adoring masses gathered at The Garage in Highbury to expect the unexpected. 

After support bands Psychophile and Greenhaus had been and gone and we had been treated to the sound of The Normal’s T.V.O.D/Warm Leatherette pumping from the speakers, the moment had cometh. Any doubts as to how well the man in person would compare to the voice committed to vinyl all those years ago were dispelled when Tovey/Gadget appeared through the clouds of dry ice and kicked off with the slow-burner ‘Worried Man’. Backstage afterwards Tovey complained of making four errors in this opening track but the crowd were sufficiently appreciative for these to be lost on all but the pickiest. Next came a visceral rendition of the seminal ‘Ricky’s Hand’ complete with Mr Gadget using his electric drill for reasons other than musical accompaniment – namely to terrorise the front few rows and then gouge a bloody hole in his own forehead. Quickly following on was ‘Collapsing New People’; a great track, which live, acquired an infectious, roaring quality not so noticeable on the original, which fairly blew the roof off the building. 

On stage, Fad Gadget cuts a mesmerising figure. At first swathed in black and a hint of red, as the gig wore on he gradually shed his garments as if crawling out of his own skin to eventually reveal the tarred and feathered body that has become his trademark. Vocally, he is equally awe-inspiring. A growl becomes a shriek, a mutter becomes a howl, and always with the melody firmly intact. Backed by Austrian band Temple X, the synthesizer centred tracks were given extra thrust by the pounding guitars and the pubescent girlies amongst the crowd were given something to dribble over by the white-clad musicians. Back to the music though. As well as the brilliant Frank Tovey single ‘Luxury’ popping it’s much appreciated head up into the proceedings, most of the necessary Fad Gadget classics were present and correct. A throbbing ‘Ladyshave’ accompanied by Mr Gadget removing some hairs of his personal topiary and proffering them to the front row, the pulsating synth of ‘Love Parasite’ sending electronic ‘bleeps’ around the room and right down my spine, the crowd screaming "Let me out!!!" along to the chorus of thunderous track ‘The Box’ and sounding for all the world like the inmates taking over the asylum. All the while Mr Gadget drove this synthesized cacophony further into our faces with his own manic performance, simulating impotence with the mike during ‘Coitus Interruptus’, shaking hands with the majority of the front rowsduring the sleazy ‘Fireside Favourite’, and indulging in a bit of crowd surfing and a few back flips along the way. Indeed, the lovable Fad seemed to have something of the Iggy Pops about him on the evening, and one fan was so overcome that during the superlative ‘Back to Nature’ he leapt onstage and gave the man a congratulatory piggy-back. Hurrah! Indubitably, the gig was a roaring success, the darkness of Tovey’s lyrics buoyed up by the energetic synths, the energy coming from the musicians and indeed the audience was tangible and the original songs benefited from the visual spectacle Tovey provided. One complaint, ‘Life on the Line’, one of Fad Gadgets best and most well loved tracks was inexplicably missing, but the overall intensity of this gig was compensation enough. The Fad Gadget revival starts here. 

Words By Lucy Donegan. Photos By Emma Smith