Alien Sex Fiend

All Music Guide:

A product of Britain's early-'80s Batcave goth punk movement, the North London-based Alien Sex Fiend were led by the eccentric Nick Wade, better known as the macabre Nik Fiend. A staple of the London scene as a member of such relatively obscure groups as the Earwigs and Mr. & Mrs. Demeanour, he made his recording debut under the name Demon Preacher; several other short-lived projects followed before he formed Alien Sex Fiend in 1982 with wife and synth player Christine (aka Mrs. Fiend), guitarist Yaxi Highrizer (born David James), and drummer Johnny "Ha Ha" Freshwater.

Mixing the theatrical horror-movie antics of Alice Cooper with the menacing synthesizer pulse of Suicide, Alien Sex Fiend debuted with the single "Ignore the Machine," a favorite among goth club denizens; the full-length Who's Been Sleeping in My Brain? appeared in 1983. A series of indie chart hits followed in 1984, including "R.I.P.", "Dead and Buried," and "E.S.T. (Trip to the Moon)"; the success of the album Acid Bath further increased the group's visibility, and in Japan, Alien Sex Fiend became major stars, resulting in the 1985 live release Liquid Head in Tokyo.

Following the departure of Johnny Ha Ha, the group continued as a trio to record 1985's bleak Maximum Security. After the following year's "It" the Album, released to coincide with Alien Sex Fiend's opening slot on Alice Cooper's Nightmare Returns tour, they recorded 1987's Here Cum Germs, the final offer to feature Yaxi Highrizer; now essentially a duo, the Fiends explored more synth- and sample-oriented territory on 1988's Another Planet, a trend continued on 1990's Curse, which featured the minor hit "Now I'm Feeling Zombified."

With a revitalized lineup including new guitarist Rat Fink Jr. and keyboardist Doc Milton, Alien Sex Fiend resurfaced in 1992 with Open Head Surgery. After a 1993 live album, Altered States of America, they composed the music for the CD-ROM game Inferno; with the release of the compilation The Singles 1983-1995, the band's affiliation with longtime label Anagram ended, and the Fiends soon established their own 13th Moon Records imprint. With the release of the trance-influenced 1996 EP Evolution, Alien Sex Fiend traveled even further away from their goth beginnings into the realm of electronica, a move continued on 1997's Nocturnal Emissions.

Wikipedia:

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.

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). 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 and Starfish), 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.