When I was a teenager I was so influenced by Frank Tovey and his musical pen name Fad Gadget that he released records under that I produced not one but 6 videos to his music(he had none at that point and he was unlikely to ever get anything on MTV). Firstly he taught me that I could make music no matter what I had or knew how to do-I could figure it out myself if I really had something to say. Two-he taught me how to put what I felt into my lyrics. The human emotional element of my writing can be partially traced to his heartfelt and humanizing words. They helped me work out how to say what I wanted to say in my own lyrics and gave me the validation that I had something to say in the first place.
He died far too soon in 2002 at 48 from a heart attack caused by an undiagnosed heart defect but he changed the way most electronic musicians make music-including building his own synths back in the day-that his influence is more like an under current in nearly all dance music. I wish he was still alive and making music. He was a real artist-he never compromised his vision ever-and was unique by miles. Undefinable, a true believer in the magic of music and the word. Thank you thank you thank you for making my life easier and for chasing the blues away when I most needed it.
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