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)
In God We Trust (In Cars You Rust
Alien Sex Fiend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Up on the cross, looking down
My arsehole is the sea and in it you'll drown
(up on the cross, looking down)
In god we trust, in cars we rust
Brain is soaked from ultra violent rays
Phone keeps ringing, ringing ears in the night
In god you trust, in cars you rust (rust)
Sticks and stones may break your bones
But names will never hurt us
(living on promises of what could've been)
The flesh is stretched, the flesh is blue
The smell of it all is - coming - over you (ha)
(living on promises)
In god we trust, in cars you rust (rust)
Sticks and stones might break your bones
But names will never hurt us
In god you trust, in cars (we) you rust
Talk, talk, talk, talk some more
Till you're blue in the face
(talk, talk, talk, talk some more)
Your head's on the floor
You're blue in the face
Kick it around and talk some more
Kick it around and talk some more, talk some more
In god we trust, in cars we rust
The skin is stretched, the skin is blue
The smell of it all is coming - over you
In god we trust, in cars we rust
(now I find it has me)
Bones are bleached from ultra violent rays
(oh god why me?)
The phone is ringing, ringing ears in the night
(i trusted you totally)
In god we trust
The flesh is stretched, the flesh is blue
The smell of it all is - coming - over you
In god I trust, in my car I rust
In cars we rust, in god we trust
In cars we rust, in god we trust
The lyrics of Alien Sex Fiend's "In God We Trust (In Cars You Rust)" are open to interpretation, as many of their songs tend to be. However, the overall tone of this song is one of disillusionment with society and culture. The repeated phrase "in god we trust" can be seen as a commentary on how people turn to religion or other systems of belief to help them navigate a world that can often seem cruel and arbitrary. Meanwhile, the phrase "in cars you rust" suggests that these systems are ultimately flawed and will not save us in the end.
The second verse introduces the idea that our brains are "soaked from ultra violent rays," which could refer to anything from the constant barrage of media we are exposed to in modern times to the more insidious effects of capitalism and consumerism. The "phone keeps ringing" is perhaps a metaphor for the noise and distractions of everyday life that prevent us from fully experiencing the world around us. Finally, the refrain "sticks and stones may break your bones, but names will never hurt us" is a classic childhood rhyme that may take on new significance when viewed through the lens of Alien Sex Fiend's darkly ironic lyrics.
The third verse brings in more specific images of bodily decay and the aftermath of violence. The "flesh" is stretched and blue, suggesting that the body is either in distress or has been dead for some time. The singer notes that the "smell of it all is coming over you," which could be interpreted as either a literal or metaphorical reference. Finally, the phrase "living on promises of what could've been" suggests a sense of regret or dissatisfaction with one's life and choices.
Overall, "In God We Trust (In Cars You Rust)" is a powerful and somewhat disturbing commentary on the state of contemporary society. Alien Sex Fiend's unique blend of punk, goth, and industrial music creates a fittingly dark and moody soundscape for these lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
In god we trust (in cars you rust?)
Is it really God we trust, or is it actually the cars that we invest so much in that end up rusting away in the end?
Up on the cross, looking down
My arsehole is the sea and in it you'll drown
(up on the cross, looking down)
The singer stands tall and looks down on those who dare to question their beliefs. They believe that whoever disagrees with them will drown in their own ignorance and fear.
In god we trust, in cars we rust
Brain is soaked from ultra violent rays
Phone keeps ringing, ringing ears in the night
Despite our faith in God, we're exposed to violence and negativity every day through the media, which takes a toll on our brains and leaves us feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.
Sticks and stones may break your bones
But names will never hurt us
(living on promises of what could've been)
We convince ourselves that words don't have the power to hurt us, but deep down we know that we're living in regret of what could have been if we had taken those words to heart.
In god we trust, in cars you rust (rust)
Sticks and stones might break your bones
But names will never hurt us
We hold onto our faith in God, while still deep down knowing that the things we think will never harm us may end up destroying us in the end.
The flesh is stretched, the flesh is blue
The smell of it all is - coming - over you (ha)
(living on promises)
Our bodies are worn out and tired, and the harsh reality of life hits us like a wave crashing over us. We live in hopes of promises that may never come to fruition.
Talk, talk, talk, talk some more
Till you're blue in the face
(talk, talk, talk, talk some more)
Your head's on the floor
You're blue in the face
Kick it around and talk some more
Kick it around and talk some more, talk some more
We talk and argue until we're exhausted, but we continue to kick ideas around and talk some more, without ever really reaching a resolution. It's an endless cycle of never-ending conversation.
The skin is stretched, the skin is blue
The smell of it all is coming - over you
In god we trust, in cars we rust
Our bodies are starting to give out, and the reality of our failed beliefs and decaying cars is starting to hit us hard.
In god I trust, in my car I rust
In cars we rust, in god we trust
In cars we rust, in god we trust
We're torn between our faith in God and our deep attachment to our material possessions, knowing that both will inevitably let us down and rust away in the end.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@GuzziHeroV50
This song, in fact this album, is a complete masterpiece. I LOVE listening to this track in a dark room, exactly equidistant between my speakers, high volume. It floods the mind :)
@JustaScotsman
Great song from a great album......this little gem changed me from depressed post punk to 1st wave Goth rocker, and i only had to change the colour of my mowhawk to Black.............Wish to god i could get a fukin mowhawk at all now depressed old man now :-(
@aaron93m
Songs makes me want to walk in a alley during a cold, foggy night. I don't know why. LOL
@hulljames9637
To score drugs...
@jonhead191music
best track from a great album must of bought it 25years ago still a great listen
@deathhzrd
I wanna smoke exorbitant amounts of cigarettes and drink Jameson while hitting things with a golf club while listening to tbis
@Darkmoth109
I Love this song ..!!!!!
@bathorymk
uno de los temas mas cabrones y super locos q escuche de esta banda arriba Alien Sex Fiend d
@chelseamurillo3
I swear every time i hear this i think I hear "In god we trust, in goth we rust" Lol it would makes sense to me with the rest of the lyrics
@GuzziHeroV50
@FuzzbyStew That is pretty much the point! He isnt trying to be a tenor, his singing like his songs in general are haphazard and anarchic. I love ASF because they take regular conventions in music, and completely ignore them. This to me is real composition, to turn away from the expected and go in a new direction. I don't hesitate to consider Nik and the band to be an artist on the scale of any classical composer who strayed from the mainstream into an evolution of their own.