Real name: Francis John (Frank) Tovey

Effective period / Period of releases: 1979 - 2006

Fad Gadget (Frank Tovey, born 8 September 1956, London) was the first artist signed to Mute Records. His groundbreaking 'Back To Nature' was released as Mute's second single, in October 1979. His live shows were known for being far more physical than those of many other electronic acts of the time, often featuring Tovey injuring himself. Following the album Gag in 1984, he dropped the stage name and in favour of his real name. The release of The Best of Fad Gadget in 2001 and his supporting Depeche Mode on their Exciter Tour looked set to help his relaunch as Fad Gadget, but he died, aged 45, of a heart attack on 3 April 2002, at his home in London.