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)
Spine-Tingler
Alien Sex Fiend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
runnin' round my mind
sizzlin' in my Soul...
tinglin' up my spine.
Flashin' through the cortex...
touching the divine.
In these evocative lyrics from Alien Sex Fiend's song "Spine-Tingler," there is a visceral and almost primal energy being described that seems to be surging through the singer's being. The imagery of something coursing through their veins conveys a sense of movement and intensity, as if an electrifying force is flowing throughout their body. This sensation is not merely physical but also mental, as it is described as running round the singer's mind, suggesting a profound impact on their thoughts and consciousness.
The use of words like "sizzlin' in my soul" and "tinglin' up my spine" adds a layer of eroticism and intensity to the experience being depicted in the lyrics. The soul, often considered the essence of a person, is described as sizzling, implying a passionate and overwhelming sensation that transcends the physical realm. The tingling up the spine is a common metaphor for experiencing intense emotional or spiritual arousal, hinting at a profound and possibly transformative encounter.
The imagery of "flashin' through the cortex" and "touching the divine" further deepens the esoteric and otherworldly quality of the experience described in the lyrics. The cortex is a part of the brain associated with higher cognitive functions, so the reference to something flashing through it suggests a moment of intense cognitive or intellectual stimulation. The idea of touching the divine adds a spiritual dimension to the experience, suggesting that whatever is coursing through the singer's being is not just a physical or mental phenomenon but also a connection to something transcendent or sacred.
Overall, these lyrics from "Spine-Tingler" by Alien Sex Fiend evoke a sense of raw, intense, and possibly overwhelming sensation that seems to be both physical and spiritual in nature. The imagery of something coursing through the singer's veins, running round their mind, and sizzling in their soul paints a vivid picture of an experience that is both electrifying and mysterious. By touching on themes of passion, spirituality, and cognitive stimulation, the lyrics create a rich tapestry of sensations and emotions that invite the listener to delve deeper into the enigmatic world that Alien Sex Fiend has crafted.
Line by Line Meaning
Coursin' thru my viens,
Running intensely through my veins,
runnin' round my mind
Moving swiftly around my thoughts
sizzlin' in my Soul...
Burning deeply in my essence...
tinglin' up my spine.
Creating a sensation up my back.
Flashin' through the cortex...
Quickly traveling through the brain's outer layer...
touching the divine.
Connecting with something sacred.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kassner Associated Publishers Ltd
Written by: C Wade, Milton, N Wade, Rowlands
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind