always loved 'Big' - knew it was ripe for a revival, thanks for posting it up
Joe
Thanks for going through with the post. New FADs were hugely under-rated even at the time. And the Peel Session contains a cracking version of Purple Haze (all done a rip snorting pace in less than two minutes).
He's changing the world with romance
Ctel
Great stuff - though to my ears BODY EXIT MIND is even better; more cohesive.
Being a NFADs listener in the States was a very different experience. Without the weekly music press and the attendant overexposure, the "Madchester" scene was mostly just a rumor. (There weren't no Internets in them days, lads.) When the records came out over here, with no personnel information and intentionally-illegible lyric sheets, we had to figure out for ourselves what they were all about. They liked to dance; they liked to rock out; they were smart; they shunned obviousness; they were angry. That much we knew, and not much more. And that was enough.
I agree with what everyone says, every two years I seem to remember what a great band NewFADS were and have another listening splurge. Big, obviously a great track, I do like the Baka remix on the 12". Plus who can deny the utter musical and lyrical power of "Music" from the incredible, as Jack above mentions, the Body Exit Mind album.
Sorry folks, saw them here in the states supporting jesus jones & ned's atomic dustbin in '91...EVERYONE knew they were a blatant Stone Roses ripoff merely trying to capitalize on the sound/scene of the time. Not unheralded, forgotton or any other nonsense...just really, REALLY PREDICTABLE. Largely forgettable band. History has swept them under the rug for a reason..."Pigeonhole" is about as accurately titled a record as it comes both at that time, and even now in retrospect. Sorry again, but we were all there then, we all saw it, none of us really bought it...
Hey everyone,
Thanks for the comments. I am currently bidding on a copy of 'Body Exit Mind' on eBay, so hopefully I will be successful and I'll be able to hear it for myself. I also dug out the Big 12" - I'd forgotten that it's a completely different mix from the one on the album. As Dan says, the Baka Mix is also a cracker. I might stick it up later.
Finally - Jude - no need to be sorry, you are entitled to your opinion. But it seems strange that you would compare them to the Stone Roses. To my ears they sound absolutely nothing like the Roses. Happy Mondays maybe. It's also worth noting that they started out in 1988, and 'Big' was recorded in January 1990, way before the Madchester scene really kicked off, so it's unfair to accuse them of ripping anyone off. Anyway, we'll have to agree to disagree on this one, but thanks for reading!
Cheers,
Joe
I agree. Saw them at Liverpool Poly in 1990 and Liverpool Uni in 1991. Nothing like the Roses. I was disappointed to realise the line isnt 'Lets call Flash Gordon', which is what i heard on my crappy stereo back then. Good band. Singer Andy Spearpoint's wife is a teacher- i found this out when i got a lift from her from a school in Oldham in 1994 when i was on teaching practice. She dropped it into the conversation, leaving me slightly starstruck. Pathetic I know.
Hello Joe.
I look after the New Fads My Space page (The one linked on your blog page) I only started it last year, but I'm amazed how many people still have very fond memories of the New Fads. Yes, they were never the biggest band at the time, but my god, they were the one band which made their mark if you were ever lucky enough to see them live. (Nothing like The Stone Roses for Pete's sake!!) I saw them at the Riverside in Newcastle twice and also at King Tuts Wah Wah Hut. Everytime, we were reduced to crawling out of the club on our hands and knees after never leaving the mosh pit for the entire set.
Just after I started the myspace page Dolan Hewison contacted me (A: to find out who was running the page and B: to say that there MAY be some releases due in the future) He didn't go into any detail as to what and when, but I did get very excited at the prospect. There was third Peel Session recorded in 1992 and included Music, Kyphos and Bruises. Could it be these and some new material???
Anyway, with your permission, I would like to include your blog on the myspace blog as I have nothing else to report!
You can contact me on my email address or at the myspace page.
Cheers
Heath
Oh, how dearly I'd love to find my New FADs 'Music is Shit' T-shirt...
Ever since I moved to Kuwait, I have had the "......Desert grows three miles a year" line in my head. Loved this album, need a copy. Had a signed vinyl one, lost it somewhere around 93.
'Pigeonhole' is blatantly up there as one of my favourite albums of all time. Body Exit Mind is also class. Did Andy Spearpoint used to be an extra on Emmerdale Farm, or have I been listening to too many blokes in pubs? Props to Tim for mentioning the Music Is Shit t-shirt. Great EP as well (Beam Me Up is quality). I used to have the "I could get a good job if I tried, but what's the point?" t-shirt. I'd quite like to find that (even if the chances of it fitting are precisely nil). I always been a bit partial to, er, Partial. Simple but effective. Build it all up, then take it all away again. The opening clangy strum on Get Better lets you know that this is an album that means business. Watching the bongo player going bananas is one of my favourite gig moments. 'Big'-ups for posting this Joe. 
J
Great band, saw them a few times in the early 90s in Leeds and Manchester. That Hacienda gig must be one of my all time favorites.
Problem is, all their CDs are deleted now (which makes no sense) and my vinyl is getting a bit scratchy. Don't suppose some kind soul could upload Pigeonhole for me?
gog@mail2jazz.com
Really interesting piece Joe nicely written too. And great to see all the responses from fellow FADS fans. Its been a while since anyone posted a response however.
A FADs reunion would be great, and the info from Dolan is exciting indeed.
The albums were great but they were a live band and on stage they excelled. Thundering basslines and that wakka wakka guitar awesome! The Ritz gig was something else.
I believe there was some acting talent in the band, but I thought it was a walk on in Coronation Street.
Very nice piece. I knew very little about the band, other than their music was f-ing brilliant. Thanks for the education.
I still regard the New FADS as one of my favourite bands, and when anything from Pigeon Hole pops up on my Ipod I get a lift. Agree with earlier comments, Exit Body.. is a very good album and possibly the better. This review has just inspired me to finally upgrade from cassette (!) to CD so I can have Exit Body in digital as well. BONG - bring it on
www.nfad.co.uk
Pigeonhole is still one of my favorite records by any band. Saw these guys in Chicago back in the day having never heard of them and bought the cassette that night. What a great concert!
Brilliant band, saw them twice in glasgow, once in The Tunnel and again at King Tuts. I took some great pics with a tatty old camera that i scanned and sent onto Andy a few years back after i felt i simply had to track him down to see what the odds of a reunion were. None, as far as he was oncerned, not in a bad way though, he just felt that it wouldn't happen.
i had all their records, well i still do, but i gave them a loan to a 'friend' and when i went to his place to get them back they were lying all over the place, totally fucked. I couldn't bear to toss them, but on the other hand can't bear to play them either. I really must start an e-bay trawl for them again. The 'Music is Shit' ep is great and Beam Me Up an absolute legendary track. I did pick up the 'all over my face' 12" in mint condition last week in Glasgow for a mere 50p, oh yes. Not their best but well worth ten bob.
And to reiterate everyone elses comments, the band sounded NOTHING like the stones roses, who incidentall must be the most overhyped band ever to have existed. Very poor stuff. A shame that New Fads never got the recognition thwey deserved. One day, maybe!
Lets cull THAT garden.
Must say, nowt like the roses. Totally different. Hence the fanbase I suppose. I'd say they were better. Love the bongos, love the lyrics, BIG got me big time. Just love the FADS.
Along with everyone else on here I can't see anything other than a geographical similarity between The New Fads and the Stone Roses.
I managed to see the New Fads a couple of times once at the Juction in Cambridge and some other place which completely escapes me now but for sure was somewhere in the Midlands maybe the Roadmenders in Northampton. Either way, what a great live band they were, incredibly funky tight rhythm's, thundering basslines, lyrics that made no sense and fantastic over use of a wah wah peddle. Suffice to say I love them now as much as I did then.
Top write up. Best summary of a band forgotten by the meeja! I play the bongos coz of the FADS. Mancunia's finest ever. keep your roses, it's all about the dafs
We'll all be. we'll all be .........
I listened to them throughout my uni years 1991-1994.
Then, I forgot about the tape of 'pigeonhole' I had stored away for about 14 years.
Converted it to mp3s this year, put it on again - which is why I'm on this site. Sounds even better now than it did then!
They just hit some unique, bizzare vibe that sets them apart from others of the era.
The insanely earnest, authoritavely surreal vocals really stand out as something memorable.
'pigeonhole' is a masterpiece - and I still don't understand it all now - part of it's charm I suppose!
Don't need to understand it though just to fall into the groove again.
Penguins for company!
I wore my Daffodils T-Shirt the other day when helping out at a primary school (painting, gardening and stuff). The amusement of my co-workers (none of whom had heard of them) encouraged me to dig out the old albums.
They sound as fresh as ever. I won't repeat many of the comments above, but I see no comparison to the Roses. And having seen them live a couple of times (also at The Junction) they were unbeatable.
Here's to a 2nd coming of the New Fads.
They were a truly great band and absolutely compelling live, I was lucky enough to see them twice in Brighton. I so miss them. I used to have a car with New FADS emblazoned on the bonnet! BodyExitMind is one of the best albums ever. It is criminal that they were never more widely loved.
I was a massive fan of New Fast Automatic Daffodils and saw them a good few times (even once in a football stadium supporting the wonderstuff!) they were always terrific live and just seemed to 'get better' all the time. I've just been on the myspace to get the links for the lost John Peel session and I recommend everybody do the same - the version of 'Music' from what I regard as their best album 'Body Exit Mind' is mind blowingly powerful-I mean how many new bands of the last 14 years would have been championed by the great man himself? Not too many
many I reckon....
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