Random Gender were a British, Wiltshire-based progressive garage band, founded in 1982 by twin brothers Jon and Simon Cousins, who went on to be prominent members of Wiltshire folk rockers Ophiuchus and Liverpool's indie rock group The Onset respectively.

A mixture of the two comes as naturally to Random Gender as does their capacity to fuse the 80’s beat consciousness with the more laid back aspects of the Velvet Underground era" – Mark Ashton (Venue Magazine).

In October 1981, whilst at sixth form in Chippenham's Sheldon and Hardenhuish Schools, the Cousins brothers teamed up with Mark Dunn on keyboards/drums and Richard Pearson on guitar/drums.

The group practiced in the cellar of Mark's parents house on Chippenham's London Road, developing an underground garage sound from self-penned tunes and covers of T. Rex, David Bowie and Lou Reed.

"[6] The article reported on the "Gig in the Barn at Sevington Farm", 10 July 1982 where an audience of 150 people saw Random Gender perform their first show at the north Wiltshire home of the Cousins brothers' mother and stepfather, Judith and Roger Pope.

This tape included their signature tune, the haunting "My Death" written by Jon Cousins about the events in Poland in 1981/2 when the government introduced martial law in an attempt to crush the Solidarity movement.

[8] Earlier that Spring, the Cousins brothers had starred in a sixth form production of Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead at Sheldon School.

Other members of the cast included Gender guitarist Eddie Deedigan and keyboard player Richard Hughes, who was recruited that summer to replace Mark Nichols.

John Vince encouraged the band to develop as artists, producing their own posters, arranging photo shoots, engaging with the media and expanding their musical expression.

The Demo had four of the band's original numbers, including a new version of "My Death", now with keyboard arrangement by Richard Hughes, and the track Stage, written after the experience of their acting debut.

At this time Jon Cousins also began to work on a solo project inspired by the Celtic mythology of the Welsh Nation, "The Mabinogion: The Mabinogi of Math 'Ab Mathonwy and the Sons of Don" .

Jon enlisted the help of his girlfriend Rachel Bowen on recorder, Jane Hicks' husband Andy on flute and his brother Simon on various instruments.

Random Gender became a firm favourite at Bristol's The Thekla, which was run by Ki Longfellow and her husband Vivian Stanshall, who is best known as the singer with the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band.

Earlier that month, 12 December 1984, Random Gender played their first gig at the Granary Club in Bristol, supporting The Harpoons and Automatic Dlamini.

Sue Hampton of the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald attended the show and reported that the band "won over the audience with their light refreshing style of music.

This gig was reviewed by Mark Ashton of the Venue Magazine who called them "an oddball mix of present, past, taste, trend, fad and fun.

"[2] Random Gender worked hard throughout the summer with Simon Kinnersly of Bath and West Evening Chronicle commenting that "They’ve been seen in almost every venue in the area, gradually consolidating their reputation and improving their style and sound.

"[17] During this time the band also made their final appearance at Chippenham's Goldiggers on 27 August 1985 "playing at the mini Live Aid show"[9] Concert for Ethiopia.

In the late summer of 1985 the Random Gender returned to Robert Craven's Studio in Bath to record their third version of "My Death", this time with the saxophone of Pat D’Arcy, who had made the move from Stafford to Wiltshire and consolidated his place in the group.

"[20] Random Gender found a financial backer in Wiltshire businessman John Senior Stern who agreed to put up the finances for a single.

[21] In addition to Jon Cousins and Pat D’Arcy, ex-Gender members Myke Vince and Glen Wardle both played with Ophiuchus and appear on the "Serpent" single, which was released in 1987.