{{short description|British post-punk rock band}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}} {{Use British English|date=February 2014}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Family Fodder | image = Family Fodder Logo 2013.jpg | alt = | caption = | image_size = | landscape = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank --> | origin = [[London]] | genre = [[Post-punk]], [[indie rock]], [[Psychedelic music|psychedelic]] | years_active = 1970s–present | label = The state51 Conspiracy, [[Jungle Records]], [[Fresh Records (UK)|Fresh Records]], Parole Records, Staubgold Records, Dark Beloved Cloud, Psych.KG | associated_acts = Johnny Human, Vox Humana, The Lo Yo Yo, Frank Sumatra and the Mob | website = {{URL|www.familyfodder.co.uk}} }}

'''Family Fodder''' is an English [[post-punk]] group revolving around songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer/producer, and guitarist/keyboard player Alig Fodder.<ref name="Allmusic bio">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/family-fodder-mn0000170831|website=Allmusic|title=Biography|accessdate=3 October 2015}}</ref> Formed in [[London]] in the 1970s, it has had a sporadic existence ever since, disbanding in the 1980s then reforming. ''[[NME]]'' described their song "Dinosaur Sex" as a "forgotten post-punk classic".<ref>{{cite news|title=Album Review: LCD Soundsystem - 'This Is Happening' (DFA/EMI)|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/lcd-soundsystem/11298|newspaper=[[NME]]|date=13 May 2010}}</ref>

The first Family Fodder single, "Playing Golf (With My Flesh Crawling)", a joint release between Parole Records and [[Fresh Records (UK)|Fresh Records]], was released in 1979. In the same year a [[12" single]] was released on [[Small Wonder Records]] by the same musicians as Frank Sumatra And The Mob.<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/artist/Frank+Sumatra+And+The+Mob Frank Sumatra And The Mob] ''Discogs''.</ref>

A series of Family Fodder singles and 12" EPs followed on Fresh together with the album ''Monkey Banana Kitchen'', often featuring French singer Dominique Levillain. The best-known singles were the indie chart entries "Debbie Harry", "Savoir Faire" and "Film Music".<ref>{{cite book|last1=Lazell|first1=Barry|title=Indie Hits 1980-1989|publisher=Cherry Red Books|url=http://shop.cherryred.co.uk/shopexd.asp?id=2837|ref=CRBOOKS037|access-date=3 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905074035/http://shop.cherryred.co.uk/shopexd.asp?id=2837|archive-date=5 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> Also released were the mini-albums ''Sunday Girls'' and ''Schizophrenia Party'' on Fresh, and later the ''All Styles'' double-LP on [[Jungle Records]], which [[Trouser Press]] hailed as "consistently enjoyable and infused with invention, cleverness, talent and a totally open outlook"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=family_fodder |title=Family Fodder |website=TrouserPress.com |date= |accessdate=2020-05-25}}</ref>

Alig Fodder continued to record and perform as Family Fodder over the years with evolving line-ups as well as under various alter-egos such as DJ Katface, Johnny Human, Vox Humana and The Lo Yo Yo.

Following the release of compilation ''Savoir Faire: The Best Of''<ref>{{cite web|author=Stewart Mason |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/savoir-faire-the-best-of-family-fodder-mw0000220777 |title=Savoir Faire: The Best of Family Fodder - Family Fodder &#124; Songs, Reviews, Credits |website=[[AllMusic]] |date= |accessdate=2020-05-25}}</ref> on US label Dark Beloved Cloud, in 2000 an early Family Fodder line-up including Levillain reformed to record the album ''Water Shed'' for that label. [[Allmusic]] called it "one of the better reunion albums of the post-punk generation."<ref>{{cite web|author=Stewart Mason |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/water-shed-mw0000113420 |title=Water Shed - Family Fodder &#124; Songs, Reviews, Credits |website=[[AllMusic]] |date=2000-12-19 |accessdate=2020-05-25}}</ref>

In 2010 Family Fodder released ''Classical Music'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/classical-music-mw0002060451 |title=Classical Music - Family Fodder &#124; Songs, Reviews, Credits |website=[[AllMusic]] |date= |accessdate=2020-05-25}}</ref> featuring the singing of Darlini, daughter of original vocalist Dominique Levillain.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ubaghs|first=Charles|title=Family Fodder: Classical Music|url=http://thequietus.com/articles/05229-family-fodder-classical-music-review|newspaper=[[The Quietus]]|date=3 November 2010}}</ref> It was followed in 2013 by ''Variety''.

In 2014 German label Staubgold started a series of vinyl and CD reissues, the first being Family Fodder's debut album, 'Monkey Banana Kitchen', followed by 'Schizophrenia Party' and 'Sunday Girls', most featuring bonus tracks. To coincide, original members of the band reformed with a new singer Bee Ororo, and played live dates in Germany, France and Switzerland.

In 2016 an EP titled 'Sex Works' was announced by Jungle Records, followed by a 'lost' album, 'Foreverandever'.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.jungle-records.net/index.php/117-family-fodder-foreverandever | title=Family Fodder 'Foreverandever' }}</ref> In 2018 a brand new album 'Easy Listening (Not)' with new singer Mae Karthauser was issued on CD on Furniture Records. In 2020 the 'Savoir Faire - the best of' album, first issued in the USA by Dark Beloved Cloud in 1998, was reissued as a revamped and remastered vinyl 'Director's Cut' LP for Record Store Day.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://jungle-records.myshopify.com/collections/vinyl-lps-7-and-10-records/products/family-fodder-savoir-faire-the-best-of-directors-cut-blue-translucent-vinyl-lp | title=Family Fodder 'Savoir Faire - the best of (Director's Cut)' blue translucent vinyl LP }}</ref>

Family Fodder songs have been covered by [[Zion Train]], [[Unrest (American band)|Unrest]], and [[YACHT (band)|YACHT]], amongst others.

Family Fodder appeared with [[Kommissar Hjuler]] on several projects for the series FLUXUS +/-, on the German label Psych.KG. He has also collaborated with [[Psapp]], and the artist [[David Shrigley]] alongside [[David Byrne]], [[Hot Chip]], [[Franz Ferdinand (band)|Franz Ferdinand]] and others on Shrigley's album 'Worried Noodles'<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.discogs.com/master/143657-Various-David-Shrigleys-Worried-Noodles | title=Various - David Shrigley's Worried Noodles | website=[[Discogs]] | date=2007 }}</ref>

==Discography== {{Clean up|section|reason=Formatting, non-use of wikitable(s), laundry list appearance, largely unreferenced|date=May 2020}} ===Albums=== * ''Sunday Girls (A Tribute to Blondie by Family Fodder and Friends)'', Parole Records, Fresh Records, 1979 * ''[[Monkey Banana Kitchen]]'', Fresh Records, 1980 (reissued 2014, LP/CD, Staubgold Records)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.staubgold.com/en/album/142/monkey-banana-kitchen/ |title=music out of place - Monkey Banana Kitchen |website=Staubgold.com |date= |accessdate=2020-05-25}}</ref> * ''All Styles'', [[Jungle Records]], 1983 * ''The Lo Yo Yo'' (Steve Wright, Alig, Annie Hunt, Carrie Brooks, Mick Hobbs), ''id.'', Calypso Now, 1984 * ''The Lo Yo Yo'', ''Extra Weapons'', Floppy Discs, 1985 * ''Water Shed'', Dark Beloved Cloud, 2000 * ''Idol Fodder'', ''Bäbytalk'', Slender Means Society, States Rights Records, 2008 * ''DJ Katface / Kommissar Hjuler und Frau'' (John Pearce, [[Kommissar Hjuler]], [[Mama Baer]]), ''Pragmatix'', Asylum Lunaticum (Germany) / Nagranie Brutalnie Domowy (Poland), 2010 * ''Classical Music'', The state51 Conspiracy Ltd, 2010 * ''[[Variety (family fodder album)|Variety]]'', The state51 Conspiracy Ltd, 2013 * ''Easy Listening (Not)'', Furniture Records, 2018 * ''Play Kommissar Hjuler'', Domestic Violence Recordsings, 2019

===Compilations/split albums=== * ''Greatest Hits'', 33 rpm, Compañía Fonográfica Española, 1981 and [[Crammed Discs]], 1981 * ''The Lo Yo Yo'' / ''Look De Bouk'' - ''Double Dog Dare, Summer '84'', cassette-album, Calypso Now, 1984 * ''Savoir Faire : The Best Of'', CD, Dark Beloved Cloud/Jungle Records, 1998 * ''More Great Hits!'', 2xCD, [[Jungle Records]], 2008 * ''Fluxus in the Bathroom'', split-LP with [[Kommissar Hjuler]], Psych.KG, 2017 * ''Arme Nuesse (Vol. 2)'', split-LP by Family Fodder & Kommissar Hjuler (collaboration) / Bladder Flask & B.P.O. (collaboration), Psych.KG, 2019 * ''Fluxus Im Hoch-Kasten'' split-LP by Family Fodder & Kommissar Hjuler (collaboration) / Kommissar Hjuler & Frau & KH12 / [[Jonathan Meese]], Psych.KG, 2019 * ''The Inevitable Krystal "Belle" Boyd Record'', split-LP by Family Fodder & Kommissar Hjuler & [[Mama Baer]] (collaboration) / [[Faust (band)|Faust]], Psych.KG, 2020 * ''Savoir Faire: The Best of Family Fodder (Director's Cut)'', vinyl LP [[Jungle Records]], 2020 * ''Play Deathcrush (by Mayhem)'', LP, (Family Fodder/Kommissar Hjuler/[[Goodiepal]] & Bananskolen (collaboration)), (SHMF), 2023

===Singles=== * "Frank Sumatra and the Mob"/"Te Deum", maxi 45&nbsp;rpm, [[Small Wonder Records]], 1979 * "Playing Golf (With My Flesh Crawling)", 45&nbsp;rpm, Parole Records, [[Fresh Records (UK)|Fresh Records]], 1979 * "Savoir Faire", 45&nbsp;rpm, Fresh Records, 1980 and [[Crammed Discs]], 1980 * "Debbie Harry", 45&nbsp;rpm, Fresh Records, 1980 * "Warm"/"Desire", 45&nbsp;rpm, Parole Records, Fresh Records, 1980 * "ScHiZoPhReNiA pArTy !", maxi 45t, Fresh Records, 1981 * "Film Music", 45&nbsp;rpm, Fresh Records, 1981 * "The Big Dig", 45&nbsp;rpm, Fresh Records, 1982 * "Coral", 45&nbsp;rpm, [[Jungle Records]], 1982 * "Professor Zoom" (Alig=Johnny Human, Mick Hobbs, Sam Alexander, Rick Wilson, Graham Painting, Professor Zoom), ''Urban Menace/1965'', Alligator Discs, 1994 * "Tender Words", CD single, Dark beloved cloud, 2002 * "Alig Fodder"/"Alphabet Series Q", 45&nbsp;rpm, Tomlab, 2007 * "Singularity 1"/"Love Is Like a Goat", CD limited edition, The state51 Conspiracy Ltd, March 2011 * "Singularity 2"/"Sitting in a Puddle", CD limited edition, The state51 Conspiracy Ltd, April 2011

===Compilation appearances=== * "Savoir Faire" appeared on ''A Fresh Selection'' compilation LP, Fresh Records, 1980 * "Debbie Harry" on ''Rough Trade: Post Punk 01'', 2CD, 2003 * "Monkey", "Banana", and "Darling" appeared on [[Jonathan Meese]] & Tim Berresheim/[[Mama Baer]]/Family Fodder ''Fluxus in the Kitchen'' LP, Psych.KG, 2014 * "Symbols", and "Philosophy" appeared on [[Jonathan Meese]]/[[Mama Baer]]/Family Fodder ''Fluxus in the Kitchen #3'' LP, Psych.KG, 2018

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.familyfodder.co.uk Family Fodder Website] The band's website * {{discogs artist}} * [{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=family-fodder-p17425|pure_url=yes}} Family Fodder] on AllMusic * [https://www.youtube.com/user/FamilyFodderTV Family Fodder] on YouTube * [http://familyfodder.greedbag.com Family Fodder Store] * [https://www.facebook.com/familyfodder Family Fodder Facebook]

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[[Category:English post-punk music groups]] [[Category:English new wave musical groups]] [[Category:Musical groups established in 1979]] [[Category:Fresh Records (UK) artists]] [[Category:Musical groups from London]]