Fegmania!

Infobox Album |
Name = Fegmania!
Type = Album
Artist = Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians


Released = March 1985
Recorded = Alaska Studios
Genre = Rock
Length = 73:54
Label = Slash
Rhino
YepRoc
Producer = Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:d7tvad5kv8w6 link]
Last album = "I Often Dream of Trains"
(1984)
This album = "Fegmania!"
(1985)
Next album = "Gotta Let This Hen Out!"
(1985)

"Fegmania!" is a 1985 album by Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians.

"Fegmania!" was Robyn Hitchcock's first album with his new backing group, the Egyptians, which included former Soft Boys Andy Metcalfe and Morris Windsor.

The album is said to be more accessible than some of Hitchcock's earlier solo work and contains several 'pop' style recordings brightened by the treble-heavy guitar mode which would later resurface elsewhere in the Brit-pop vein. Most of the material, some of which was quite old when it was recorded, is up-tempo, lending a lightness to Hitchcock's darkly playful lyrics.

"The Man with the Lightbulb Head" was conceived on London's Archway Road and provided a springboard for Hitchcock's first attempt at film making for a promo video. Stills from the video were reproduced as cover art for the front and back of the LP sleeve.

The album was quickly followed by the live album, "Gotta Let This Hen Out!", much of which was recorded on the Egyptians' tour in support of "Fegmania!"

Eight bonus tracks are added to the subsequent Rhino CD reissue of the album, including an acoustic demo of "Insect Mother", which had been recorded for possible inclusion in the earlier "I Often Dream of Trains", and "The Pit of Souls", a lengthy psychedelic instrumental in several 'movements'. Two alternate versions of "Egyptian Cream" also appear as bonus tracks.

The 2008 YepRoc reissue added seven bonus track to the original album. Unlike the Rhino reissue "The Pit of Souls" is the full "I-IV" version. The outro which previously appeared as hidden track after "Heaven" is now included as separate, twelfth untitled song. This reissue was also included in the retrospective Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians boxset Luminous Groove.

Track listing

All songs written by Robyn Hitchcock except as indicated.

ide one

# "Egyptian Cream" – 3:33
# "Another Bubble" – 2:46
# "I'm Only You" – 4:28
# "My Wife & My Dead Wife" – 4:19
# "Goodnight I Say" – 3:14

ide two

# "The Man with the Lightbulb Head" – 3:05
# "Insect Mother" – 1:54
# "Strawberry Mind" – 2:50
# "Glass" – 3:12
# "The Fly" – 3:50
# "Heaven" – 4:41

Rhino CD Reissue Bonus Tracks

# "Bells of Rhymney" (Davies / Seeger) – 3:30
# "Dwarfbeat" – 3:00
# "Some Body" – 3:24
# "Egyptian Cream" [Demo] – 4:35
# "Heaven" [Live]
# "Insect Mother" [Demo] – 4:53
# "Egyptian Cream" [Live]
# "The Pit of Souls [Parts I-IV] " – 1:41

YepRoc CD Reissue Bonus Tracks

# "Bells of Rhymney" (Davies / Seeger) – 3:30
# "Some Body" – 3:20
# "Heaven [Live] " – 4:55
# "The Pit of Souls [I-IV] " – 9:59
# "The Drowning Church" – 3:12
# "The Man with the Lightbulb [Instrumental] " – 2:52
# "Lady Obvious" – 3:21

Personnel

*Robyn Hitchcock - Vocals, guitars, bass on "The Man with the Lightbulb Head"
*Morris Windsor - Drums
*Andy Metcalfe - Bass, keyboards on "I'm Only You", "My Wife & My Dead Wife", "Goodnight I Say", "Insect Mother" & "Heaven"
*Roger Jackson - Keyboards on "Strawberry Mind", "Glass", "The Fly" & "Heaven"
*John Kingham - Drums on "The Man with the Lightbulb Head"