The Severed Heads Liberation Front Page
Severed Heads formed under that name in 1979 in Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia, and is based around the sounds and visions of Tom Ellard (and various other talented individuals). They are pure post-Industrial, but are not afraid of pop. They have the same influences as much of the modern dance music scene, but they take it in a more creative direction (and unfortunately take it up you-know-where in terms of sales as a result). They have played in the worst arty toilets in and around Sydney and landed a single in the Australian Pop Top 20 ("Dead Eyes Opened '94"). They have been quoted as influential by prominent bands like Orbital and Nine Inch Nails, but the music industry still gives them no respect. Their music is one of the things in my life that make me feel blessed to own a fully functioning pair of ears (and their videos tweak the eyes nicely, even when the computer animation gets cheesy). I started the Severed Heads Liberation Front (and built this webpage) to increase awareness of their music, supply information about them to fans (mainly lyrics, but other pages have other info), and to fight for increased access to their music (especially their older and rarer stuff).
One thing I hoped to include more of on this page was information and essays from the booklets that Severed Communications used to release alongside each album, but I've searched high and low for my copies and goddamned if I can find them. A couple of people have been so kind as to send me xeroxes of the Bigot and Bulkhead/Rotund booklets, as well as #5, #5.2 and #6, and their efforts are fully appreciated (thank you very much, Danny and Gavin), but there's still at least one thing missing. If anybody out there has the Bad Mood Booklet or anything that isn't mentioned here, including newspaper and magazine articles (I had a great one about their very rough European tour which got lost with the rest), then please E-mail me about getting them photocopied from you.
The SEVERED HEADS LIBERATION FRONT Not-too-frequently Asked Question List (amended 2002 7 26)
LYRICS
1983-1984: Lyrics from the Since the Accident and City Slab Horror albums. NOTE: Some sample- or voice tape-based songs could not be included for copyright reasons.
Come Visit the Big Bigot: Their 1985 album and my personal favourite.
Bad Mood Guy: A difficult album from a difficult time.
Rotund for Success: The album that highlights their danceable side.
Cuisine: Their attempt to bring things back up from earth again.
Gigapus: More stark than previous efforts, but still satisfying.
Miscellaneous lyrics: EPs, singles, b-sides, compilation tracks. Includes Stretcher and the Canadian Dead Eyes Opened EP.
BOOKLET EXCERPTS
1980 Interview in Slug Magazine (from Bigot Booklet): Fresh-faced youths Tom Ellard and Richard Fielding chat happily about early influences, their first split LP Ear Bitten, and the cassette scene and their place in it.
1983 Interview on 2RSR-FM Radio, Australia, 1983: Tom, Paul Deering and Garry Bradbury terrorize a harmless radio station with twisted attitudes and dodgy tastes in music.
Blubberknife liner notes (from Bigot Booklet): Part technical reference, part stream of consciousness, all gobbledygook.
Since the Accident technical reference (from Bigot Booklet): Not quite as artily garbled as the above, but you'll still find bits of residue here and there.
1986 Interview in Life Support #8 (from Bigot Booklet): Tom vs. jaded, cynical zine writer.
Old Tom's New Tarot (GIF, 294.3k) (from Bulkhead/Rotund Booklet): Better for you than Magic: The Gathering anyday.
There are now articles and booklets (in JPEG and PDF format) available at Temple Ellard (link below).
LINKS
Severed Communications (SevCom): The official website, maintained by Tom Ellard himself, featuring info on the mailing list, their most recent album Haul Ass (available only from the SevCom Shop), Anonradio, and all sorts of other graphic-intensive stuff which is prone to changes or redesigns.
Lap Top Pop: The Sevs' forthcoming album. Follow the progress.
Severed Heads on MP3.com: Check out tracks from Haul Ass and the Love Experiment Remix of "Dead Eyes Opened '94."
Kevin Busby's Temple Ellard: Contains an extensive discography (yeah, I pitched a bit into it) and other assorted information. And several links.
Return to Watson's WorldWideWasteofTime Page: Music and Anime.