Toxik Ephex

Toxik Ephex is a punk rock band from Scotland who was first formed in 1979, originally as The Abductors, by founding member Fred "Inspector Blake" Wilkinson.

History

The Abductors were formed "coincidentally the day after that fine upstanding figure of a man Sid Vicious went to the great glue bag in the sky" [http://www.myspace.com/toxikephex] by Gary 'Wee Eck' Dawson on vocals, Keith Thompson on drums, Stephen 'Steppe' Dempster on Bass and Fred 'Inspector Blake' Wilkinson on guitar. Members came and went, such as Jimmy Sim on Drums and 'Trouper' on bass.

By September 1980 the bands noxious reputation, combined with tragic, unconnected events elsewhere in Aberdeen, precipitated a change of name. [http://www.myspace.com/toxikephex] Blakey found the name in a medical book whilst working as a pharmacy technician.

Toxik's first recording was a live recording made at the 62 Club in Aberdeen. They cut the track 'Police Brutality' to tape which was later included on the compilation record "Bullshit Detector Vol.2" on Crass Records.

The line up changed again in 1982 with Mikey 'Gloo Pimp' Smith joining on Bass and 'Chiz the Whizz' joining on drums. In September 1985 Dod Copland replaced Gary on vocals with Frank Benzie joining on guitar soon after. The classic (and most familiar) Toxik Ephex line up was born!

In 1987 the band recorded their first 7" record 'Punk As Fuck' at Pier House studios in Edinburgh, after the recommendation from fellow punk rockers Oi Polloi. Fred started his own record label Green Vomit Records to distribute the record. The first press, released with hand made covers sold out very quickly, and a repress was made with properly printed covers.

In 1988 the band joined forces with Oi Polloi to release a split album. Toxik's side (titled 'Mad as Fuck') starts with their punk rock take of 'Wild side of life'.

In 1989 they released another split record, this time with Welsh punk band Shrapnel. A full length release followed in 1991, funded by 1-up records from Aberdeen. The full length would be their "final epitaph" as the band would split up soon after with the members going in different directions.

Toxik's sound is unique and has inspired many other Scottish punk bands such as Ex-Cathedra. Fred is heavily interested and involved in folk music, and Dod (an accomplished piper in his own right) often started gigs playing his bagpipes which won over the crowds in Europe as it was a breath of fresh air. This fusion of Scottish folk and bagpipes combined with punk can now be heard in various bands such as Dropkick Murphys and The Real McKenzies. Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys rates Toxik Ephex as the best ever Scottish punk band.

Reformation

The band reformed originally in 1999 with Frank Benzie being replaced on guitar. The band embarked on a mini tour on Scotland with The Men They Couldn't Hang as well as returning to their second home, Shetland. This reformation soon fizzled out with Fred leaving. A completely new lineup was put together with only Dod Chiz and Frank remaining from the original lineup. This incarnation played their famed comeback gig with the Dead Kennedys in Aberdeen. The band soon split again, but were to reform with Fred and Mikey again for their 25th anniversary. The band now regularly host one off gigs.

In 2006, Runnin Feart' fanzine released Toxik Ephex's first new recording in over 15 years, the 7" single 'Civilised'. Topplers records from Scotland were so impressed that they have gone on to reissue most of their back catalogue, with plans afoot to re-released everything on a double CD set.

Discography

Compilations

*"Bullshit Detector Vol 2 "Police Brutality" (released 1980 Crass Records)

7" Records

*"Punk As Fuck (released 1987 Green Vomit Records)
*"Acts of Desperation - split with Shrapnel (released 1989 Words of Warning Records)
*"Civilised (b/w Land of no opportunity) (released 2006 Runnin' Feart records)

LP's

*"Mad As Fuck - split with Oi Polloi (released 1988 Green Vomit Records)
*"Nobby Porthole The Cock of the North (released 1991 Green Vomit Records, 1up)

External links

* [http://www.myspace.com/toxikephex Official site]
* [http://www.topplers.net/ Topplers Records]