Fenzyx

Gerry Lyons – Vocals, Tony Gialanze – Guitars and Vocals, Jim Rutter – Bass & Paul O’Connell – Drums

email from Paul O’Connell 17.07.2003

Tony was in Demon Preacher with Nik (Nick) Fiend (Wade). Tony, Gerry and Jim got Fenzyx together in 1979 and initially, Gel Healy filled in on drums. I was introduced to the band via a mate and joined in late ’79.  We rehearsed at Halligans Rehearsal Rooms on (I think) the Holloway Road in North London Around that time Halligans was also used by the then unknown Spandau Ballet and Tenpole Tudor.

The single Soldiers / Angels of Mercy was recorded in 1980 in a basement studio called IPS in Shepherds Bush and was released in 1981 (and reputedly got airplay by John Peel). We weren’t out and out punk, but we asked Nik to produce it and he gave us that punky sound for the single. The other A side Angels of Mercy, was a tongue in cheek side swipe at Demon Preacher’s Royal Northern, (the closing bars of Angels are the opening bars of Royal Northern) and it was written in protest at the decision to close the hospital  The artwork on the pic sleeve was done by local music journalist for the Islington Gazette, Ray Mathews (aka Ray Zell of the glam band The Marionettes)

Fenzyx gigged on the North London circuit and played a local street festival, but then things started to go wrong in the relationship with Gerry Lyons and he exited. By this time, which was I guess late 1981/ early 1982, we felt that Punk had moved on, so after some discussion, we changed direction and became more R’n’B / New Wave.

However, in early 1984 Jim Rutter got fed up I think with the constant changes and called it a day, followed closely by me, and then the rest of the band. We never fell out as friends though but just lost touch with each other.

The funniest moment though was the decision to use talcum powder as a cheap “dry ice” effect so that when I hit the cymbals on the opening chord of Baby You’re Wrong (Count Bishops), the band and all the audience were completely covered in it, and spent the night slipping all over the place! Never used that one again! 



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