Zodiac Mindwarp And The Love Reaction
Zodiac Mindwarp And The Love Reaction
Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction are a British hard rock group.
Overview
The band is the brainchild of Mark Manning, a graphic artist and editor of London's Flexipop magazine. Deciding to experience the debauchery of life as a decadent rock star, he assumed the alter ego, Zodiac Mindwarp, and formed the Love Reaction in the mid 1980s together with guitarist Cobalt Stargazer (real name Geoff Bird), who curiously enough once also played for Wham!. Other band members who came and went over the years include Kid Chaos (real name Stephen Harris), Slam Thunderhide (real name Stephen Landrum, who builds custom motorcycles for the movies), Evil Bastard (real name Robert Munro, now a photographer) Trash D Garbage (real name Paul Bailey, now playing guitar with Creme Brulee), Flash Bastard (real name Jan Cyrka), Suzy X, Tex Diablo (Real Name Christopher Renshaw), and Robbie Vom (Real Name Rob Morris).
Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction play a sleazy style of commercial hard rock featuring big riffs and choruses, as was the trend in the band’s heyday of the mid-to-late 80s and early 90s. The highly camp lyrics are intended as self-parody, and can be seen as either humorous by those who "get the joke", or offensive by those who take them at face value, for their often lascivious and misogynist tone. Song titles like "Back Seat Education", "Feed My Frankenstein", "High Heeled Heaven", and "Trash Madonna" illustrate Mindwarp's tongue-in-cheek approach. Lyrical content also exhibits a send up of cult worship, often of Zodiac Mindwarp's self-proclaimed raging libido, with the frontman claiming the titles, sex fuhrer , love dictator , and high priest of love . Songs such as "Holy Gasoline", "President of the United States of Love", "Messianic Reprise", and "Elvis Died for You" are similarly inclined. Although often overlooked, Zodiac has written songs such as Hoodlum Thunder, from the album of the same name, that offer a scathing take on the then-current political actions of western powers, particularly commenting on war and imperalism.
The act produced a UK Singles Chart Top 20 hit with the breakthrough record "Prime Mover", a song that was inspired musically by Hawkwind's 1977 track "Quark, Strangeness and Charm", itself heavily inspired by the German group NEU!
They toured the US supporting Alice Cooper and Guns 'n Roses on dozens of dates in 1988. After a few gigs, they were moved up to the middle of the bill between Alice and Guns 'n' Roses. Cobalt, Slam and Flash were also featured in the film "Decline of Western Civilization 2" performing with Slash, Axl and Alice Cooper, in an encore from this tour featuring Alice's hit "Under My Wheels". Their début album Tattooed Beat Messiah failed to sell well or generate the kind of attention their record company hoped for. This resulted in them being dropped and owing money to various people, according to Zodiac himself.
Occasionally referred to as "biker rock", the band's style of hard rock is reflected in their outlandish attire, which tends to parody the post-apocalyptic Mad Max biker look. However, they have adopted a more common "street look" recently, circa their comeback, around 1999.
In recent years Mark Manning has established himself as author penning Bad Wisdom (1996, with Bill Drummond), Crucify Me Again (2000), Get Your Cock Out (2000), Fucked By Rock (2001), Collateral Damage , The Wild Highway (2005, again with Bill Drummond). Mark Manning's writing style is graphic.
He is also a regular contributor to The Idler magazine.
Notable collaborations
- Mindwarp co-wrote the track "There's a Barbarian in the Back of My Car" on the Voice Of The Beehive album Let It Bee .
- He also co-wrote the track "Feed My Frankenstein" which appeared on the Alice Cooper album Hey Stoopid . Zodiac Mindwarp and The Love Reaction recorded their own version of the song which appeared on the album Hoodlum Thunder .
- In 1992 Mindwarp appeared on the album 456 by The Grid. He sang the lead vocals on the track "Fire Engine Red" which was the last song on the album. Love Reaction guitarist Cobalt Stargazer also appeared on the same album, performing on the tracks "Face The Sun" and "Leave Your Body".
- Mindwarp members Cobalt Stargazer, Slam Thunderhide & Flash B*stard performed with Alice Cooper, Slash and Axl Rose on Alice's "Under My Wheels" that was featured in the film "Decline of Western Civilization 2" and on Alice's Box Set Anthology. They often collaborated during encores while touring together in 1988.
Discography
Singles and EPs
Albums
- Tattooed Beat Messiah (Mar 1988) – UK #20
- Best of Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction (Dead Ringer Copy Of Tattooed Beat Messiah.)
- Hoodlum Thunder (1991)
- Live At Reading (1993)
- One More Knife (1994)
- I Am Rock (2002)
- Weapons of Mass Destruction (live album) 2004
- Rock Savage (2005)
- Pandora's Grisly Handbag (1986 live album and DVD) 2006
External links
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http:
Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction, Mark Manning
Zodiac Mindwarp and The Love Reaction - Disciples of the love reaction in the seacrh for One More Knife!
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