Fex (band)
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FEX | |
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![Fex’s logo, designed circa 1983 by Hans-Reimer Sievers.[1]](/wiki/File:FEXNoBackground.svg) Fex’s logo, designed circa 1983 by Hans-Reimer Sievers.[1] | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Kiel, West Germany |
| Genres | |
| Years active |
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| Members |
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| Past members |
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Fex (stylized as FEX) is a German rock band based and formed in Kiel in 1983 by singer-guitarist Ture Rückwardt, singer Ilona Rückwardt, keyboardist Michael Hädrich, bassist Norbert Ziermann and drummer Hans-Reimer Sievers. They are best known for the song "Subways of Your Mind", previously unofficially referred to as "The Most Mysterious Song on the Internet", which became notable for being the subject of a 17-year-long internet search to identify the original artist.[2][3][4][5] Three more songs were found after the rediscovery, being titled "Heart in Danger", "Talking Hands" and "Jenny", with "Jenny" being found in a song compilation released by ZEUS.
History
[edit]According to guitarist Ture Rückwardt, Fex started in a rehearsal room in the Heikendorf industrial area. His wife Ilona was the lead vocalist before she went on maternity leave, prompting him to become the singer. The name of the band derives from a Southern German slang word, akin to "zealot" or "nerd", regarding someone passionately enthusiastic about something.[6] Fex started to gain more exposure outside Kiel with their participation in the Newcomer Show music competition, which was hosted in late 1984 by radio and television personality Manfred Sexauer and organized by Hamburg-based insurance broker ZEUS. The competition was held at the Die Glocke concert hall in Bremen, where the band beat out seven other finalists. One of the rewards was the contribution of a track, "Jenny", to the Top-Hits compilation album that was later released in 1985.[7] In January 1985, they announced a tour of Northern Germany scheduled for that March.[8][9] Later that year, the band performed at the Bruchhausen-Festival.[10][9] The band had recorded only six songs before their dissolution as keyboardist Michael Hädrich decided to leave.[6] Hädrich relocated to Munich, and was briefly replaced by Dirk Reichardt.[11][12]
Reunion
[edit]On November 7, 2024, Rückwardt, Hädrich and Ziermann reunited to perform a live acoustic version of "Subways of Your Mind" on German radio station NDR 1 Welle Nord. This was the band's first performance since dissolving in the mid-1980s.[13][11] On November 8, Sievers contacted NDR 1 for an interview after reading about the band's reunion in a local newspaper, and was subsequently put in contact with the other band members.[10]
Members
[edit]Current members
- Michael Hädrich – keyboard, vocals, guitar (1983-1985; 2024-present)
- Ture Rückwardt – composer, vocals, guitar (1983-1985; 2024-present)
- Hans-Reimer Sievers – drums (1983-1985; 2024-present)
- Norbert Ziermann – bass (1983-1985; 2024-present)
Former members
- Dirk Reichardt - keyboard (1985)
- Ilona Rückwardt - vocals (1983-1984)
Discography
[edit]- Songs
- "Subways of Your Mind" (c. 1983)
- "Heart in Danger" (c. 1983)
- "Talking Hands" (c. 1983)
- "Jenny" (1985) (on compilation album ZEUS Top-Hits)
References
[edit]- ^ MysteryDX7_Official (2024-11-11). "I am Michael Hädrich from FEX (keyboards, guitar, vocals). AMA". r/TheMysteriousSong. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Blistein, Jon (2024-11-05). "Case Closed: One of the internet's biggest musical mysteries has likely been solved". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
A "lost" New Wave track stumping listeners for over 15 years was identified as "Subways of Your Mind" by the German band FEX
- ^ Davis, Wes (2024-11-05). "Reddit sleuths track down the band behind the internet's most mysterious song". The Verge. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
Now we know that the song is called "Subways Of the Mind" by a band named FEX. Here's a recording provided by Michael Hädrich, a 68-year-old former band member.
- ^ Böhm, Markus; Kleinz, Torsten (2024-11-05). "Netzrätsel nach Jahren gelöst: Hinter dem »geheimnisvollsten Lied des Internets« steckt eine deutsche Band" [Internet mystery solved after years: A German band is behind the "most mysterious song on the Internet".]. Der Spiegel (in German). Retrieved 2024-11-06.
Es ist ein historischer Tag. Nicht etwa wegen der US-Wahl. Sondern, weil etwas anderes geschehen ist, das sich für einige Menschen offenbar ähnlich weltbewegend anfühlt: Das Geheimnis um den »most mysterious Song on the Internet«, und damit eines der bekanntesten Netzrätsel überhaupt, ist gelüftet worden. Nach 17 Jahren. [It's a historic day. Not because of the US election. But because something else happened that apparently felt equally earth-shattering to some people: The secret of the "most mysterious song on the Internet," and thus one of the most famous online mysteries of all time, has been revealed. After 17 years.]
- ^ "Band Fex war's - aus Kiel. Rätsel um mysteriösen Internet-Song aus den 80ern gelöst" [It was the band Fex - from Kiel. Mystery of mysterious internet song from the 80s solved]. Süddeutsche_Zeitung (in German). 2024-11-07. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
In den 80ern läuft in einer jungen Radiosendung ein Synthie-Pop-Song mit coolem Sound und markanter tiefer Stimme. Jahrzehnte später sucht eine Frau im Internet die Macher - und löst einen Hype aus. [In the 80s, a young radio show played a synth-pop song with a cool sound and distinctive deep voice. Decades later, a woman searched the internet for the makers - and triggered a hype]
- ^ a b "Kommt aus Kiel: „The most mysterious song on the Internet"". Kieler Nachrichten. 2024-11-06.
- ^ "Das Konventionelle dominierte". Weser-Kurier (in German). 1984-09-21.
- ^ "Rock mit Wave und vielen Elementen des Pop". Nordwest-Zeitung (in German). 1985-01-19.
- ^ a b Casiello, Pete; Hädrich, Michael. (2024-11-11). After Hours Café. WRDV-FM. Retrieved 2024-11-12 - via SgtStevePH on YouTube.
- ^ a b Jänisch, Julia (2024-11-08). ""The Most Mysterious Song on the Internet": Band FEX nach 40 Jahren wieder komplett". NDR (in German). Retrieved 2024-11-08.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b Synowski, Lisa (2024-11-07). ""The Most Mysterious Song on the Internet" von Kieler Band im Radio". NDR (in German). Retrieved 2024-11-07.
- ^ Fuchs, Burkhard (2010-01-09). "Deutschlands beste Filmmusik wird in Bönningstedt produziert". Hamburger Abendblatt (in German). Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ x0jony (2024-11-07). FEX - Subways Of Your Mind (Live @ NDR 1). Retrieved 2024-11-07 – via YouTube.
{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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