Blue Plate Special: New Fast Automatic Daffodils
New Fast Automatic Daffodils (later shortened to New FADS) were an alternative rock band from Manchester, England, active between 1988 and 1995. Emerging during the height of the Madchester scene, they carved out a unique space that blended post-punk, funk, and danceable grooves with abstract, spoken-word-inspired lyrics. Formed by guitarist Dolan Hewison, bassist Justin Crawford, and drummer Perry Saunders, the group was soon joined by vocalist Andy Spearpoint, whose distinctive delivery became a defining element of their sound. Their 1989 debut single Lions and Music Is Shit EP quickly gained attention, leading to a deal with Play It Again Sam Records. Their debut album, Pigeonhole (1990), reached the UK Top 50, propelled by the success of the single Big. Known for their dynamic live performances, they toured extensively in the UK, Europe, and the U.S., even working with renowned producers like Martin Hannett and Craig Leon.
I came across the band sometime in late 1990 when I heard the song ‘Partial’ on a promo CD, and they quickly became an indispensable part of my car playlist. While I was never able to catch one of their US shows, I always wanted to attend just so that I could shout out the title to one of my favorite songs, which would have been hilarious: “You were lying when you said that you loved me!” In fact, a year after Pigeonhole was released and I was the lead singer of an alt-rock band, I tried unsuccessfully to convince the other band members to cover the song.
Their second album, Body Exit Mind (1992), embraced a more experimental approach, capturing the raw energy of their live shows and earning critical acclaim with singles like It’s Not What You Know and Stockholm, the latter charting on the U.S. Billboard Modern Rock chart. By 1994, the band had shortened their name to New FADS and released two EPs before their final album, Love It All (1995). Despite their relatively short career, they left a lasting impact on the alternative scene, with their music appearing in compilations like Happy Daze and their Peel Sessions album preserving their BBC Radio performances. After the band’s split, members pursued diverse creative paths, from DJing and electronic music production to advertising and video art, continuing to influence the broader cultural landscape.
Some of my favorites from their catalog:
I Take You To Sleep – from the album Body Exit Mind (1992)
You Were Lying When You Said That You Loved Me – from the album Pigeonhole (1990)
Cannes – from the single Stockholm (1992)
Life Is an Accident – from the album Love It All (1994)
Get Better – from the collection The Peel Sessions (1991)
These Foolish Things – from the EP These Foolish Things/Every Once In a While (1994)
Beatlemania – from the album Body Exit Mind (1992)
Partial – from the album Pigeonhole (1990)
American Money – from the album Body Exit Mind (1992)
