Def FX
| Def FX | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Definition FX |
| Origin | Australia |
| Genres | Industrial rock |
| Years active |
1990–1997 2012– |
| Labels |
Phantom Records RCA Records EMI Cicada Music MCA Records Grudge Records |
| Associated acts |
Fiona Horne Caligula Celebrity Drug Disasters Lunar Module |
| Members |
Fiona Horne Martyn Basha Ant Banister Wiley Cochrane |
| Past members |
Sean Lowry Blake Gardner Larry Van Kriedt Dave Stein Charlie McMahon Peter Tasker Sean Fonti |
Def FX are an Australian industrial-dance-rock group, formed in Sydney. The core of the group was Sean Lowry (also a visual artist & writer), Fiona Horne (vocalist and lyrics) and Martyn Basha (bassist and co-writer).
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 Evanescence.
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 acts Massappeal and Caligula
1996 saw the release of Majick. 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. 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" (both achieving chart success) 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, as well as a performer 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. Sean Fonti went on to form Primary with brother Jamie Fonti also from Caligula and vocalist Connie Mitchell
2012 reunion
In 2012, the band reunited and embarked on a national tour in May–June 2012, playing to enthusiastic crowds in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart and Adelaide. Lowry did not participate in the reunion. Horne and Basha were the original members reunited for the tour, joining Horne and Basha was veteran Sydney electronic musician Ant Banister (Lunar Module and Clan Analogue) on keyboards/vocals and Wiley Cochrane on guitar as well as an appearance by Jesse Basha (son of bassist Martyn Basha).
2013 reunion
In October - November 2013 Def FX played shows in Adelaide, Melbourne, Newcastle, Sydney and Brisbane. Building on the momentum from their successful reunion tour in 2012, with some rumors of a repeat tour for late 2014.
Charts
Singles
| Year | Title | AUS | AUS Alt. | US Dance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Water EP | - | 1 | - |
| 1991 | Surge EP | 88 | 1 | - |
| 1992 | Blink EP | 71 | 1 | - |
| 1993 | Space/Time/Disco | 70 | - | 24 |
| 1993 | No Time For Nowhere | 67 | - | - |
| 1994 | Post Moronic | 43 | - | - |
| 1996 | Psychoactive Summer | 42 | - | - |
| 1996 | I'll Be Your Majik | 67 | - | - |
| 1996 | Spell On You | 51 | - | - |
Albums
| Year | Title | AUS |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Light Speed Collision | - |
| 1993 | Baptism | - |
| 1995 | Ritual Eternal | - |
| 1996 | Majik | 21 |
Awards
Best Dance Act - 1994 Music Awards Readers poll, Rolling Stone, Australia.
Best Keyboards - 1994 Music Awards Readers poll, Rolling Stone, Australia.
ARIA nomination, 1992.
Discography
| Title | Album Information | Track Listing |
| Water[1] | Released: Jun 1991
|
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| Surge[2] |
Released: 1991
|
|
| Blink[3] | Released: 1992
|
|
| Light Speed Collision (Aus Release)[4] |
Released: 1992
|
|
| Baptism[5] | Released: 1993
|
|
| Light Speed Collision (US Release)[6] |
Released: 1993
|
|
| No Time For Nowhere[7] | Released: 1993
|
|
| Something Inside (No Time For Nowhere)[8] | Released: 1993
|
|
| Space Time Disco (Aus Release)[9] |
Released: 1993
|
|
| Space Time Disco (Us Release)[10] |
Released: 1993
|
|
| Make Your Stash |
Released: 1993
|
|
| Post Moronic[11] | Released: 1994
|
|
| Kill the Real Girls[12] | Released: 1995
|
|
| Psychoactive Summer[13] | Released: 1995
|
|
| Ritual Eternal[14] | Released: 1995
|
|
| Deja Vu / Headfuck[15] | Released: 1996
|
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| I'll Be Your Majick[16] | Released: 1996
|
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| Majick[17] | Released: 1996
|
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| Spell On You[18] | Released: 1996
|
|
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
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