Ash Wednesday

Innovative Australian synth pioneer and a member of self-styled groups Jab (1976-1979) and Models (1979-1980), Ash Wednesday combined experimental analog synthesizer textures with punk/rock rhythms. In 1980 he recorded and released an independent solo single, 'Love by Numbers/Boring Instrumental'. He produced also 4 songs with Karen Marks including what was to become the retro cult classic "Cold Cafe". Around this point of time he was to join Al Webb and Andrew Picoleau to complete an experimental recording project The Metronomes (with two singles and two albums on Cleopatra Records). 

 

Concurrently, Wednesday was to collaborate with Nuvo Bloc member T.E. Power on a project titled Thealonian Music. Although almost clandestine by nature, this excercise in spontaneous composition was to strongly influence much of Wednesday's attitude to subsequent projects. He continued experimenting with electronics throughout the 80's with numerous and diverse, but relatively low profile projects -most notably, perhaps, being Modern Jazz, an impromtu assemblage of electro-based musicians, performing live on stage to a randomly programmed techno beat, although at this point of time (early 80's) the term "techno" was yet to be invented.

 

In 1988 Wednesday was to apply his approach to digital sampling, initially culminating in Crashland, another very self-styled group of considerable impact and live popularity. In 1990 Ash contributed keyboards to the live performances and recordings of the iconic Melbourne group The Brotherhood of John Lawrance. From 1992 to 1997 he was based in Berlin, where he was a member of the production team for Nina Hagen's 1995 album 'Freud Euch'.  CD (RCA Deutschland). In 1997 he began working (in a live performance capacity) with the legendary Einstürzende Neubauten -a position he was to occupy until late 2013. In 1999 he returned to Melbourne, Australia where he re-united with ex-Crashland vocalist Lyn Gordon to form The Tingler. [SOURCE: ASH-WEDNESDAY.COM]