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Fad Gadget

Real Name:
Frank Tovey
Profile:
Fad Gadget was the first signing on Mute Records with the release of his debut single, the ground breaking 'Back To Nature' in October 1979. His liveshows in the early 80´s were quite wild and unique, often ending with the man injuring himself... He died April 3rd 2002 at his home in London of a heart attack at the age of 45.
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Discography

Releases:
Back To Nature / The Box (7", Single)   Mute Records Ltd. 1979
Fireside Favourite (Single) (3 versions)   Mute Records Ltd. ... 1980
Fireside Favourites (Album) (5 versions)   Mute Records Ltd. ... 1980
Ricky's Hand (7", Single)   Mute Records Ltd. 1980
Incontinent (Album) (6 versions)   Mute Records Ltd. ... 1981
Make Room (7", Single)   Mute Records Ltd. 1981
Saturday Night Special (Single) (3 versions)   Mute Records Ltd. ... 1981
Sometimes I Wish I Was Dead / King Of The Flies (Flexi, 7", S/Sided, EP, Red)   Flexipop 1981
For Whom The Bells Toll (Single) (3 versions)   Mute Records Ltd. 1982
King Of The Flies (7")   Mute Records Ltd. 1982
Life On The Line (Single) (7 versions)   Mute Records Ltd. ... 1982
Under The Flag (Album) (8 versions)   Mute Records Ltd. ... 1982
Collapsing New People (Maxi, Single) (13 versions)   Mute Records Ltd. ... 1983
I Discover Love (Single) (7 versions)   Mute Records Ltd. ... 1983
Untitled / March Of The Iron Workers (Flexi, 7")   Vinyl Magazine 1983
Gag (Album) (7 versions)   Mute Records Ltd. ... 1984
One Man's Meat (Single, Maxi) (7 versions)   Mute Records Ltd. ... 1984
Untitled (12", Promo)   Mute Records Ltd. 1986
The Best Of Fad Gadget (Comp) (4 versions)   Mute Records Ltd. ... 2001
Fad Gadget By Frank Tovey (Maxi) (4 versions)   Mute Records Ltd. ... 2006
Appears On:
La Era Del Tecno - 2ª Fase (LP, Album, Comp) Swallow It RCA Victor 1982
Snakes & Ladders (EP, Album) (2 versions) Coitus Interuptus, Inn... Mute Records Ltd. 1986
The Fad Gadget Singles (Comp) (3 versions)   Mute Records Ltd. ... 1986
About New Beat - Past & Present (Comp) (2 versions) Ladyshave MG Records 1989
Love Parasite (12")   Beat Box International 1990
Take 7 - Skizzo (LP, Comp) Love Parasite Dance Opera 1991
Back To Nature (12", Promo)   Blow Up 1992
New Wave Club Class•X 3 (CD) Back To Nature Antler-Subway 1992
Techno House Vol 3 Presents Techno Hits Now - Classics In Electronic Music (2xLP, Comp) Coitus Interruptus Ariola 1992
Extended Play (EP) (2 versions) Back To Nature Discordia 1994
To Cut A Long Story Short - A Tribute To The Pioneers Of Electronic Pop (CD, Album, Comp) Love Parasite Energy Rekords 1995
New Wave Club Class.X 8 (CD) Coitus Interruptus Antler-Subway 1997
Was Het Nu 70 Of 80? Vol 4 (2xCD, Comp) Coitus Interruptus EVA Belgium 1997
The Rocket Sardine (3 versions) Ricky's Hand International Deejay Gigolo Records 1998
Dance - The Alternative (2xCD) Coitus Interruptus Polygram TV 1999
Dressed In Black 3 (2xCD, Comp) Back To Nature Universal Music (Netherlands) 2001
Rare Trax Vol. 24 - First Wave Part One - 14 Post-Punk Greats (CD, Comp, Car) Swallow It Rolling Stone (Germany) 2002
La Mamoynia (CDr, Album) Ricky's Hand Die Kraft Durch Die Form 2004
Archetype V.1.1 (CDr, Maxi, Ltd)   9XO Media 2005
Live Dessau 10.09.2005 (DVDr, Ltd)   9XO Media 2005
A Bugged Out Mix By Klaxons (2xCD, Comp, Mixed) King Of The Flies, Kin... New State Recordings 2007
Cosmic - The Original (CD, Comp + CD, Comp, Mixed) State Of The Nation, S... Amarkord 2007
Tracks Appear On:
Machines (3 versions) Ricky's Hand Virgin ... 1980
Hit Fever (LP) Life On The Line Vogue Belgique 1982
La Era Del Tecno - 2ª Fase (LP, Album, Comp) Swallow It RCA Victor 1982
Wave News - The New Generation Of Music (LP, Vio) Pedestrian Intercord Tonträger GmbH 1982
Wave News 2 - Independent Smash Hits (LP, Ora) Saturday Night Special Intercord Tonträger GmbH 1982
Chart Trek Volumes 1 + 2 (Comp) (2 versions) Discover Love Ronco 1983
Chart Trek Volumes 2 (Comp) (2 versions) Discover Love Ronco 1983
Tecnomusic (LP, Comp) Life On The Line, 4M RCA Victor 1983
Debüt LP / Zeitschrift Ausgabe 5 (LP, Smplr) Speak To Me Debüt 1984
U.K. Rules OK (LP, Comp) I Discover Love Titanic Records (3) 1985
Luxury / Collapsing New People / Concrete (12", Promo) Collapsing New People ... Sire Records Company 1986
Snakes & Ladders (EP, Album) (3 versions) Coitus Interuptus, Inn... Mute Records Ltd. ... 1986
Seeds V: Electric (LP) Saturday Night Special Cherry Red 1988
About New Beat - Past & Present (Comp) (2 versions) Ladyshave MG Records 1989
New Wave Classics (CD) Collapsing New People ... CBS 1989
Rhythm Stick 1-10 (2x12") Ladyshave ("The Straig... Rhythm Stick 1989
The Indie Scene 79 (Comp) (2 versions) Back To Nature Connoisseur Collection 1991
The Tyranny Of The Beat - Original Soundtracks From The Grey Area (CD, Comp) Collapsing New People Elektra 1991
Electrocity Vol. 2 (CD) Back To Nature (Single... Ausfahrt 1992
New Wave Club Class•X 3 (CD) Back To Nature Antler-Subway 1992
Pop & Wave Vol. 1 - The Hits Of The 80's (2xCD) Collapsing New People Columbia 1992
Rock & Wave Vol. 1 - The Hits From The Underground (2xCD, Comp) Coitus Interruptus Columbia 1992
Rock & Wave Vol. 1 - The Hits From The Underground (2xCass, Comp) Coitus Interruptus Columbia 1992
Techno House Vol 3 Presents Techno Hits Now - Classics In Electronic Music (Comp) (2 versions) Coitus Interruptus Ariola 1992
The Indie Scene 80 (Comp) (2 versions) Ricky's Hand Connoisseur Collection 1992
The Indie Scene 82 (CD) Saturday Night Special Connoisseur Collection 1992
The Best Of New Wave Club Class-X Vol. 1 (XX) (2xCD, Comp) Back To Nature Antler-Subway 1993
Classic Alternatives Volume 2 (Comp) (2 versions) Collapsing New People ... SPG Music Productions Ltd. 1994
New Wave Hits (2xCD, Comp) Collapsing New People EVA Belgium 1994
Technoclub - Classix Vol. 1 (2xCD, Comp) Life On The Line Castle Communications 1995
98 New Wave Club Class•X Traxx!!! (Box + 7xCD) Back To Nature, Collap... Play It Again Sam [PIAS] 1996
New Wave Club Class•X 7 (CD, Comp) Collapsing New People Antler-Subway 1996
Echoes Of Darkness (2xCD, Comp) Lady Shave PolyGram TV (Belgium) 1997
Electronic (4xCD, Comp + Box) Ricky's Hand BMG Direct, BMG UK & Ireland 1997
New Wave Club Class.X 8 (CD) Coitus Interruptus Antler-Subway 1997
Was Het Nu 70 Of 80? Vol 4 (2xCD, Comp) Coitus Interruptus EVA Belgium 1997
Was Het Nu 70 Of 80? Vol 5 (2xCD, Comp) Collapsing New People EVA Belgium 1997
Early Mute Selection "The Scientifically Tunes" (CD) Ricky's Hand, Lady Sha... Toshiba EMI Ltd 1998
Pop & Wave Vol. 1 - The Hits From The Fantastic 80's (2xCD) Collapsing New People Sony Music Media 1998
Club Wave 1 (2xCD, Comp) Collapsing New People ARS Productions 1999
Dance - The Alternative (2xCD) Coitus Interruptus Polygram TV 1999
Dressed In Black (2xCD) Lady Shave PolyGram TV 1999
20 Jahre U4 (2xCD) Collapsing New People Intonation Recordings 2000
Dawn Of Electronica | Uncut (CD, Album, Comp) Ricky's Hand Music Collection International (MCI), Demon Music Group 2000
Dressed In Black 3 (2xCD, Comp) Back To Nature Universal Music (Netherlands) 2001
Elegy - Numéro 18 (CD, Smplr) Insecticide Elegy 2001
Muzik Presents Mute: Assume Nothing (Comp) (2 versions) Back To Nature [Loop] Muzik Magazine ... 2001
New Wave Classics (2xCD) Coitus Interruptus ARS Productions 2001
Real Retro Electronic Beats Classix (2xCD) Lady Shave Roadrunner Arcade Music 2001
80's Precious Little Diamonds (2xCD) Collapsing New People ZYX Music 2002
Classic Alternatives 80's - 12" Extended Rare Mixes (3xCD, Comp + Box) Collapsing New People ... SPG Music Productions Ltd., SPG Music Productions Ltd., SPG Music Productions Ltd., SPG Music Productions Ltd. 2002
Neo Future Vol. 1 (2xCD, Comp, Mixed) Lady Shave Edel 2002
Rare Trax Vol. 24 - First Wave Part One - 14 Post-Punk Greats (CD, Comp, Car) Swallow It Rolling Stone (Germany) 2002
The Sound Of The Crowd (CD, Comp) Back To Nature Universal Music (UK) 2002
Aktion Mekanik (CD, Comp) Coitus Interruptus Music Man Records 2003
All Lined Up - The Kult Of The Eighties (2xCD) Collapsing New People Universal TV 2003
Classic Alternatives (6xCD, Comp + Box) Collapsing New People ... SPG Music Productions Ltd. 2003
ElectricKingdom. - Dancing With The Rebels. (2xCD, Comp) Collapsing New People ... Electric Kingdom 2003
Essential 80's - New.Wave (2xCD, Mixed) Ladyshave Warner Music (Benelux) 2003
Herr Lehmann (OST) (3 versions) Collapsing New People,... Mute Tonträger 2003
Loveparade Wintersession 03/04 (2xCD, Comp) Collapsing New People ... Low Spirit Recordings 2003
Nag Nag Nag (2 versions) Back To Nature React 2003
This Is Electroclash (3xCD) Lady Shave Hypnotic 2003
Ultimate New Wave (4xCD, Comp) Collapsing New People EMI Records 2003
80's Underground Clubbing (2xCD, Comp, Ltd) Lady Shave Bang! Music 2004
Back To Mine (Comp) (2 versions) Back To Nature DMC Publishing 2004
Lektroluv 5 (Comp) (3 versions) Lady Shave (John Aquav... 541 ... 2004
Obscur (2xCD + CD, Enh, Dig) Lady Shave EMI Music (France) 2004
Back To The Penguin - The Dark Sound Of The 80's 1+2 (2xCD, Comp, RP, Sli) Lady Shave BNE - Brand New Entertainment 2005
Electric 80s (3xCD, Album, Comp, Whi) Back To Nature (Full A... Sony BMG Music Entertainment (UK) Ltd. 2005
Electric 80s (3xCD, Album, Comp, Bla) Back To Nature (Full A... Sony BMG Music Entertainment (UK) Ltd. 2005
Essential Electro Wave (CD) Coitus Interruptus EMI Music (Belgium) 2005
Essential New Wave - Volume 2 (CD) Lady Shave EMI Music (Belgium) 2005
Essential New Wave - Volume 3 (CD) Collapsing New People EMI Music (Belgium) 2006
Skyline Part Two (CD, Comp) Lady Shave Adequat Music 2006
80's Underground Clubbing - Volume 2 (CDr, Ltd, Promo) Coitus Interruptus Not On Label 2007
A Bugged Out Mix By Klaxons (2xCD, Comp, Mixed) King Of The Flies New State Recordings 2007
Cosmic - The Original (CD, Comp + CD, Comp, Mixed) State Of The Nation, S... Amarkord 2007
Mute Audio Documents «1978 - 1984» (10xCD, Comp + Box) Back To Nature, The Bo... Mute Records Ltd. 2007
100% New Wave (5xCD, Comp) Coïtus Interruptus, C... EMI Music (Belgium) 2008
Cosmic - The Original (CD, Comp) State Of The Nation Mediane 2008
Some Bizzare Album (CD, Comp, RE, Enh, RM) Back To Nature Some Bizzare 2008
Luvafair (31xFile, MP3, Comp, VBR) Lady Shave Not On Label (Steven R. Gilmore Self-released) 2009
Reflection Series #2 (12", W/Lbl) Collapsing New People Medusa Edits 2009
The Best Of New Wave Club Class-X Vol. 2 (YY) (2 versions) Lady Shave Antler-Subway  
Unofficial Releases:
Coitus Interruptus (Live In Hamburg 1984) (LP, Ltd)   INDU Records 1984
It's In The Mix Vol. 5 (CD, Comp) Lady Shave (Rhythm Sti... Not On Label (It's In The Mix Series) 1994
Exciter Tour Berlin (2xCD) State Of The Nation, R... Not On Label (Depeche Mode), Not On Label (Fad Gadget), Mute Records Ltd. (2) 2001
Exciting Frankfurt October 11th 2001 (2xCD, Dig) State Of The Nation, R... Not On Label (Depeche Mode) 2001
B-Sides & Remixes Vol.1 (CDr, Comp, Unofficial)   Not On Label (Fad Gadget)  
Doomtrax (12", Mixed) Coitus Interruptus, Co... Uptide Records (2)  
Doomtrax / The Princepals Of Dancing (12", Mixed, Unofficial, Comp) Coitus Interruptus, Co... itm, itm  
New Wave Mix Vol. 10 (CDr, Mixed, Ltd) For Whom The Bells Tol... Not On Label (New Wave Mix Series)  
New Wave Mix Vol. 4 (CDr, Mixed, Ltd) Newsreal Not On Label (New Wave Mix Series)  
New Wave Mix Vol. 5 (CDr, Ltd, Mixed) One Man's Meat Not On Label (New Wave Mix Series)  
New Wave Mix Vol. 6 (CDr, Mixed, Ltd) Ladyshave Not On Label (New Wave Mix Series)  
New Wave Mix Vol. 7 (CDr, Mixed, Ltd) Collapsing New People Not On Label (New Wave Mix Series)  
New Wave Mix Vol. 8 (CDr, Mixed, Ltd) Ricky's Hand Not On Label (New Wave Mix Series)  
Treibhaus Compilation (CD, Unofficial) Back To Nature Black Sundays Release  
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YouTube Videos

Fad Gadget - Ricky's Hand
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Reviews & Discussion

Review by qlasse Feb 28, 2003
Fad Gadget, or Frank Tovey - which was his real name (born 1956 in London’s East End), was one of the groundbreaking artists in the electronic genre in the late 70’s/early 80’s.
He was the first signing on Mute Records, where he worked together with e.g. Daniel Miller and John Fryer.
Fad Gadget was known as an eccentric wild man live on stage, as he performed in weird outfits and often ending the shows by injuring himself (he once broke both his legs in a concert in Amsterdam).

Musical highlights were his two first singles "Back To Nature" (released in 1979) and "Ricky’s Hand" (1980), his debut album "Fireside Favourites" (1980) which is truly groundbreaking, and "Under The Flag" (1982), by many considered as his best album and has the great tunes "For Whom The Bells Toll" and "Love Parasite" on it.
Worth mentioning is also his collaboration with the German industrial band Einstürzende Neubauten that resulted in the brilliant song "Collapsing New People" in 1984.

In 1985 Tovey dropped the Fad Gadget name, and started to release records under his real name. Unfortunately he passed away in 2001, because of a heart failure.