A formal biography is proving too difficult in the time available and so I’ve changed the plan: I’ll provide text from period documents (or links to text if still current) and at some point build a commentary on these. If somebody then wants to build a narrative that’s a bonus. Thanks for your patience.
Ear Bitten Review – 1980 Stuart Coupe in Sydney Shout
Ear Bitten Review – 1980 Clinton Walker in Rolling Stone
Slug Magazine 1980 – John Laidler
Cassettes spinning up a wildly different market – Joanne Pemberton, Financial Review October 1981
Case for home-grown synth – Richard Pree in The Daily Telegraph July 1983
Australians show they can conjure their own video magic National Times 1983.
Cum On Feel The Noize – RAM Magazine WANDA JAMROZIC 1983??
Chat Show – Lynden Barber Melody Maker March 1984
Severed Head Case – Don Watson NME March 1984
Foraging in the Junkyard – Colin Hubert On The Street March 1984
Since The Accident review – Clinton Walker Rolling Stone 1984
Eyes Open – Tony Briggs Stiletto 1984
Gig Review – Severed Heads / Scattered Order / Famous – Mark Mordue 1985
http://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/talking-heads/3843 – Tony Reed 1985 (reproduction by Mu:Zines)
Headless and Human – DISCORDER Larry Thiessen July 1985
Punishing Pop – Mark Mordue The Age October 1987
A Bizarre Approach to Video Art – Loretta Hall Melbourne Herald October 1987
https://chaoscontrol.com/severed-heads/ – Bob Gourly 1996 (still current).
Severed Heads: Animating the family doctor – evilchris In The Mix April 2005
https://www.mvremix.com/urban/interviews/severed_heads.shtml – Todd E. Jones Dec 2006
https://www.cyclicdefrost.com/2010/05/severed-heads-interview-by-chris-downton/ – 2010 (still current)
http://guestlisted.blogspot.com/2011/05/tom-ellard-severed-heads-interview-2011.html – lEIGh5 May 2011 (still current but how long will BlogSpot stay?)
http://www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be/en/interviews/severed-heads/ – Paul Van De Gehuchte Aug 2011
https://unprojects.org.au/article/conversation-with-a-head-severed/ – Harriet Morgan 2013 (still current).
Sound interview from residentadvisor.net – RA Exchange #132 – January 2013
https://thequietus.com/articles/21144-tom-ellard-severed-heads-interview – Becky Marshall Oct 2016 (still current).
the records that changed severed heads’ front man tom ellard’s life – iD Briony Wright Oct 2016 – (it’s a bit damaged will need back up.)
https://secretthirteen.org/interview-tom-ellard-severed-heads/ – Paulius Ilius Nov 2016 (still current).
https://imposemagazine.com/features/severed-heads-tom-ellard-interview – Jane Chardiet (still current)
is severed heads a going concern today or is it dead forever?
The band lasted for 40 years (on and off with different people) and it got tired and now needs to rest. All the people involved have gone on to other things – which I really should document. We do have an idea of holding a ‘séance’ but definitely no more band. Cheers.
I found Severed Heads via Skinny Puppy in the early 80s and am a huge fan. I really love the wide range of styles and techniques over the years; from the clean precise “Estrogen” to the sonic circus that is “Visit the Big Bigot”. And “We Have Come To Bless This House” is a masterpiece. A definite influence on my own music. Thank you Tom 🙂
Hello tom,
I was wondering if you might like to link our interview we did on WEATNU Digital Magazine years ago?
https://magazine.weatnurecords.com/2015/03/06/interview-with-tom-ellard/
Sure that would be excellent.