Alien Sex Fiend recorded a cassette (The Lewd, the Mad, the Ugly and Old Nick) with Youth of Killing Joke, which brought them to the attention of the UK music press, along with the appearance of their track "R.I.P." on the Batcave club compilation, The Batcave: Young Limbs and Numb Hymns 1983, released by London Records in 1983.
They signed to the Cherry Red sub-label Anagram Records, releasing their first single, "Ignore the Machine", in August 1983. The single was immediately successful on the UK Independent Chart, reaching No. 6. Their debut studio album, Who's Been Sleeping in My Brain, was released by Anagram on 1 November 1983, followed by Acid Bath in 1984. They released the world's first 11" single, "E.S.T. (Trip to the Moon)", that October.
The band also recorded two BBC Peel Sessions in 1984. At the May session, they recorded "Attack!!!", "Dead and Buried", "Ignore the Machine" and "Hee Haw"; at the August session, "In God We Trust", "E.S.T. (Trip to the Moon)" and "Boneshaker Baby".
In October 1985, their third studio album Maximum Security reached No. 100 on the UK Albums Chart and remained there for the week of 12 October. They also had two top 100 singles with "Dead and Buried" in August 1984 (No. 91) and a reissued "Ignore the Machine" in March 1985 (No. 99). Throughout the early 1980s, their work was frequently in the UK Indie Chart and remained a fixture on American college radio.
The band also became popular in Japan, and in 1985, they released a live album recorded there, Liquid Head in Tokyo. Freshwater left later in 1985, and the band continued as a trio, supporting Alice Cooper on his "The Nightmare Returns" tour in 1986 and releasing "It" the Album that October. The band was reduced to a duo of the Wades when James left following the release of 1987's Here Cum Germs.
In early 1988, the band, as the Dynamic Duo, recorded a one-off 12" single "Batman Theme" with recording and live engineer Len Davies, before continuing as Alien Sex Fiend, incorporating electronics and sampling even more into their sound on the album Another Planet, released in November 1988. They reverted to a four-piece with the 1989 addition of two prior guest collaborators, drummer/guitarist Andrew Wilson (a.k.a. Rat Fink Jr., formerly of the Turnpike Cruisers) and keyboardist/guitarist Simon "Doc" Milton, who made their official debut on that year's Too Much Acid? double-live album. Their seventh studio album, Curse, was released in October 1990.
Fink and Milton departed in 1992, following that year's Open Head Surgery album and its subsequent tour (documented on The Altered States of America live album).
The Wades then became a duo once again and provided the soundtrack for the Digital Image Design game Inferno in 1994.
In the mid 1990s, the band's video for "Zombified" appeared on the MTV show, Beavis and Butthead, subjected to their usual commentary.
In 1996, the Wades launched their own 13th Moon label, issuing three further albums: Nocturnal Emissions (1997), Information Overload (2004) and Death Trip (2010).
On 9 November 2018, Alien Sex Fiend released Possessed, their first album in eight years, on Cherry Red.
Music style
Alien Sex Fiend has been described as gothic rock, deathrock and industrial. Glenn Danzig has cited the group's sonorous and echoing sounds as having influenced the mixing for several of the recordings for his group Samhain.
Later projects
Fink published a book in 2000, Once Upon a Fiend, recalling his experiences in the band. He later drummed for Blackpool bands United States of Mind and Dog Food before joining Uncle Fester in 1999, who changed their name to UFX in 2006. Fink currently serves as frontman of Vince Ripper and the Rodent Show, a duo also featuring Vince "Ripper" Cornwall. They perform Alien Sex Fiend and the Cramps material, and have released two albums, It's Fun to Be a Monster and Boneyard a Go Go!!!.
Albums
Who's Been Sleeping in My Brain (1983)
Acid Bath (1984)
Maximum Security (1985)
"It" the Album (1986)
Here Cum Germs (1987)
Another Planet (1988)
Curse (1990)
Open Head Surgery (1992)
Inferno (1994)
Nocturnal Emissions (1997)
Information Overload (2004)
Death Trip (2010)
Possessed (2018)
Amnesia
Alien Sex Fiend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
aaaaaaarrrrgh
I'll take u on a trip
take a trip gonna take a trip...
take a trip wiv doctor hofmann
take a trip wiv doctor
hofmannaaaaaaarrrrgh...
The opening lines of Alien Sex Fiend's song "Amnesia" express a raw and intense energy through repeated screams. These screams can be interpreted as a release of pent-up frustration or a manifestation of a chaotic state of mind. They set the tone for the song and create an unsettling atmosphere that captures the listener's attention.
"I'll take u on a trip, take a trip gonna take a trip..." suggests that the singer is offering the listener an invitation to embark on a journey, both literally and metaphorically. This could refer to the idea of exploring new experiences, opening one's mind to different perspectives, or even delving into the depths of one's subconscious. The repetition of "take a trip" emphasizes the importance of this invitation, as if the singer is urging the listener to seize the opportunity.
"Take a trip wiv doctor Hofmann" refers to the Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann, who is widely known for synthesizing LSD, a powerful hallucinogenic drug. In this context, "doctor Hofmann" represents an authority figure or a guide who can facilitate this mind-altering experience. The mention of Hofmann suggests that the trip being offered is a psychedelic one, where the boundaries of reality are blurred and one's perception is profoundly altered.
The final line, "hofmannaaaaaaarrrrgh...," combines the name with another expression of raw emotion. The elongated "aaaaaaarrrrgh" can be seen as a vocalization of the overwhelming sensory experiences that often accompany a psychedelic trip. It conveys a sense of both excitement and a touch of fear or discomfort, as the unknown and unexpected can be both exhilarating and unsettling.
Overall, the lyrics of "Amnesia" by Alien Sex Fiend convey a vivid and intense invitation to embark on a transformative journey, likely involving psychedelic experiences. The raw screams, repetitious phrases, and references to the esteemed chemist Albert Hofmann all contribute to the song's atmosphere of chaos and exploration.
Line by Line Meaning
aaaaaaarrrrgh
Expressing intense excitement or anticipation.
I'll take u on a trip
I will lead you on a journey or experience.
take a trip gonna take a trip...
Preparing for and excitedly anticipating the upcoming journey.
take a trip wiv doctor hofmann
Embarking on a psychedelic trip with the guidance of Doctor Hofmann (referring to the Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann, known for discovering LSD).
take a trip wiv doctor
Undertaking an LSD-induced hallucinatory experience with the assistance of a knowledgeable person or guide.
hofmannaaaaaaarrrrgh...
Reaffirming the excitement and intensity of the experience with loud exclamation.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kassner Associated Publishers Ltd
Written by: C Wade, Milton, N Wade, Rowlands
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind