Francis John Tovey (8 September 1956 – 3 April 2002), known also by his stage name Fad Gadget, was a British avant-garde electronic musician and vocalist.

As Fad Gadget, his music was characterised by the use of synthesizers in conjunction with sounds of found objects, including drills and electric razors.

His bleak, sarcastic and darkly humorous lyrics were filled with biting social commentary toward subjects such as machinery, industrialisation, consumerism, human sexuality, mass media, religion, domestic violence and dehumanization, often sung in a deadpan voice.

After finishing full-time education Tovey began working at various jobs and around the mid seventies managed to set up his own home studio.

After the purchase of this equipment he began writing music seriously; it was at this time he sent a demo tape of "Back to Nature" to Daniel Miller, who had just released his first single as The Normal.

His live appearances progressed to dressing in theatrical costumes, reflecting back to his days studying visual arts,[2] and he quickly became known for his confrontational stage antics.

Some of these included covering himself in tar and feathers, swinging his microphone like a whip, leaping backwards into the audience, dancing across bar tables while kicking over people's drinks, climbing up speakers, hanging from ceiling fixtures, pulling out his body hair and playing instruments with his head, often ending up in personal injury.

[4] In 1981 Gadget released another one-off single on Mute Records, "Make Room", featuring the b-side "Lady Shave", which went on to become "one of his most iconic tracks".

Incontinent and Under the Flag showed a progressive change in Gadget's music; due both to the technological advances and his own growing knowledge of recording techniques.

He was also excited about the recording equipment that was installed at Hansa at that time, including the computer controlled mixing desk.

Frank liked their use of industrial equipment and found objects, something he had encouraged Nick Cash (his drummer and percussionist since his first album) to do.

Fad Gadget heard a large printing press nearby which had a distinctive rhythm and got Gareth Jones, the co-producer/engineer, to record it.

All these recordings were engineered by Gareth Jones and the sample used was stored on his Akai sampler with Cash drumming along and keeping the swing of the machine.

[3] In 1989, he changed musical tactics in his criticism of industrialisation, recording a mostly acoustic album of protest and labour songs Tyranny and the Hired Hand including such standards as "Sixteen Tons".

[3] In his later years, Gadget began to perform at festivals and also supported his former colleagues and Mute label-mates, Depeche Mode, on their European tour.

[8][9][10][11] He influenced bands and artists such as Depeche Mode,[12] Vince Clarke (of Erasure),[13] Boy George (of Culture Club),[14] Information Society,[15] cEvin Key (of Skinny Puppy),[16] Liars,[17][18] The Twilight Sad,[19] and DJ Premier.

[21] John Frusciante (of the Red Hot Chili Peppers) listed Fad Gadget's Under the Flag in his top 40 favorite albums of all time.