- Def FX
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Def FX Also known as Definition FX Origin Australia Genres Industrial rock Years active 1990–1997 Labels Phantom Records
RCA Records
EMI
Cicada Music
MCA RecordsAssociated acts Caligula
Celebrity Drug DisastersPast members Sean Lowry
Fiona Horne
Blake Gardner
Martyn Basha
Larry Van Kriedt
Dave Stein
Charlie McMahon
Peter Tasker
Sean FontiDef FX (1990–1997) was an Australian industrial-dance-rock group, formed in Sydney. The core of the group was keyboardist and vocalist Sean Lowry (also a visual artist & writer) and vocalist Fiona Horne (a famous Wiccan and environmentalist).
Top 50 ARIA hit "Psychoactive Summer" is exemplary of Def FX's music, combining elements of electronica and heavy-metal instrumentations and grunge vocals. Their music throughout their career can be described as a fusion of elements of psychedelia, industrial, grunge, electronica, and heavy metal, and in their early days, even reggae and disco. In fluctating degrees their sound has similarities to that of Pink Floyd, Skinny Puppy, Cliff Burton-era Metallica, Soundgarden, Jesus Jones, The Prodigy, INXS, Garbage, Rammstein, 1990s Wollongong grunge band Tumbleweed, Marilyn Manson, and current hit-makers Evanescence.
Contents
History
With guitarist Blake Gardner, bassist Martyn Basha, and Larry Van Kriedt on saxophone and programming respectively, the band released their first EP Water in 1990. The release featured the song "Surfers of the Mind", the band's first music video. Their first album Light Speed Collision was released in 1992 (first as a vinyl-only release on the Phantom Records label, followed by CD in 1992 through EMI) and featured a cover both parodying and paying tribute to that of Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon, with the title track also decidedly Floydesque. The album also featured supplementary vocals by New Zealand singer Margaret Urlich. For its release in the United States the band were forced to use the artist name "Definition FX" to avoid any confusion with US band Das EFX.
The next album Baptism, released in 1993, was a compilation of the EPs "Water", "Surge" and "Blink" as well as the 12-inch "Surfers of the Mind" single. It also featured the single "Make Your Stash", which is apparently so rare that Horne had no idea of its existence when presented it for autographing by a dedicated Def FX fan. The single was rather atypical of Def FX, in that it had no cover art and no B-sides, which had characterised their EPs. The band usually preferred to make each release, be it album or EP, a conceptual work that made full use of the compact disc format that had recently come into commercial prominence.
Weeks before the band's second tour of the United States, guitarist Gardner left the band to be replaced by Dave Stein. By the end of 1993, Martyn Basha also departed, replaced by long-time member Larry Van Kriedt.
Ritual Eternal (1995) was a more experimental album, featuring some tracks without the standard guitars, and others featuring Charlie McMahon playing the didgeridoo, with whom Def FX also toured. Recorded and produced almost entirely by Sean Lowry, following the cancellation of their contract with EMI, this album also introduced new bassist, Peter Tasker, who was forced out of the band months later for his unprofessional behaviour. His replacement was Sean Fonti, formerly of Sydney act Caligula.
1996 saw the release of Majick the band's most techno/metal sounding album. It spawned four singles, and became the band's only certified release, going gold in 1997. The band dissolved in May of that year, as Lowry had a plan to end the project. The split was announced by Horne on ABCTV's Saturday morning youth variety show Recovery, many believed this to be premature as the band was still very successful. It was coincidentally during the same news segment as seminal Seattle grunge act Soundgarden's demise was also made public.
Post-breakup
Fiona Horne followed her stint with Def FX with musical releases 'Shut Up and Kiss Me' with Paul McDermott and a solo single "Let's Go Out Tonight" before subsequently become a successful author, writing no less than 11 books, including two autobiographies and guides to the various Wicca rituals she practices. See her bibliography here.
She is also a known actor in reality television as both host and contestant; and regularly appears on the Hamish and Andy radio programme.
In March 2007 Horne released her first solo CD Witch Web, based on her spiritual practice.
Sean Lowry completed his Ph.D in 2003 at the University of Sydney. Lowry is now an academic, writer & visual artist.
2012 Possible Reunion
Fiona Horne announced on her Facebook page that “a Def FX reunion tour is starting to look real… Australia September 2012…. Look out!” This message was followed by further updates including a note that revealed that Horne had spent two hours on the phone with Marty Basha, Def FX’s original bass player, speaking to him for the first time in 15 years. According to Horne “he is as sweet as ever! We’re super excited and wanna play for you again.”
Discography
Title Album Information Track Listing Water[1] Released: Jun 1991 - Label: Phantom Records
- Format: EP, CD
- Genre: Industrial rock
- A1 Surfers Of The Mind (3:42)
- A2 Ghost (4:17)
- B1 Spiral Dance (4:41)
- B2 Ghost (extramental mix) (4:32)
Surge[2]Released: 1991 - Label: Phantom Records
- Format: EP, CD
- Genre: Industrial rock
- 1. Under The Blue (3:25)
- 2. We Are Now (3:10)
- 3. Walk On Water (4:16)
- 4. Happy And Soft (3:44)
- 5. Under The Blue (Sonic Nirvana Mix) (4:19)
Blink[3] Released: 1992 - Label: Phantom Records
- Format: EP, CD
- Genre: Industrial rock
- A1 Sex Game Sucker (3:28) Mixed By Carmen Rizzo
- A2 Wired (3:07)
- B1 As Above, So Below (4:17) Mixed By Colin Simkins
- B2 Mocean (3:28)
Light Speed Collision
(Aus Release)[4]Released: 1992 - Label: EMI Music (Australia)
- Format: EP, CD
- Genre: Industrial rock
- 1. Definition Function X (0:38)
- 2. Feels Good (3:01)
- 3. No Time For Nowhere (3:40)
- 4. This Is The Place (3:03)
- 5. Crystalise (3:51)
- 6. Angel In The Devil's Sky (2:51)
- 7. Space Time Disco (3:21)
- 8. Wired (3:01)
- 9. Sex Game Sucker (3:25)
- 10. Lost (3:19)
- 11. Light Speed Collision (7:09)
Baptism[5] Released: 1993 - Label: Phantom Records
- Format: CD
- Genre: Industrial rock
- 1. Make Your Stash (5:18)
- 2. Ghost (4:22)
- 3. Walk On Water (4:18)
- 4. Wave Rave (8:02)
- 5. As Above, So Below (4:22)
- 6. We Are Now (3:11)
- 7. Under The Blue (Sonic Nirvana) (4:19)
- 8. Mocean (3:31)
- 9. Spiral Dance (4:49)
- 10. Happy And Soft (3:45)
- 11. Surfers Of The Mind (3:39)
- 12. Ghost (Extramental) (9:18)
- 13. Walk On Water (Squid Mix) (4:13)
- Bonus CD - Live From Small Planet
- 1a. Surfers Of The Mind (4:00)
- 1b. Road Song (3:39)
- 2. Angel In The Devils Sky (3:01)
- 3. No Time For Nowhere (3:02)
- 4. Feel's Good (3:22)
- 5. Light Speed Collision (6:49)
Light Speed Collision
(US Release)[6]Released: 1993 - Label: RCA
- Format: CD
- Genre: Electronic
- 1. Definition Function X (0:37)
- 2. Feels Good (3:01)
- 3. Surfers Of The Mind (3:52)
- 4. Something Inside (No Time For Nowhere) (3:00)
- 5. Crystalise (3:49)
- 6. Angel In The Devil's Sky (2:48)
- 7. Road Song Fever (3:37)
- 8. This Is The Place (3:03)
- 9. Under The Blue (3:25)
- 10. We Are Now (3:10)
- 11. Space Time Disco (3:22)
- 12. Lost (3:18)
- 13. Light Speed Collision (7:09)
- 14. Space Time Disco (Space Tribe Disco Trance Mix) (7:13)
No Time For Nowhere[7] Released: 1993 - Label: EMI Music (Australia)
- Format: CD
- Genre: Industrial rock
- 1. No Time For Nowhere (3:06)
- 2. Road Song Fever (3:38)
- 3. Lets Get Real (2:54)
- 4. Surfers USA (4:01)
Something Inside (No Time For Nowhere)[8] Released: 1993 - Label: RCA
- Format: CD
- Genre: Industrial rock
- 1. Something Inside (No Time For Nowhere) (Aquarius Mix) (7:25) Remixed By Al Jourgensen, Paul Barker
- 2. Something Inside (No Time For Nowhere) (Aquarius Edit) (3:58) Remixed By Al Jourgensen, Paul Barker
- 3. Something Inside (No Time For Nowhere) (Album Version) (3:00)
- 4. Road Song Fever (3:37)
Space Time Disco
(Aus Release)[9]Released: 1993 - Label: EMI Music (Australia)
- Format: CD
- Genre: Industrial rock
- 1. Space Time Disco (3:21)
- 2. No Time For Nowhere (Aquarius Mix) (7:25) Remixed By Al Jourgensen, Paul Barker
- 3. Space Time Disco (Tribal Trance) (8:07) Remixed By Sean Lowry, Mark Picchiotti, Teri Bristol
- 4. Light Speed Collision (Live) (7:30)
Space Time Disco
(Us Release)[10]Released: 1993 - Label: RCA
- Format: EP
- Genre: Industrial rock
- A1 Space Time Disco (Galaxy Vocal Mix) (7:17)
- A2 Space Time Disco (Big Disco House Mix) (7:23)
- B1 Space Time Disco (Space Tribe Disco Trance) (7:08)
- B2 Space Time Disco (Galaxy Vocal Edit) (3:59)
Make Your StashReleased: 1993 - Label: Musroom Music
- Format: CD Single
- Genre: Industrial rock
- 1. Make Your Stash (5:18)
Post Moronic[11] Released: 1994 - Label: EMI Music (Australia)
- Format: EP
- Genre: Industrial rock
- 1. Masses Like Asses (3:51)
- 2. Mask (3:50)
- 3. Ungrateful Head (Alpha) (4:42)
- 4a. Ungrateful Head (Omega) (4:21)
- 4b. The Tampon Song (4:17)
Kill the Real Girls[12] Released: 1995 - Label: EMI Music (Australia)
- Format: CD, EP
- Genre: Industrial rock
- 1. Kill The Real Girls (3:42)
- 2. Truth Lies & Fear Of Death (Remix) (3:48)
- 3. Ritual Eternal (Remix) (10:28)
- 4. Accelerate Me (Shroom Fist Mix) (4:54)
Psychoactive Summer[13] Released: 1995 - Label: Cicada Music
- Format: CD, EP
- Genre: Industrial rock
- 1. Psychoactive Summer (4:16)
- 2. Running From Shadows (Edit) (4:22)
- 3. Kill The Real Girls (Live) (4:10)
- 4. Accelerate Me (Live) (4:43)
- 5. Truth Lies And Fear Of Death (Live) (2:53)
- 6. Drowning Is Best (3:59)
Ritual Eternal[14] Released: 1995 - Label: Cicada Music
- Format: CD, EP
- Genre: Industrial rock
- 1. Running From Shadows (8:45)
- 2. Endless (2:25)
- 3. NRG (3:34)
- 4. Truth/Lies And Fear Of Death (3:30)
- 5. Endless Relentless (2:17)
- 6. Ritual Eternal (11:47)
- 7. No Room For A Dreamer (4:12)
- 8. Accelerate Me (5:01)
- 9. Kill The Real Girls (4:16)
- 10. In Your Mind's Eye (4:53)
- 11. Story Never Told (4:37)
- 12. Om Namah Shiva (6:06)
- 13. Butterfly (3:28) Hidden / Unlisted
Deja Vu / Headfuck[15] Released: 1996 - Label: MCA Records
- Format: CD
- Genre: Industrial rock
- 1. Deja Vu (4:25)
- 2. Headfuck (3:45)
- 3. God Rod (Live) (2:14)
- 4. Psychoactive Summer (Live) (4:15)
I'll Be Your Majick[16] Released: 1996 - Label: MCA Records
- Format: CD
- Genre: Industrial rock
- 1. I'll Be Your Majick (3:14)
- 2. Butterfly (3:43)
- 3. Everything (3:27)
- 4. Om Namah Shiva (Dub Chant Mix) (5:48)
Majick[17] Released: 1996 - Label: MCA Records
- Format: CD
- Genre: Industrial rock
- 1. I'll Be Your Majick (3:13)
- 2. Headfuck (4:03)
- 3. Mirror Of The Journey (3:05)
- 4. Deja Vu (4:23)
- 5. God Rod (2:11)
- 6. Mind In Mine (5:59)
- 7. Psychoactive Summer (4:17)
- 8. Hymn To Her (5:02)
- 9. Electric Eccentric (3:54)
- 10. Useless (3:48)
- 11. You Only Live Once (5:22)
- 12. Spell On You (3:53)
- 13. Revolution No.9 (5:49)
- 14. Liquid Moan (1:56)
Spell On You[18] Released: 1996 - Label: MCA Records
- Format: CD
- Genre: Industrial rock
- 1. Spell On You (3:47)
- 2. God-Rod (2:09)
- 3. Morph (5:06)
- 4. Spell On You (Extended Version) (5:28)
References
- ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Water
- ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Surge
- ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Blink
- ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Light Speed Collision (Aus)
- ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Baptism
- ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Light Speed Collision (US)
- ^ Discogs: DEF FX - No Time For Nowhere
- ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Something Inside (No Time For Nowhere)
- ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Space Time Disco (Aus)
- ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Space Time Disco (US)
- ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Post Moronic
- ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Kill the Real Girls
- ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Psychoactive Summer
- ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Ritual Eternal
- ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Deja Vu / Headfuck
- ^ Discogs: DEF FX - I'll Be Your Majick
- ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Majick
- ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Spell On You
External links
Categories:- Australian electronic music groups
- New South Wales musical groups
- Musical groups established in 1990
- Musical groups disestablished in 1997
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