Fad Gadget - Recording

Recording

The recording of Gag was a turning point in Tovey’s recording career. It would be the first time he used a band of musicians to record an album, before he had recorded most of the musical parts himself. It would also see a major change in the recording location from London to Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin. He had wanted a break from the way he had been recording in London. The acoustic spaces in the German studio had excited Tovey. He was also excited about the recording equipment that was installed at Hansa at that time, including the computer controlled mixing desk. He found the new recording practices refreshing, having other people collaborating in the writing and recording process. Some of these collaborators included the viola player, Joni Sackett, and keyboard player, David Simmonds. The recordings included many acoustic instruments, which veered away from the electronic instruments which had been used on previous recording sessions. Tovey had used synthesisers when they were not fashionable to use – he had now moved away from electronic instrumentation when it was the current trend with other recording artists. During the recording of Gag the German industrial band, Einstürzende Neubauten, were also recording at Hansa and had been the support act for Fad Gadget at a gig at "The Loft" venue in Berlin. Frank liked their use of Industrial equipment and found objects something he had encouraged Nick Cash drummer and percussionist since first album to do. Frank Tovey heard a large printing press nearby which had a distinctive rhythm and got Gareth Jones the co-producer/engineer to record it, this was looped and became the basis for "Collapsing New People" with Cash drumming along and keeping the swing of the machine. Tovey then thought it would be good to ask Neubauten if they would add some of their percussion noise to the mix, however he thought there was enough going on in the track and their contribution was used on the B.Side "Spoil The Child" and on the 12" mix of the song. Neubauten’s percussion was overdubbed over the already recorded backing tracks. The percussion tracks proved difficult to mix at the final stage, but Tovey was pleased with the final result. The track "Collapsing New People" was released as a single by Mute Records. Incidentally, Einstürzende Neubauten translated means collapsing new buildings. After recording the album Gag, Tovey began recording under his real name – Frank Tovey. He carried on moving toward acoustic instruments and in 1984 had decided he may want to record on his own again.

Fad Gadget was known for his confrontational live performances, which included Tovey covering himself in tar and feathers, leaping into the audience, and playing instruments with his head. Tovey was particularly infamous for spreading his naked body in shaving cream onstage, an image of which is depicted on the cover of The Best of Fad Gadget. Sounds magazine described him as "...the bumbling but talented Dr Who of electro-pop".

He recorded several LPs of more experimental work under the name Frank Tovey, beginning with Easy Listening for the Hard of Hearing, a collaboration with Boyd Rice recorded in 1981.

In 1989, he changed musical tactics in his criticism of industrialization, recording a mostly acoustic album of protest and labor songs Tyranny and the Hired Hand including such standards as "Sixteen Tons." He then tried his hand at writing similar material, recorded two more albums with a backing band named The Pyros. After touring in 1993, Tovey withdrew from the music business.