Fischer-Z
Encyclopedia
Fischer-Z were a British
rock
band
formed in 1976 by John Watts and Steve Skolnik at Brunel University
. The original line-up consisted of John Watts (vocals
, guitar
), David Graham (bass
), Steve Skolnik (keyboards
), and Steve Liddle (drum
s).
in 1981, Watts put this down to the remix of the song from the album version which put the emphasis on the keyboards rather than his guitar.
John Watts is a self-confessed "follower of the troubadour
tradition" and his lyrics draw heavily on his experiences of studying clinical psychology
and as a mental health care worker
. Several songs on the album Red Skies Over Paradise
in 1981, such as Berlin and Red Skies Over Paradise
are about the Cold War
and the song Cruise Missiles
which is about the nuclear arms race
and the mutual threat of the superpowers with nuclear war. Fischer-Z were more popular in mainland Europe than their native UK, especially in Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Portugal (two top 10 hits and a #3 album). Fischer-Z were also very successful in Australia, where they achieved two Top 20 hits with "So Long" from the album Going Deaf for a Living
and "The Perfect Day" from the album Reveal.
Skolnik departed after their second album Going Deaf for a Living
and after the following album Red Skies over Paradise
John Watts decided to break the band up in the summer of 1981 as he felt his art could not evolve within the context of the band. John Watts released his first solo album One More Twist in 1982 followed by The Iceberg Model in 1983. In 1984 he formed the band The Cry with Mike Been, David Graham and Theo Thunder, this album placed an emphasis on crucial groove elements combined with his strong song writing and was produced by Jimmy Douglass
. In 1988 John Watts released the Reveal album under the name Fischer-Z, a new band with the same name in which he was the only original member, although Skolnik made a minor contribution to one track. The second album in this Fischer-Z period, Fish's Head
, 1989 included the Say No single with a politically charged black & white Nick Brandt music video which was banned by their record label on the grounds of it potentially "endangering the lives of their employees worldwide". In this period Watts performed to 167,000 people at a Peace Festival in East Berlin along with James Brown and he was interviewed about Thatcherism on German national news.
There was a 2004 reunion of the original band for one short show which featured on the Garden Party DVD which was released along with the Fischer-Z Highlights 1979-2004 25th anniversary compilation album.
In 2007 Watts scored a radio hit in Germany with "Susanne's Song (Dance On)".
John Watts discography (includes work outside Fischer-Z):
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
formed in 1976 by John Watts and Steve Skolnik at Brunel University
Brunel University
Brunel University is a public research university located in Uxbridge, London, United Kingdom. The university is named after the Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel....
. The original line-up consisted of John Watts (vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
), David Graham (bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), Steve Skolnik (keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
), and Steve Liddle (drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s).
History
Fischer-Z's first hit was The Worker from the album Word Salad which firmly established Watts' ability to convey worldly political issues in narrative songs against a background of quirky pop and reggae-influenced music. In an interview in Record MirrorRecord Mirror
Record Mirror was a British weekly pop music newspaper, founded by Isadore Green and featured, news articles, interviews, record charts, record reviews, concert reviews, letters from readers and photographs. The paper became respected by both mainstream pop music fans and serious record collectors...
in 1981, Watts put this down to the remix of the song from the album version which put the emphasis on the keyboards rather than his guitar.
John Watts is a self-confessed "follower of the troubadour
Troubadour
A troubadour was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages . Since the word "troubadour" is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a trobairitz....
tradition" and his lyrics draw heavily on his experiences of studying clinical psychology
Clinical psychology
Clinical psychology is an integration of science, theory and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development...
and as a mental health care worker
Mental health professional
A mental health professional is a health care practitioner who offers services for the purpose of improving an individual's mental health or to treat mental illness. This broad category includes psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, psychiatric nurses, mental health...
. Several songs on the album Red Skies Over Paradise
Red Skies Over Paradise
Red Skies over Paradise is a 1981 album by Fischer-Z. This was the last album released under the classic line-up, despite the departure of keyboardist, Steve Skolnik. This album featured many songs about politics and several references to the Cold War, the album title and cover in particular...
in 1981, such as Berlin and Red Skies Over Paradise
Red Skies Over Paradise
Red Skies over Paradise is a 1981 album by Fischer-Z. This was the last album released under the classic line-up, despite the departure of keyboardist, Steve Skolnik. This album featured many songs about politics and several references to the Cold War, the album title and cover in particular...
are about the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
and the song Cruise Missiles
Cruise missile
A cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...
which is about the nuclear arms race
Nuclear arms race
The nuclear arms race was a competition for supremacy in nuclear warfare between the United States, the Soviet Union, and their respective allies during the Cold War...
and the mutual threat of the superpowers with nuclear war. Fischer-Z were more popular in mainland Europe than their native UK, especially in Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Portugal (two top 10 hits and a #3 album). Fischer-Z were also very successful in Australia, where they achieved two Top 20 hits with "So Long" from the album Going Deaf for a Living
Going Deaf for a Living
Going Deaf for a Living is a 1980 album by Fischer-Z. This was the second album by Fischer-Z featuring the "classic line-up". The guitar on this album was made more prominent, after their rather keyboard prominent debut. This album, as well the following Red Skies Over Paradise, are considered by...
and "The Perfect Day" from the album Reveal.
Skolnik departed after their second album Going Deaf for a Living
Going Deaf for a Living
Going Deaf for a Living is a 1980 album by Fischer-Z. This was the second album by Fischer-Z featuring the "classic line-up". The guitar on this album was made more prominent, after their rather keyboard prominent debut. This album, as well the following Red Skies Over Paradise, are considered by...
and after the following album Red Skies over Paradise
Red Skies Over Paradise
Red Skies over Paradise is a 1981 album by Fischer-Z. This was the last album released under the classic line-up, despite the departure of keyboardist, Steve Skolnik. This album featured many songs about politics and several references to the Cold War, the album title and cover in particular...
John Watts decided to break the band up in the summer of 1981 as he felt his art could not evolve within the context of the band. John Watts released his first solo album One More Twist in 1982 followed by The Iceberg Model in 1983. In 1984 he formed the band The Cry with Mike Been, David Graham and Theo Thunder, this album placed an emphasis on crucial groove elements combined with his strong song writing and was produced by Jimmy Douglass
Jimmy Douglass
Jimmy Douglass is an American four-time Grammy winning recording engineer and record producer, whose prolific career has spanned more than four decades.-Career:...
. In 1988 John Watts released the Reveal album under the name Fischer-Z, a new band with the same name in which he was the only original member, although Skolnik made a minor contribution to one track. The second album in this Fischer-Z period, Fish's Head
Fish's Head
Fish's Head was the fifth album under the name Fischer-Z, and second album by the new re-vamped Fischer-Z after being revived in 1987, despite the departure of Denis Haines and Alan Morrison from the group. This album carries on in the same style as its predecessor, Reveal...
, 1989 included the Say No single with a politically charged black & white Nick Brandt music video which was banned by their record label on the grounds of it potentially "endangering the lives of their employees worldwide". In this period Watts performed to 167,000 people at a Peace Festival in East Berlin along with James Brown and he was interviewed about Thatcherism on German national news.
There was a 2004 reunion of the original band for one short show which featured on the Garden Party DVD which was released along with the Fischer-Z Highlights 1979-2004 25th anniversary compilation album.
In 2007 Watts scored a radio hit in Germany with "Susanne's Song (Dance On)".
Singles
- "Wax Dolls" b/w "Angry Brigade" (1978)
- "Remember Russia" b/w "Bigger Slice Now" (1979)
- "The Worker" b/w "Kitten Curry" (1979) — UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#53, NL #20 - "First Impressions" b/w "High Wire Walker" (1979)
- "So Long" b/w "Hiding" (1980) — UK #72, AUS #15, NL #12, PT #9
- "Room Service" (1980)
- "Crazy Girl" (1980)
- "Limbo" b/w "The Rat Man" (1980)
- "Marliese" b/w "Right Hand Men" (1981); NL #31; PT #1
- "Wristcutters Lullaby" b/w "You'll Never Find Brian Here" (1981)
- "Berlin" (1981)
- "The Writer" (El Escritor) (1981)
- "The Perfect Day" (1988) — UK #91, AUS #12
- "Big Drum" (1988)
- "Say No" (1989)
- "Masquerade" (1989)
- "Sausages & Tears" (1990)
- "Destination Paradise" (1992)
- "Will You Be There?" (1992)
- "Tightrope" (1992)
- "Caruso" (1993)
- "The Peaches & Cream" (1993)
- "Human Beings" (1994)
- "Marlon" (1994)
- "You'll Never Cross the Same River Twice (Turn Back the Clock)" (1994)
- "Need Protection" (1995)
- "Red Skies Over Paradise" (1995)
- "Jukebox" (2002)
- "Delight" (2002)
- "Back to Berlin" (2004)
Albums
Fischer-Z:- Word Salad (1979)
- Going Deaf for a LivingGoing Deaf for a LivingGoing Deaf for a Living is a 1980 album by Fischer-Z. This was the second album by Fischer-Z featuring the "classic line-up". The guitar on this album was made more prominent, after their rather keyboard prominent debut. This album, as well the following Red Skies Over Paradise, are considered by...
(1980) - Red Skies Over ParadiseRed Skies Over ParadiseRed Skies over Paradise is a 1981 album by Fischer-Z. This was the last album released under the classic line-up, despite the departure of keyboardist, Steve Skolnik. This album featured many songs about politics and several references to the Cold War, the album title and cover in particular...
(1981) - RevealReveal (Fischer-Z)Reveal is an album by the new wave rock band Fischer-Z. In the summer of 1981 John Watts split up with his group, Fischer-Z, on the grounds that his art could not evolve within the context of the band...
(1987) - Fish's HeadFish's HeadFish's Head was the fifth album under the name Fischer-Z, and second album by the new re-vamped Fischer-Z after being revived in 1987, despite the departure of Denis Haines and Alan Morrison from the group. This album carries on in the same style as its predecessor, Reveal...
(1989) - Destination ParadiseDestination ParadiseDestination Paradise was the sixth studio album by Fischer-Z. The album saw a change of record label, and another completely different line-up, still with John Watts as the original member. The album featured several lyrics of John Watt's acute observations of political events...
(1992) - Kamikaze ShirtKamikaze ShirtKamikaze Shirt is the seventh album by Fischer-Z. Due to the critical praise the previous album, Destination Paradise received, Fischer-Z carried on in the same style for this album...
(1993) - StreamStream (album)Stream is the eighth album by Fischer-Z. The album contains the single "Protection", which explored the dark area of child exploitation. Following the album, John Watts concentrated on his solo career again, making this the last album by Fischer-Z, before its slight revival again in 2002.-Track...
(1995) - EtherEther (Fischer-Z album)Ether was an experimental music project by John Watts, released under the name Fischer-Z. After releasing two successful solo albums and one album of remixes, since the last Fischer-Z album, Stream, John Watts had started to take an interest in creating big beat music...
(2002) - John Watts - Fischer-Z 2011 (2011)
John Watts discography (includes work outside Fischer-Z):
- One More Twist (1982)
- The Iceberg Model (1983)
- Quick Quick Slow (1984) (Released under the moniker: "The Cry")
- Thirteen Stories High (1997) (Released under the moniker: "J.M. Watts")
- Bigbeatpoetry (1999) (Released under the moniker: "Watts")
- Spiritual Headcase (2000) (Released under the moniker: "Watts")
- Ether Music & Film (2002)
- Real Life Is Good Enough (2005)
- It Has To Be (2006)
- Morethanmusic & Films (2009)
Compilation albums
- Fischer-Z Going Red For A Salad (1995)
- The Worker (1998)
- Fischer-Z The Garden Party DVD (2004)
- Fischer-Z Highlights 1979-2004 (2004)