Def FX

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Def FX
Also known asDefinition FX
OriginSydney, New South Wales, Australia
Genres
Years active1990 (1990)–1997 (1997), 2012 (2012)–2013 (2013)
Labels
Associated acts
  • Caligula
  • Celebrity Drug Disasters
  • Lunar Module
Past members

Def FX was an Australian band created by Sean Lowry (keyboards) in 1990 and included Fiona Horne on lead vocals, Blake Gardiner on guitar and Martyn Basha on bass - the band had no drummer. They released four albums, Light Speed Collision (December 1992), Baptism (compilation, November 1993), Ritual Eternal (May 1995), Majick (July 1996) before disbanding in April 1997. For United States releases and touring they used Definition FX as their band name to avoid confusion with similarly named groups.

Top 50 ARIA hit "Psychoactive Summer" is one example of Def FX's music, combining elements of electronica and heavy-metal instrumentations and grunge vocals and pop. Their music throughout their career can be described as a fusion of elements of psychedelia, grunge, electronica, and heavy metal, and commercial pop and in their early days, even reggae and disco.

Basha and Horne resurrected Def FX for touring in 2012 and 2013.

History[]

Def FX were formed in 1990 in Sydney with the line-up of Martyn Basha on bass guitar, Blake Gardner on lead guitar (both ex-Bezerk), Fiona Horne on lead vocals (ex-Mothers) and Sean Lowry on record player with a padlock on it, sequencers and samples (ex-King Prawn).[1] According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, their "intention from the outset was to mix energetic dance beats with hardcore grungy rock." & electronic dance music."[1] Larry Van Kriedt was a "hidden fifth member" on saxophone and sequencers (ex-AC/DC, Non Stop Dancers); he "also co-wrote much of the band's early material."[1]

Def FX's debut release was a four-track extended play, Water, in June 1991 via Phantom Records.[1] It featured the song, "Surfers of the Mind", which Joanna Palmer of Tharunka described as "a violent whirlpool of high-voltage house metal where [Horne] puts her larynx through a militant aerobic workout, while the cool delivery of [Lowry]'s 21st century gospel raps around her."[2] The track appeared on national radio station, Triple J's listeners' poll for 1991.[3] They toured Australia,[1] and promoted it with the band's first music video. Water was produced by Nick Mainsbridge. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1992 the EP was nominated for Best Independent Release and Producer of the Year.[4][5]

They followed with a second EP, Surge, in November, which included the track, "Under the Blue".[1] A third EP, Blink (June 1992), included the track, "Sex/Game/Sucker".[1] Gardner was replaced on guitar by Dave Stein late in 1992.[1] Lowry summarised the group's attitude to signing with a major label, "It was always important to stay independent long enough to set the parameters of the band, so that anyone who came on board would be clear what the band was like and how it should be marketed."[6]

Their first album, Light Speed Collision, was released in November 1992 in a vinyl-only format via Phantom Records; it appeared in CD format through EMI in the following February. The album included guest vocals by New Zealand pop singer, Margaret Urlich. For its United States version, on RCA/BMG in June 1993, the band used the name, Definition FX, to avoid confusion with a US band, Das EFX. They reordered the tracks and added material from two of their EPs.[7] Lowry explained to Nic Haygarth of The Canberra Times that "People get the misconception that because we're a technology-based band we do a lot of our work and development of songs in the studio, but I suppose what we do there is attempt to transfer the live show to record, and we might put up a very rough mock-up of a song and start playing it."[7]

The second album, Baptism, released in 1993, is a compilation of three Australian-released EPs Water, Surge and Blink as well as a 12-inch single, "Surfers of the Mind". Baptism featured the track, "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[citation needed]. 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. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1993 Blink was nominated for Best Independent Release.[8]

Three more EPs followed No Time for Nowhere (March 1993), Space Time Disco (June) and Post Moronic (September 1994). At the end of 1993 Basha had departed and his duties on bass guitar were taken up by Van Kriedt. Post Moronic appeared on the ARIA Singles Chart in the top 50.[9] One of its tracks, "Masses Like Asses", was listed on the Triple J Hottest 100, 1994.[3]

Ritual Eternal (1995), their third album, is more experimental: including tracks without standard guitars and others with Charlie McMahon on didgeridoo (ex-Gondwanaland Project), who also joined Def FX on tour.[1] It was recorded and produced almost entirely by Lowry, following the cancellation of their contract with EMI, and was issued via independent label Cicada Music and distributed by MDS.[1] McFarlane felt the CD was "over-ambitious".[1] Ritual Eternal introduced their new bass guitarist, Peter Tasker, who was forced out of the band months later and replaced by Sean Fonti (ex-Massappeal, Caligula).[1] At the ARIA Music Awards of 1995 they were nominated for Best Independent Release for their third album.[10]

In November 1995 they issued a single, "Psychoactive Summer", which also reached the top 50 on the ARIA Charts.[1][9] It was followed by their fourth album, Majick, in mid-year, which peaked at No. 21 on the ARIA Albums Chart.[1][9] It provided four singles. The band dissolved in May of that year with the split announced by Horne on ABC-TV's Saturday morning youth variety show, Recovery.

Post break up and reunions[]

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 writer, with 11 books, including two autobiographies and guides to her practising of Wiccan rituals. She is an actor, as well as a performer in reality television as both host and contestant; she used to appear 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 and visual artist. Sean Fonti formed Primary with brother Jamie Fonti also from Caligula and vocalist, Connie Mitchell.

With Horne and Basha as the sole original members, Def FX reunited and embarked on a national tour in May–June 2012, performing in east coast state capitals. Joining the pair were electronic musician Ant Banister (Clan Analogue) on keyboard and vocals and Wiley Cochrane on guitar, as well as an appearance by Jesse Basha (son of bassist Martyn Basha). From October to November 2013 they reformed again to play shows in Adelaide, Melbourne, Newcastle, Sydney and Brisbane.

Charts[]

Singles[]

Year Title AUS
[9]
AUS Alt.
[11]
US Dance
1991 Water EP 149 1 -
1991 Surge EP 88 1 -
1992 Blink EP 71 1 -
1993 No Time for Nowhere 67 - -
Space Time Disco 70 - 24
1994 Post Moronic EP 43 - -
1995 Psychoactive Summer 42 - -
1996 Spell on You 51 - -
I'll Be Your Majick 67 - -
Deja Vu/Headfuck - - -

Albums[]

Year Title AUS
[9]
1992 Light Speed Collision 96
1993 Baptism -
1995 Ritual Eternal -
1996 Majick 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[12] Released: Jun 1991
  • A1 Surfers of the Mind (3:42)
  • A2 Ghost (4:17)
  • B1 Spiral Dance (4:41)
  • B2 Ghost (extramental mix) (4:32)

Surge[13]
Released: 1991
  • 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[14] Released: 1992
  • 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)[15]
Released: 1992
  • 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[16] Released: 1993
  • 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)[17]
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[18] Released: 1993
  • 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)[19] Released: 1993
  • 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)[20]
Released: 1993
  • 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)[21]
Released: 1993
  • 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 Stash
Released: 1993
  • 1. Make Your Stash (5:18)
Post Moronic[22] Released: 1994
  • 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[23] Released: 1995
  • 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[24] Released: 1995
  • 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[25] Released: 1995
  • 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[26] Released: 1996
  • 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[27] Released: 1996
  • 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[28] Released: 1996
  • 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[29] Released: 1996
  • 1. Spell On You (3:47)
  • 2. God-Rod (2:09)
  • 3. Morph (5:06)
  • 4. Spell On You (Extended Version) (5:28)

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Def FX'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 10 July 2004.
  2. ^ Palmer, Joanna (1 August 1991). "Records: Def FX Water EP (Phantom)". Tharunka. p. 50. Retrieved 4 February 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b "Hottest 100 Archive &#124 def fx 4 Results". Triple J (Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)). Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  4. ^ "Winners by Year 1992". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  5. ^ "17th Annual ARIA Awards". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 23 February 2004. Retrieved 19 April 2017. Note: User may be required to access archived information by selecting 'The History', then 'By Award', 'Producer of the Year' and 'Option Show Nominations'.
  6. ^ Haygarth, Nic (4 February 1993). "Good Times: 'Surfers of the Mind' Making Waves". The Canberra Times. 67 (21, 114). p. 3. Retrieved 19 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b Haygarth, Nic (10 June 1993). "Def FX on Verge of Light Speed Collision". The Canberra Times. 67 (21, 240). p. 27. Retrieved 18 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "Winners by Year 1993". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 14 December 2007. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Australian (ARIA) chart peaks:
  10. ^ "Winners by Year 1995". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  11. ^ Australian (ARIA) Alternative Singles chart peaks:
  12. ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Water
  13. ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Surge
  14. ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Blink
  15. ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Light Speed Collision (Aus)
  16. ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Baptism
  17. ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Light Speed Collision (US)
  18. ^ Discogs: DEF FX - No Time For Nowhere
  19. ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Something Inside (No Time For Nowhere)
  20. ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Space Time Disco (Aus)
  21. ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Space Time Disco (US)
  22. ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Post Moronic
  23. ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Kill the Real Girls
  24. ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Psychoactive Summer
  25. ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Ritual Eternal
  26. ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Deja Vu / Headfuck
  27. ^ Discogs: DEF FX - I'll Be Your Majick
  28. ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Majick
  29. ^ Discogs: DEF FX - Spell On You

External links[]

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