Band, 1979-2008 AU, Sydney
Electronic
A.k.a. Headless Corpses Sevcom All Stars
Severed Heads is an Australian group based and founded in Sydney in 1979. The group was originally known as Mr And Mrs No Smokin' Sign who started recording in 1977 and comprised of Richard Fielding and Andrew Wright (8). Tom Ellard joined the group in 1979 and shortly thereafter Wright departed. Once Wright left the group Fielding decided to change the name to Severed Heads. Fielding eventually left the group too, in 1981, citing it as becoming "too rock 'n roll", leaving Ellard as the sole continuing member of the group. A variety of people have played in Severed Heads, including Garry Bradbury, Paul Deering, and Stephen Jones (3), but over time the group has devolved to Tom Ellard. Early Severed Heads music was characterised by the use of tape loops, noisy arrangements of synthesizers, and other dissonant sound sources, putting Severed Heads in the general category of industrial music. After several releases in that vein, Severed Heads began incorporating various popular music tropes, such as a consistent 4/4 rhythm, strong melodic lines, and resolving chord arrangements. This move was underscored by the incorporation of mimetic devices, such as drum machines. The result was a striking hybrid of the avant-garde, EBM and Synth-pop. Severed Heads were signed to Nettwerk Records in North America, and Volition Records in Australia, and charted in 1984 with the song "Dead Eyes Opened". This deal lead to a world tour, which was as much a multimedia event, thanks to the video work of Stephen Jones. A period of more or less dance music influenced releases followed until Volition went bankrupt and Nettwerk dropped the band which led to a re-activation and digital distribution via their own SevCom imprint. On 4th February 2008 Tom Ellard announced the end of the "Severed Heads". However, they continue to play occasional live shows and played on 16th and 17th December 2011 at the 10th Anniversary BIM Fest in Antwerp, Belgium. In 2013 they played the Adelaide Festival in Australia again. 2015 saw a performance at the Metro in Chicago for Cold Waves IV, as well as a North American tour. 2016 saw performances in Europe and back on their home turf Australia.
![]() | Robert Racic 1964-1996 AU |
![]() | Tom Ellard voc *1962 AU |
![]() | Garry Bradbury ttbl, voc AU |
![]() | Richard Fielding ttbl, syn *1959 AU |
![]() | Stephen Jones syn *1951 |
![]() | Stewart Lawler key AU |
![]() | Andrew Wright syn |
![]() | Simon Knuckey bvoc AU |
![]() | Paul Deering ttbl, voc, sampler AU |
Track list and 30sec audio provided by
Title | Artist | Year | Type |
---|---|---|---|
Brave New Waves Session | Severed Heads | 2018 | Album |
Donut | Severed Heads | 2017 | Single |
Donut | Severed Heads | 2017 | Album |
Beautiful Arabic Surface | Severed Heads | 2016 | Single |
Big Saints Reward EP (88 - 90 Dubs) | Severed Heads | 2015 | Album |
Better Dead Than Head | Severed Heads | 2015 | Album |
Lamborghini / Petrol | Severed Heads | 2015 | Compil. |
RA.EX132 Severed Heads | Severed Heads | 2013 | Single |
Op (chOPed) | Severed Heads | 2011 | Album |
Haul Ass Professional | Severed Heads | 2011 | Album |
Showbag HD | Severed Heads | 2010 | Album |
Adenoids 1977-1985 | Severed Heads | 2008 | Compil. |
Showbag | Severed Heads | 2008 | Album |
ComMerz | Severed Heads | 2007 | Compil. |
Op 3 | Severed Heads | 2007 | Album |
Viva! Heads! | Severed Heads | 2006 | Album |
Under Gail Succubus | Severed Heads | 2006 | Album |
Op 2.5 (Millenium Cheesecake) | Severed Heads | 2005 | Album |
The Illustrated Family Doctor (Original Film Soundtrack) | Severed Heads | 2005 | Album |
The Robot Peepshow 2 | Severed Heads | 2005 | Album |
Op 2.0 | Severed Heads | 2005 | Album |
Paleolithic (1982-1994) | Severed Heads | 2004 | Album |
Op 1.2 | Severed Heads | 2004 | Album |
The Robot Peepshow | Severed Heads | 2003 | Album |
Controlled Time (Music Server Volume 4 Of 4) | Severed Heads | 2003 | Album |
OP | Severed Heads | 2002 | Album |
Gashing And Kato | Severed Heads | 2001 | Album |
Cubicle Broadcasts (Music Server V.1) | Severed Heads | 2001 | Album |
Twister + Retread | Severed Heads | 2001 | Album |
Ear Bitten 79 - 99 | Severed Heads | 1999 | Album |
Airconditioning Your Productivity (Music Server Lite) | Severed Heads | 1999 | Album |
Haul Ass | Severed Heads | 1998 | Album |
Contoured Stimulation (Music Server Lite) | Severed Heads | 1998 | Album |
Dead Open Eyes | Severed Heads | 1995 | Album |
Heart Of The Party | Severed Heads | 1995 | Single |
Trance Techno | Severed Heads | 1994 | Compil. |
Gigapus | Severed Heads | 1994 | Album |
Twister | Severed Heads | 1992 | Single |
Cuisine (With Piscatorial) | Severed Heads | 1991 | Album |
Retread | Severed Heads | 1991 | Compil. |
Overhead | Severed Heads | 1990 | Album |
Big Car (Remix) | Severed Heads | 1990 | Single |
Rotund For Success | Severed Heads | 1989 | Album |
All Saints Day | Severed Heads | 1989 | Album |
Greater Reward | Severed Heads | 1988 | Album |
Bulkhead | Severed Heads | 1988 | Compil. |
Bad Mood Guy | Severed Heads | 1987 | Album |
Come Visit The Big Bigot With Dead Eyes Opened | Severed Heads | 1987 | Compil. |
Kato Gets The Girl | Severed Heads | 1987 | Album |
If I've Told You Once I've Told You A 1000 Times | Severed Heads | 1987 | Album |
Hot With Fleas | Severed Heads | 1987 | Single |
Petrol | Severed Heads | 1986 | Album |
Twenty Deadly Diseases | Severed Heads | 1986 | Album |
Gashing The Old Mae West | Severed Heads | 1986 | Album |
The Big Bigot | Severed Heads | 1986 | Album |
Propellor | Severed Heads | 1986 | Album |
Goodbye Tonsils | Severed Heads | 1985 | Album |
Clifford Darling, Please Don't Live In The Past | Severed Heads | 1985 | Album |
Stretcher | Severed Heads | 1985 | Compil. |
Stretcher | Severed Heads | 1985 | Album |
City Slab Horror | Severed Heads | 1985 | Album |
Dead Eyes Opened | Severed Heads | 1984 | Album |
Since The Accident | Severed Heads | 1983 | Album |
Clean | Severed Heads | 1981 | Album |
Ear Bitten / No Vowels, No Bowels | Severed Heads / Rhythmyx Chymx | 1980 | Album |
Severed Headshop Band |