Biography
Bizarre but often highly melodic experimental group, one of the first New Zealand outfits to incorporate multimedia elements into their shows and actually classified themselves as a production, creating art shows and (eventually) computer based presentation that encompassed both visual and audible elements.
Their music was a form of synth-inflected industrial, with moody vocals and unusual lyrics.
Originally formed as the duo of Jed Town and Sarah Fort, Town’s ex-Features bandmates Mike Brookfield and James Pinker joined in time to initiate the first album.
What gets me, aside from the typically dark sound characteristic of Fetus Productions, the “sampled” voices from medical surgeries and horror films (before samplers existed), the synths, the effects, the beautifully twisted guitars is the technical and technological sophistication of the music in general.
It blows me away that this was recorded in 1981. It sounds SOOOO advanced and very hi-tech. It came well, well, well ahead of the Aphex Twin and light-years ahead of similar, yet, less original music from the early ’90s.
I’m stunned by what I hear and can’t help but listen to what has been created. This stuff is ground-breaking, unique and incredibly pure and original. I really don’t think I can say I’ve heard anything like it….
Discogs review of ‘Fetus Product‘
Members
- Jed Town (guitar, vocals, synths, Fetus Productions, Features, Fetus Productions, Ghost Town, ICU, Image In Glass, SPK, Superettes, The Features, The Superettes)
- Sarah Fort (synth / vocals / fetus productions)
- Mike Brookfield (synth / bass / fetus productions / tape)
- James Pinker (drums, synths, Fetus Productions, Black Girls Machine, Dead Can Dance, Features, Fetus Productions, Heavenly Bodies, Holiwater Band, Jam This Record, Jesus and Mary Chain, Mesh, SPK, Superettes, The Features, The Superettes)
- John Kuipers (fetus productions)
- Mark Sullivan (fetus productions)
- Chris Pinker (fetus productions)
- Duane Yule (bass / synth / fetus productions)
- Debberly Roy (bass / fetus productions, Bird Nest Roys, Birds Nest Roys, Fetus Productions)
- Greg McCunn (drums / fetus productions)
- Ian Gilroy (drums / fetus productions)
- Geoff Martin (guitar / fetus productions)
- Jimmy Joy (synth / fetus productions)
- Richard von Sturmer (vocals / fetus productions)
- Polar Castronova (fetus productions)
- Patrick Waller (cello, Fetus Productions, ?Fog, A Physical Thing, Drugs, Dubhead, Fetus Productions, Marie and the Atom, Phantom Forth, Silent Decree, Sperm Bank Five, Surgical Brain Implant, The Kiwi Animal)
Discography
- Fetus Product (1981, Fetus Productions, YPRX1908)
- Self Manipulation (1982, Last Laugh Studios)
- Fetalmania 12″ EP (1982, Flying Nun Records, F.PRO 999)
- Perfect Product cassette compilation (1983, Japanese release)
- Environmental (1984, Fetus Productions, FOETUS-4)
- Perfect Product / Flicker 12″ EP (1985, Flying Nun Records, PROD1)
- Luminious Trails (1985, Flying Nun Records, PROD331)
- Intensive Care Unit Vinyl Boxset (1989, Q.D.K. Media, BOX001)
- Reproductions compilation (2002, Antenna Recordings, ANT033)
- Fetus ReProductions compilation CDr (2008, Sawtooth Recordings)