Foetus is the primary musical outlet of
industrial musicIndustrial music is an experimental music style, often including electronic music, that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s to describe Industrial Records artists...
pioneer
J. G. ThirlwellJames George Thirlwell , aka Clint Ruin, aka Frank Want, aka Foetus, is an Australian vocalist, composer and record producer...
. Until 1995 the band underwent various name changes, all including the word
foetusA fetus is a developing mammal or other viviparous vertebrate after the embryonic stage and before birth. The plural is fetuses....
. Monikers adopted at different times include
Foetus Under Glass,
You've Got Foetus On Your Breath and
Scraping Foetus Off The Wheel. After 1995 the name permanently became
Foetus, though the related project
The Foetus Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1997 and continues.
Thirlwell acts as the sole instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter and producer for all Foetus works and as such is the only member of the band.
Foetus is the primary musical outlet of
industrial musicIndustrial music is an experimental music style, often including electronic music, that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s to describe Industrial Records artists...
pioneer
J. G. ThirlwellJames George Thirlwell , aka Clint Ruin, aka Frank Want, aka Foetus, is an Australian vocalist, composer and record producer...
. Until 1995 the band underwent various name changes, all including the word
foetusA fetus is a developing mammal or other viviparous vertebrate after the embryonic stage and before birth. The plural is fetuses....
. Monikers adopted at different times include
Foetus Under Glass,
You've Got Foetus On Your Breath and
Scraping Foetus Off The Wheel. After 1995 the name permanently became
Foetus, though the related project
The Foetus Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1997 and continues.
Thirlwell acts as the sole instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter and producer for all Foetus works and as such is the only member of the band. Other artists may occasionally collaborate with Thirlwell on Foetus works but are not considered members of Foetus. Thirlwell is solely responsible for the musical output of the band.
J. G. Thirlwell has many side-projects, in which he frequently goes by the name Clint Ruin. One such grouping is Wiseblood with former
SwansSwans can refer to:*Swan, the bird.Music*Swans , the band.*Swans , an EP by the above band.Places*Swan's Island, Maine, an Island town in America*Swans, Punjab, a village and Union Council of Mianwali Tehsil in Punjab, Pakistan.Sport...
member
Roli MosimannRoli Mosimann is a drummer, electronic musician and record producer whose contributions range from industrial to pop. Originally from Switzerland, Mosimann first made his mark in the New York City no wave band Swans and later collaborated with Foetus mastermind J. G...
. The material tends toward the realm of the darkest and most sexual Foetus songs, with Mosimann's Swans lineage showing in the slow, crushing pacing of many tracks. Thematically, Wiseblood's lyrics center around the misanthropic exertion of power, typically via murder, sex or assault. Wiseblood existed on-and-off from the mid 1980s through early 1990s.
Videos
Foetus's videos have been directed and contributed to by artists such as
Karen OKaren Lee Orzolek , better known by her stage name Karen O, is the vocalist for the New York rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs.-Early life:...
,
Spike JonzeSpike Jonze is an American director of music videos and commercials, and a director and producer in film and television, most notably the 1999 film Being John Malkovich and the 2002 film Adaptation., both written by Charlie Kaufman, as well as 2009's Where the Wild Things Are...
, Sam Sohlberg, Matt Bass and many others.
Studio albums
- Deaf
Deaf, the debut album from J. G. Thirlwell's You've Got Foetus on Your Breath was released in 1981 on Thirlwell's own Self Immolation Records label. Thirsty Ear reissued the album as a CD in 1997 in the US. Both releases were limited editions: only 2,000 copies of the LP and 4,000 copies of the...
– You’ve Got Foetus on Your Breath (1981)
- Ache
Ache is a You've Got Foetus on Your Breath album first released in 1982 on Self Immolation Records. Thirsty Ear reissued the album as a CD in 1997 in the US. Both releases were limited editions: only 1,500 copies of the LP and 4,000 copies of the CD were produced.The Ache LP is Self Immolation...
– You’ve Got Foetus on Your Breath (1982)
- Hole
Hole is a Scraping Foetus Off the Wheel album released in September 1984. It was the first Foetus material released by Self Immolation through Some Bizzare. In 1995, Hole was given a US re-release by Thirsty Ear....
– Scraping Foetus off the Wheel (1984)
- Nail
Nail is a Scraping Foetus Off The Wheel album released by Self Immolation/Some Bizzare in 1985. In 1995, Nail was given a US release by Thirsty Ear...
– Scraping Foetus off the Wheel (1985)
- Thaw
Thaw is a Foetus Interruptus album released by Self Immolation/Some Bizarre in September 1988 and also released by Rough Trade in the same year. In 1995, Thaw was given a U.S. rerelease by Thirsty Ear....
– Foetus Interruptus (1988)
- Gash – Foetus (1995)
- York (First Exit to Brooklyn)
York is an album by The Foetus Symphony Orchestra featuring Lydia Lunch, released in 1997 by Thirsty Ear. York is Big Cat Records #ABB148XCD....
– The Foetus Symphony Orchestra feat. Lydia LunchLydia Lunch is an American singer, poet, writer, and actress.-Biography:After arriving in New York City at the age of 16, Lunch moved into a large communal household of artists and musicians in NYC, including Kitty Bruce, daughter of Lenny Bruce...
(1997)
- Flow
Flow is a Foetus album released in 2001. It is also seen as a return to form for Foetus.-Track listing:All songs by J. G. Thirlwell.#"Quick Fix" – 4:06#"Cirrhosis of the Heart" – 4:02#"Mandelay" – 8:21#"Grace of God" – 5:42...
– Foetus (2001)
- Love
Love is a Foetus album released on CD by Ectopic Ents/Birdman Records in 2005. Initial copies include a DVD disc with additional content.Love is Ectopic Ents #ECT ENTS 027.-CD:All songs by J. G...
– Foetus (2005)
- Hide – Foetus (2010)
Live, remix and compilation albums
- Rife
Rife is a live album by Foetus Corruptus released in 1988. It is a official bootleg, initially released by J. G. Thirlwell with no record label credit. This album was released in three formats: a 2LP set on black vinyl, a 2LP picture disc set, and a CD...
– Foetus Corruptus (1988)
- Sink – Foetus Inc. (1989)
- Male
Male is a live album by Foetus in Excelsis Corruptus Deluxe. It records the Foetus live performance of November 3, 1990 in Manhattan's famed CBGB nightclub...
– Foetus in Excelsis Corruptus Deluxe (1992)
- Boil
Boil is a live album by Foetus released in 1996. Boil is culled from Foetus' Rednecropolis 96 European tour.-Track listing:All songs by J. G...
– Foetus (1996)
- Blow
Blow is a Foetus remix album released in 2001 as a CD in the U.S. by Thirsty Ear. European label nois-o-lution issued a 2LP version in November of the same year. Blow contains remixes from Foetus' Flow.-Track listing:All songs by J. G...
– Foetus (2001)
- Damp
Damp is a compilation album by Foetus, released in 2006 by Ectopic Ents. Officially called a , Damp collects previously-unreleased material written since 2003; new recordings of rare Foetus material; and tracks written by and/or featuring The The, Melvins, and Rotoskop...
– Foetus (2006)
- Vein
Vein is a remix album by Foetus released by Ectopic Ents/Birdman Records in 2007. It contains remixes of songs from the studio album Love, including a b-side from the EP.Vein is Ectopic Ents #ECT ENTS 029.- Track listing :...
– Foetus (2007)
- Limb
Limb: Minimal Compositions, Instrumentals and Experiments 1980-1983 is a compilation album of early musical pieces written by J. G. Thirlwell for his band Foetus...
– Foetus (2009)
EPs, singles and miscellaneous
- Spite Your Face/OKFM
Spite Your Face/OKFM is a 7" single by Foetus Under Glass released by Self Immolation in 1981. It is the debut of both J. G. Thirlwell's Foetus family of bands and his personal label, Self Immolation...
– Foetus Under Glass (1981)
- Wash It All Off
Wash It All Off is a 7" single by You've Got Foetus On Your Breath released by Self Immolation in 1981. It was pressed in a limited edition of 1,000 discs.Wash It All Off is Self Immolation #WOMB ALL 007.-Track listing:Both songs by J. G...
– You've Got Foetus on Your Breath (1981)
- Tell Me, What Is the Bane of Your Life
Tell Me, What Is the Bane of Your Life is a song by Phillip and His Foetus Vibrations. It was released as 7" single by Self Immolation in 1982, in a limited pressing of 2,000 discs....
– Phillip and His Foetus Vibrations (1982)
- Custom Built for Capitalism
Custom Built for Capitalism is a 12" EP by Foetus Over Frisco released by Self Immolation in 1982. This EP was a limited edition of 1,000 pressings.Custom Built for Capitalism is Self Immolation #WOMB WSUSC 12.5.-Track listing:...
– Foetus Over Frisco (1982)
- Calamity Crush
Calamity Crush is a 12" single by Foetus Art Terrorism released by Self Immolation/Some Bizzare in 1984.Calamity Crush is Self Immolation #WOMB FAT 11.12.-Track listing:All songs by J. G. Thirlwell ....
– Foetus Art Terrorism (1984)
- Wash/Slog
Wash/Slog is a 12" EP by You've Got Foetus On Your Breath released by Self Immolation/Some Bizzare in 1985. The record peaked at number 5 in UK Indie Charts.Wash/Slog is Self Immolation #WOMB FGH 12.8.-Track listing:Both songs by J. G...
– You've Got Foetus on Your Breath (1985)
- Finely Honed Machine
Finely Honed Machine is a 12" single by Foetus Über Frisco released by Self Immolation/Some Bizzare in 1985. It was pressed as a limited edition of 3,000 copies.Finely Honed Machine is Self Immolation #WOMB UNC 7.12.-Track listing:...
– Foetus Über Frisco (1985)
- The Foetus of Excellence
The Foetus of Excellence is a box – not to be confused with a box set – from The Foetus of Excellence. It was released in a limited edition of 836 pieces by Self Immolation/Some Bizzare in 1985...
– The Foetus of Excellence (1985)
- Bedrock
Bedrock is an EP by The Foetus All-Nude Revue released by Self Immolation/Some Bizzare in 1987.Bedrock is Self Immolation #WOMB FAN 13.-Track listing:All songs by J. G. Thirlwell.#"Bedrock" – 7:07#"Diabolus In Musica" – 9:45#"Shut" – 0:54...
– Foetus All-Nude Revue (1987)
- Ramrod – Scraping Foetus off the Wheel (1987)
- Butterfly Potion
Butterfly Potion is an EP by Foetus Inc, released on Big Cat and Wax Trax! in May 1990. This EP, issued on both 12" vinyl and CD, was the second and final Foetus record for Wax Trax!...
– Foetus Inc. (1990)
- Somnambulumdrum
Somnambulumdrum is a flexi disc single released by Foetus Inc. This single was included in Reflex Magazine, Volume 2, Issue 2 . "Somnambulumdrum" is alternately titled "Incesticide" ....
– Foetus Inc. (1992)
- Vice Squad Dick
"Vice Squad Dick" is a split record from Foetus and Chrome Cranks released in 1994. Each band includes its own cover of the eponymous track, originally by , as well as a second cover...
– Foetus/Chrome Cranks (1994)
- Null
Null is an EP by Foetus, released in 1995 by Big Cat Records in the UK. Null acts as a de facto single for "Verklemmt," released on Gash....
– Foetus (1995)
- Verklemmt/Be Thankful
"Verklemmt" / "Be Thankful" is a 7" picture disc released by Foetus to promote the Gash album. The single's A-side is "Verklemmt" from Gash and Null, and the B-side is "Be Thankful" from Null. A limited edition release, only 1,000 were produced.-Track listing:All tracks by J. G...
– Foetus (1995)
- Überschall 1996
Überschall 1996 is a 7" split record containing songs from Faust, Stereolab, and Foetus. The record was produced as a limited edition of 2,000 pressings in conjunction with the 1996 Überschall Festival in Bremen, Germany...
– Foetus/FaustFaust is a German krautrock band, originally comprising Werner "Zappi" Diermaier, Hans Joachim Irmler, Arnulf Meifer, Jean-Hervé Péron, Rudolf Sosna and Gunther Wüsthoff, working with producer Uwe Nettelbeck and engineer Kurt Graupner.-History:...
/StereolabStereolab were an alternative music band formed in 1990 in London, England. The band originally comprised songwriting team Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier , both of whom remained at the helm across many lineup changes. Other long-time members include Andy Ramsay and Mary Hansen...
(1996)
- Null/Void
Null/Void is a Foetus dual-EP set compiling an aborted pair of EPs originally scheduled for release by Sony/Columbia. Null was briefly distributed in the U.S. as a promotional EP. Unfortunately, the official releases of Null and its planned companion, Void, were halted when Sony severed...
– Foetus (1996)
- (not adam)
is a Foetus EP released in 2004 by Ectopic Ents/Birdman. is a teaser EP for the Love album. is Ectopic Ents #ECT ENTS 026.-Track listing:All songs by J. G. Thirlwell#"" – 4:16...
– Foetus (2004)
Conceptual themes
All full-length Foetus
albumAn album or record album is a collection of related audio or music tracks distributed to the public. The most common way is through commercial distribution, although smaller artists will often distribute directly to the public by selling their albums at live concerts or on their websites.-...
titles are four-letter, one-
syllableA syllable is a unit of organization for a sequence of speech sounds. For example, the word water is composed of two syllables: wa and ter. A syllable is typically made up of a syllable nucleus with optional initial and final margins .Syllables are often considered the phonological "building...
words, often with multiple connotations.
The artwork of Foetus releases shows a deliberate progression of colour: the
earliest releasesSpite Your Face/OKFM is a 7" single by Foetus Under Glass released by Self Immolation in 1981. It is the debut of both J. G. Thirlwell's Foetus family of bands and his personal label, Self Immolation...
are black and white, with the addition of red on the
DeafDeaf, the debut album from J. G. Thirlwell's You've Got Foetus on Your Breath was released in 1981 on Thirlwell's own Self Immolation Records label. Thirsty Ear reissued the album as a CD in 1997 in the US. Both releases were limited editions: only 2,000 copies of the LP and 4,000 copies of the...
album, and further addition of yellow on
NailNail is a Scraping Foetus Off The Wheel album released by Self Immolation/Some Bizzare in 1985. In 1995, Nail was given a US release by Thirsty Ear...
. Full-color art was introduced on
Gash. http://www.foetus.org/text/axcess1.html Beginning with
FlowFlow is a Foetus album released in 2001. It is also seen as a return to form for Foetus.-Track listing:All songs by J. G. Thirlwell.#"Quick Fix" – 4:06#"Cirrhosis of the Heart" – 4:02#"Mandelay" – 8:21#"Grace of God" – 5:42...
, the artwork of primary albums reverted to black/white/red, though other releases continue in full colour.
External links