Fat and Frantic
Encyclopedia
Fat and Frantic were a London-based pop music group who wrote all their own material, playing a wide variety of musical styles ranging from manic skiffle through rock 'n roll to acapella which they sometimes described as "piffle" - a mix of punk and skiffle.
Formed in 1985, Fat and Frantic was a particular favourite on the UK live venues and University circuit playing some 300 gigs between 1989 and 1992, as well as playing frequently at the Greenbelt Festival
and at Reading Festival. Its best-known song was "Last Night My Wife Hoovered My Head", one chorus of which was sung in French. The group were also somewhat notorious for once receiving a particularly bad live review from Damon Wise in the music paper Sounds
, which closed with the line "Fat and Frantic ruined my weekend and I hate them for it", a line which they went on to use extensively in their publicity.
In July 2011, Fat and Frantic are re-forming some 26 years after the first time around to play some live gigs (mainly) in the South of England. In preparation for the tour, all of their back catalogue is now available on itunes as well as 2 brand new recordings.
Their first album also featured John Lodge-Patch on bass.
Most albums include at least one a cappella
track. The 1994 album, Precious Lord (a collection of unaccompanied worship songs), was a tribute to close friend Steve Fairnie
who wrote the title track.
This song was voted "Single of the Week" on Simon Mayo's BBC Radio One Breakfast Show in 1989.
Reached the Radio Playlist meeting but alas didn't quite make it. Performed on Going Live BBC1.
Released when Nottingham Forest reached the FA Cup
Final, with the original song's lyrics adapted so they had something to do with football, Nottingham Forest, and Brian Clough
. Simon Mayo played 12 seconds of it before deciding to play something else instead.....
Occasionally members of the band and others, who since circa 1986/7 have formed a loose, expansive collective, independent of Fat and Frantic, play unrehearsed, sometimes shambolic rock and roll covers under the title 'Rev Softly and the Residential Areas', a nod to a sign in the car park beneath the long-since demolished ABC Bowl in North Harrow, Middlesex.
- Waxing a Hottie
- Aggressive Sunbathing
- Live at The Wonky Donkey, Bar and Grill
- Quirk
- FAF Sing Very Best of Wendy Craig
- Precious Lord
in the Diocese of Exeter.
Silas Crawley is now the senior pastor of Hope Community Church in Bristol.
Craig McLeish is a freelance musician specialising in choral directing, orchestration, songwriting and production. He is also musical director for Young Voices.
Nigel Hemming is Associate Pastor of Winchester Vineyard Church.
Jim Harris is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Courtauld Institute of Art.
Simon Saunders is a highly skilled cabinet maker working in the Oxfordshire area.
Formed in 1985, Fat and Frantic was a particular favourite on the UK live venues and University circuit playing some 300 gigs between 1989 and 1992, as well as playing frequently at the Greenbelt Festival
Greenbelt festival
Greenbelt Festival is a festival of arts, faith and justice held annually in England since 1974. Greenbelt has grown from a Christian music festival with an audience of 1,500 young Christians to its current more secular festival attended by around 20,000 - Christians and non-Christians.The festival...
and at Reading Festival. Its best-known song was "Last Night My Wife Hoovered My Head", one chorus of which was sung in French. The group were also somewhat notorious for once receiving a particularly bad live review from Damon Wise in the music paper Sounds
Sounds (magazine)
Sounds was a long-term British music paper, published weekly from 10 October 1970 – 6 April 1991. It was produced by Spotlight Publications , which was set up by Jack Hutton and Peter Wilkinson, who left "Melody Maker" to start their own company...
, which closed with the line "Fat and Frantic ruined my weekend and I hate them for it", a line which they went on to use extensively in their publicity.
In July 2011, Fat and Frantic are re-forming some 26 years after the first time around to play some live gigs (mainly) in the South of England. In preparation for the tour, all of their back catalogue is now available on itunes as well as 2 brand new recordings.
Band members
- Jon Soper (Fat)- guitar, vocals
- Silas Crawley - washboard, percussion, vocals
- Jim Harris - trumpet, percussion, washboard, vocals
- Craig McLeish (Tuffie) - bass, vocals
- Simon Saunders (Pie) - drums, vocals
- Nigel Hemming - keyboards, vocals
Their first album also featured John Lodge-Patch on bass.
Albums
- Waxing a Hottie (1986)
- Aggressive Sunbathing (1987)
- Fat and Frantic Live at the Wonky Donkey Bar & Grill (1988)
- Quirk (1990)
- Fat and Frantic Sing The Very Best of Wendy CraigWendy CraigWendy Craig is a BAFTA Award winning English actress who is best known for her appearances in the sitcoms Butterflies, ...And Mother Makes Three and ...And Mother Makes Five...
(1991) - Precious Lord (1994) - Fat and Frantic & Friends
Most albums include at least one a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
track. The 1994 album, Precious Lord (a collection of unaccompanied worship songs), was a tribute to close friend Steve Fairnie
Steve Fairnie
Steve Fairnie was a British musician, painter, sculptor, actor, board game designer and chicken hypnotist, best known as the frontman of the post-punk band Writz, and as one half - with his wife Bev Sage - of the 1980s pop outfit Techno Twins .-Career:Born in Fraserburgh and raised in Bristol,...
who wrote the title track.
Singles
- Last Night My Wife Hoovered My Head b/w It's You (1989)
This song was voted "Single of the Week" on Simon Mayo's BBC Radio One Breakfast Show in 1989.
- I Don't Want To Say Goodbye (1990)
Reached the Radio Playlist meeting but alas didn't quite make it. Performed on Going Live BBC1.
- Brian! b/w Brian!! (1991)
Released when Nottingham Forest reached the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
Final, with the original song's lyrics adapted so they had something to do with football, Nottingham Forest, and Brian Clough
Brian Clough
Brian Howard Clough, OBE was an English footballer and football manager. He is most notable for his success with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. His achievement of winning back-to-back European Cups with Nottingham Forest, a traditionally moderate provincial English club, is considered to be...
. Simon Mayo played 12 seconds of it before deciding to play something else instead.....
Current activities
Fat and Frantic stopped performing regularly in 1992. There was a reunion 'final gig' at Greenbelt, in 1998. A four-date mini-tour will take place in July 2011.Occasionally members of the band and others, who since circa 1986/7 have formed a loose, expansive collective, independent of Fat and Frantic, play unrehearsed, sometimes shambolic rock and roll covers under the title 'Rev Softly and the Residential Areas', a nod to a sign in the car park beneath the long-since demolished ABC Bowl in North Harrow, Middlesex.
Re-released Back catalogue
In November 2007 & August 2010 the indie record label I'll Call You Records released digital versions of Fat and Frantic's Singles and Albums on the iTunes and eMusic websites. These albums include:- Waxing a Hottie
- Aggressive Sunbathing
- Live at The Wonky Donkey, Bar and Grill
- Quirk
- FAF Sing Very Best of Wendy Craig
- Precious Lord
Where are they now?
Jon Soper is now a Clergyman in the Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
in the Diocese of Exeter.
Silas Crawley is now the senior pastor of Hope Community Church in Bristol.
Craig McLeish is a freelance musician specialising in choral directing, orchestration, songwriting and production. He is also musical director for Young Voices.
Nigel Hemming is Associate Pastor of Winchester Vineyard Church.
Jim Harris is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Courtauld Institute of Art.
Simon Saunders is a highly skilled cabinet maker working in the Oxfordshire area.
External links
- The FaF fansite
- An unofficial Faf Blog (used twice and unused since December 2007)