43 years ago, In March 1982, Ministry's Cold Life 12-inch single was released in the UK through Situation Two, marking a significant moment in the band's early career. This release showcased a different sound from the industrial metal style that Ministry would later be known for, highlighting their early explorations into synth-pop and funk-infused electronic music.

The single features "Cold Life" as the A-side, a track that blends elements of funk and synth-pop, reflecting influences from 1970s funk and soul acts. The song was inspired by Al Jourgensen's experiences living in a predominantly African-American neighborhood in Chicago. The B-side includes "I'm Falling," a synth-pop song influenced by British post-punk acts such as The Sisters of Mercy and Killing Joke.

The single was initially released in late 1981 in the United States by Wax Trax! Records, featuring "I'm Falling" as the A-side and "Cold Life" as the B-side.

This track bears influences from British post-punk acts, with Jourgensen admitting that it was heavily inspired by bands like Joy Division and The Cure.

The Cold Life 12” single also includes a dub version of the title track, offering an extended, danceable rhythm with groovy basslines and syncopated beats. This release was an important milestone for Ministry, as it demonstrated Jourgensen's early musical explorations before the band fully embraced the industrial genre.

Over the years, Cold Life has been revisited as a curiosity in Ministry’s discography, offering a glimpse into the band’s transformation from a synth-heavy new wave act into one of the most influential industrial metal bands of all time.

Cold Life (12") Tracklist (Situation Two – SIT17T)

Cold Life - Lyrics:

Cold
Cold
Cold

You know the yolk it's spreading from
You laugh as people scatter 'bout
Surrounded by a veil of stars
You realize that your life is dark
Earth gets colder every day
If scientists could have their way
They'd study us from far away
And watch as people's minds decay

Cold
Cold
Cold

Your body's in the hands of fools
With swimming pools and low IQs
There's nothing to see, nothing to do
Buy your stocks and sell your jewels
Bill collectors stole my mail
My wife and kids are all for sale
I hope to god I go to jail
And no one can come up with bail

Cold life
Cold life
Cold life
Cold

Cold
Cold
Cold

I can't control my buried thoughts
The slightest thing makes me distraught
I'm like the people I once fought
My every action's being bought
Robot trainers earn their pay
As mutant kids go out to play
It's such a pretty, pretty day
With orange nights and days of grey

Cold
Cold
Cold

I've now become a nervous wreck
I'm getting closer to my death
I keep expecting my last breath
As all my friends just laugh and jest
The earth is such a filthy place
And human, such an awful race
And I'd rather live in outer space
Where death goes at a slower pace

Cold life
Cold life
Cold life
Cold

Cold life
Cold life
Cold life
Cold

Cold
Cold
Cold
Cold
Cold

By 1987, Siouxsie And The Banshees became more than a band, they were an almost institution. Their previous seven-albums had created a momentum of spectacular success, within a short few years Siouxsie And The Banshees were already cited as legendary.

The album the band released in 1987 must have came as a shock at first, Through The Looking Glass is an album of cover versions.
From the creative well that had thrown forth a back catalogue as strong as they had, this release on the surface may have seemed strange. Though they had successfully covered The Beatles Dear Prudence and even Helter Skelter in the past so they were no strangers to cover versions. In the end the album has become regarded as one of their finest works, a testimonial to the strength within the band.
Through The Looking Glass acts as a homage to their influences, songs carefully chosen to reflect the band members own childhood and teenage years, these had to ring true for Siouxsie Sioux to sing them and to believe in them. The album however transcends the normal tribute album,
Ralf Hütter of Kraftwerk hailed the version of 'Hall of Mirrors' stating-“In general, we consider cover versions as an appreciation of our work. The version of 'Hall of Mirrors' by Siouxsie and the Banshees is extraordinary'. Iggy Pop also highly praised The Banshees cover of 'The Passenger'. The mix of tracks from The Band’s “This Wheels On Fire”(The first single released), the Billie Holiday Civil Rights statement-“Strange Fruit. The Doors -“You're Lost Little Girl” and even the early Sparks classic “This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us”.
Through The Looking Glass separates the two classics Tinderbox and Peepshow, it displays an extra dimension to the what the band can achieve. The tracks covered were honed, stylishly built and molded into The Banshees instantly identifiable style.

Through The Looking Glass (Original Track List)

This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us
Hall Of Mirrors
Trust In Me
This Wheel's On Fire
Strange Fruit
You're Lost Little Girl
The Passenger
Gun
Sea Breezes
Little Johnny Jewel

DISCOGS

On February 28, 1984, the legendary Frank Tovey, better known as Fad Gadget, delivered an unforgettable performance at The Haçienda in Manchester. At the time, The Haçienda was rapidly establishing itself as a mecca for alternative and electronic music, and Fad Gadget’s set that night cemented his status as one of the most compelling live performers of the era. His mix of raw energy, industrial sounds, and theatrical stage presence made for a night that those in attendance would not soon forget.

By early 1984, The Haçienda, founded by Factory Records and New Order, had become a pivotal venue in the underground music scene. Although its legendary Manchester rave era was still a few years away, it had already hosted groundbreaking acts from post-punk, new wave, and electronic circles. This made it the perfect venue for Fad Gadget, whose sound blended elements of synth-pop, industrial, and avant-garde performance art.

The club’s industrial design, with its vast open space and exposed steelwork, provided the ideal backdrop for Tovey’s mechanical beats and provocative stage antics. The audience was a mix of devoted fans and curious club-goers eager to witness the cult electronic pioneer in action.

Fad Gadget’s Performance: A Visceral Experience

From the moment he took the stage, Frank Tovey commanded attention. Dressed in his signature disheveled yet stylish attire, he immediately engaged the audience, not just with his music but with his intense physical performance. Known for his unpredictable live shows—where he often climbed on equipment, dived into the crowd, and covered himself in shaving cream or tar and feathers—this night at The Haçienda was no exception.

Opening with “State Of The Nation” quickly followed by “Coitus Interruptus,” Tovey set the tone with its pounding drums, basses and eerie synth melodies. His voice, simultaneously robotic and filled with raw emotion, cut through the club’s booming sound system. Tracks like “Collapsing New People” and “For Whom the Bells Toll” followed, their hypnotic, mechanical rhythms perfectly fitting the venue’s industrial aesthetic.

One of the highlights of the night was his performance of “Ricky’s Hand,” a cautionary tale of reckless behavior told through jittery synth lines and unsettlingly distorted vocals. As the song reached its climax, Tovey flailed wildly, knocking over a mic stand and nearly toppling into the crowd—a signature moment in his chaotic stage presence.

The performance at The Haçienda reaffirmed Fad Gadget’s role as an innovator in electronic music. While he never reached mainstream superstardom, his influence on Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, and the EBM/industrial scene is undeniable. His blend of music and performance art laid the groundwork for future generations of artists pushing the boundaries of live electronic music.

Fad Gadget Live @ The Hacienda, Manchester (UK) - 28.02.1984

01 State Of The Nation
02 Coitus Interruptus
03 King Of The Flies
04 I Discover Love
05 Ideal World
06 Collapsing New People
07 One Man's Meat
08 The Ring
09 Jump
10 Ad Nauseam
11 Lemmings On Lover's Rock
12 Love Parasite
13 For Whom The Bells Toll
14 Ricky's Hand
15 Back To Nature

For those lucky enough to be at The Haçienda on February 28, 1984, the night was a visceral, high-energy experience—a perfect fusion of experimental music and performance art. It remains a defining moment in both Fad Gadget’s career and the history of one of the world’s most influential clubs.

For those who missed out or weren’t born yet … Well, you are in luck as the complete show was filmed & recorded! Check it out below!

Today it’s been exactly 39 years since Siouxsie and The Banshees released their second single from their seventh studio album Tinderbox. The single Candyman was released as 7” and 12” on 28 February 1986 and is about child abuse. At the age of 9, she was sexually assaulted by a man, who apparently owned a candy shop. The most damaging aspect was that the assault was ignored by her parents.The episode became an unspoken item. From that moment on, she started to acquire disrespect for adulthood. Years later, she stated: "I grew up having no faith in adults as responsible people. And being the youngest in the family I was isolated – I had no-one to confide in. So I invented my own world, my own reality. It was my own way of defending myself – protecting myself from the outside world. The only way I could deal with how to survive was to get some strong armour".
It became Siouxsie and the Banshees' 13th top 40 hit, peaking at number 34 in the UK single charts.

The 7” has the track Lullaby on the b-side, the 12” also featured Umbrella on the b-side.
Candyman Lyrics

Sickly sweet, his poison seeks
For the young ones who don't understand
The danger in his hands
With a jaundiced wink see his cunning slink
Oh trust in me my pretty one
Come walk with me my helpless one
Candyman

Syrup lies upon your tongue
Ge latine saliva spills
The flash of a guillotine a smile

Candyman - oh candyman
No pity for him, their misery screams
Unspeakable things

A cool missile, yes it's in his smile
With open arms to welcome you
Beware the masked pretender
He always lies, this candyman
Those lips conspire in treachery
To strike in cloak and dagger, see!

Candyman - oh candyman
And all the children, he warns ''don't tell, ''
Those threats are sold
With their guilt and shame they think they're to blane
For candyman - oh candyman

Songwriters: Matthew David Clayden / Mark Williams

Discogs

"March of the Pigs" was released by Nine Inch Nails on the 25th of February 1994. It was the first single released from their second studio album-The Downward Spiral (1994). It is also one of the band's shortest hit songs, clocking in at just under three minutes.

For shooting the music video, one that got regular airplay on MTV, Reznor assembled his live band for the upcoming Self Destruct Tour. It would feature drummer Chris Vrenna, keyboard player James Woolley, guitarist Robin Finck and bassist/guitarist/keyboardist Danny Lohner. Director Peter Christopherson (Coil, Throbbing Gristle, …) was told to film a stripped-down, minimalist music video for the song. The video showed the band performing the song live in front of a white-wall backdrop, with Reznor moving around aggressively, pushing the other band members, along with their instruments and repeatedly tossing his microphone away. Throughout the video, stagehands visibly move into the frame to reset the equipment he knocks over, handing Reznor a microphone each time he needs to start singing again after an instrumental section. The video uses the live performance audio of the song recorded at the video shoot, rather than synchronizing the footage to the studio-recorded version from the album as most music videos do. This version of the song is also included on the "Closer" cassette single.The single was release in numerous CD versions with and as on limited edition 7", 9" and 12" vinyl records.

The American version of the "March of the Pigs" CD single contains two mixes of the title track, two remixes of The Downward Spiral tracks "Reptile" and "A Violet Fluid", however also included was a non-album instrumental track. In the UK, the single was released as a two-disc CD single with each CD sold separately, though also adding a censored radio edit of "March of the Pigs" and "Big Man With a Gun" from The Downward Spiral release. The disc art for this single features a curled-up millipede, an image that was later used on the cover of the single "Closer".

"March of the Pigs" peaked at #98 on the Australian ARIA singles chart.

Thirteen years after its release, it debuted at #9 and peaked at #6 on the Canadian Singles Chart.

March Of The Pigs (Lyrics)

Step right up, march, push
Crawl right up on your knees
Please greed feed (no time to hesitate)

I want a little bit
I want a piece of it
I think he's losing it
I want to watch it come down

Don't like the look of it
Don't like the taste of it
Don't like the smell of it
I want to watch it come down

All the pigs are all lined up
I give you all that you want
Take the skin and peel it back
Now doesn't that make you feel better?

Shove it up inside, surprise, lies
Stains like the blood on your teeth
Bite, chew, suck (away the tender parts)

I want to break it up
I want to smash it up
I want to fuck it up
I want to watch it come down

Maybe afraid of it
Let's discredit it
Let's pick away at it
I want to watch it come down

All the pigs are all lined up
I give you all that you want
Take the skin and peel it back
Now doesn't that make you feel better?

The pigs have won tonight
Now they can all sleep soundly
And everything is all right

Songwriters: Trent Reznor
© Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

7" vinyl (Limited Edition -Single sided - 5,000 numbered copies)

9" vinyl (Limited Edition - 5,000 numbered copies)

US CD

UK 2CD

More versions and info on DISCOGS!

Nine Inch Nails: March Of The Pigs (1994) from Nine Inch Nails on Vimeo.