Fad Gadget, whose real name is Francis “Frank” Tovey, is an English singer who started his artistic career in 1979 with the release of a first single called “Back to nature”, a single which gave him significant first recognition of part of the public.
Building on this esteemed success, the artist released the single "Ricky’s hand" a year later in 1980, a single which unfortunately did not enjoy the same enthusiasm as its predecessor. Ditto for his first album, "Fireside Favorite", which came out shortly after and which, too, was going under the radar.
The albums "Incontinent" and "Under the flag" which came out in 1981 and 1982 respectively did not do much better and only met with modest success. All like the different singles that will be extracted from it.
It was not until 1983 that the artist experienced his only success of global scale with the title "Collapsing new people". The artist's flagship single from the album "Gag" which was released later in 1984.
Anything that comes out later, under the nickname Fad Gadget or under Frank Tovey, will have very relative success.
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Back to nature 1979
Ricky’s hand 1980
Fireside favourite 1980
Make room 1981
Saturday night special 1982
King of the flies 1982
Life on the line 1982
For whom the bells toll 1983
I discover love 1983
Collapsing new people 1983
One man’s meat 1984
Luxury (Frank Tovey) 1985
Luddite Joe (Frank Tovey) 1986
Immobilise (Mkultra) 1987
Bridge St. Shuffle (Frank Tovey) 1988
The brotherhood (Frank Tovey) 1988
Sam hall (Frank Tovey) 1989
The liberty tree (Frank Tovey ) 1991
All that is mine (Frank Tovey) 1992
Clips :
1979 ... beginnings with a trendy sound and a style that is no less. But there is still a little work to do before hoping to join the big leagues ...
1980...a style that pays off right away since the artist will get his first title classified with this title. Certainly in the independent Charts but it's always that as they say...
1980 ... the rest hardly resembles what we heard previously. Original but totally inappropriate for the time ...
1981 ... the artist gives free rein to his unbridled imagination but the melodic quality suffers greatly. Beware of leaving the road prematurely ...
1982 ... not much of interest in 1981 and return to average form in 1982. After an encouraging start to his career, he is unable for the moment to pass the upper tier. Must and can do better ...
1982...yet he doesn't miss much to pass this famous stage. But what is certain is that he will not pass it during this year 1982...
1982 ... it's already a little better on this track. It was time for the singer to recover because it smelled more and more bad for the rest of the events ...
1983 ... the sound is again trendy but the darkness which emerges from it marginalizes and necessarily isolates. There is better but it is not yet enough ...
1983 ... will 1983 finally be the right year ? Considering this 1st title, not sure that the artist manages to reverse the trend for the moment ...
1983 ... then THIS title comes ! Just a single title, THIS title, was enough for the artist to pocket One Shot his ticket to posterity. Admittedly, in a fashion always so quirky and atypical but the main thing is that he finally obtains the consecration after which he has been chasing for years. HU-GE !
1984 ... a musical universe inaccessible to ordinary people, that's clear. We thought that the singer had finally found the way to redemption, unfortunately wrong ...
1985 ... the Fad Gadget adventure being over, the singer returns to his original name to continue the adventure for whatever reason. We feel that it will be complicated for him to reconnect with a possible big-caliber success ...
1986 ... originality is good, but too much originality kills originality. Its wacky side reaches its limits and relegates him to the depths of the abyss. Pity...
1987...the adventure continues under various names and various collaborations. With more or less success each time...
1988... a rhythmic overspeed which will not help on this title. There's nothing to do, he definitely can't do anything like everyone else...
1988 ... each new title is a source of diverse and varied experimentation for him, as much on the sound side as on the rhythmic side. We won't remake him again as they say...
1989 ... we go from one extreme to another. The artist gets lost and tries everything and anything to come to the surface. Not sure that the chosen solution is the right one ...
1991 ... he tries the transition to the 90s but that will not change the situation unfortunately. Carrots have been cooked for a long time, although this title is far from ridiculous ...
1992...a slightly more standard title which shows once again that when he wants, he can do things normally. But only when he wants...
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :