Biography
After relocating to England, Brix Smith assumed leadership of the '60s revivalist pop outfit Adult Net while continuing as a participant in spouse Mark E. Smith's group the Fall. The project originated in 1985 when the Hollywood-raised singer extracted its name from a lyric in "Stephen's Song," a track on the Fall's The Wonderful and Frightening World of the Fall. Earlier she had contributed to Rage and Burden of Proof. Whereas her presence in the Fall was widely credited with steering that band toward greater commercial appeal, Adult Net instead emphasized vocal harmonies and bubblegum pop that reflected her California upbringing, most notably the Beach Boys.
Among her collaborators at one stage were three former members of the Smiths—Andy Rourke, Mike Joyce, and Craig Gannon—a configuration that delivered the group's first live performance. Although the show had been hastily assembled to court Geffen Records, Adult Net ultimately signed with Fontana Records. Covers of Strawberry Alarm Clock's "Incense and Peppermints" and the Andy Warhol-protégé tribute "Edie" generated considerable press coverage yet limited commercial returns. A version of the Grass Roots' "Where Were You" appeared ahead of the 1989 release The Honey Tangle, an album of seamless pop. By that point the roster had shifted to incorporate Clem Burke (ex-Blondie) and James Eller (ex-The The), with only Gannon retained from the prior lineup. An earlier effort, Spin This Web, recorded in 1987 for Beggars Banquet Records, stayed unreleased.
Coinciding with the arrival of The Honey Tangle, the personal and professional rupture between Brix and Mark E. Smith entered the public domain. A subsequent recording of Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man," featuring violinist Nigel Kennedy, was abandoned after Fontana dropped the band in October 1990. Smith maintained a low profile for a period before briefly rehearsing as a prospective bass substitute for Hole. In 1995 she rejoined the Fall for a guest appearance on that year's Cerebral Caustic following a temporary reconciliation with her former husband Mark E. Smith.
Among her collaborators at one stage were three former members of the Smiths—Andy Rourke, Mike Joyce, and Craig Gannon—a configuration that delivered the group's first live performance. Although the show had been hastily assembled to court Geffen Records, Adult Net ultimately signed with Fontana Records. Covers of Strawberry Alarm Clock's "Incense and Peppermints" and the Andy Warhol-protégé tribute "Edie" generated considerable press coverage yet limited commercial returns. A version of the Grass Roots' "Where Were You" appeared ahead of the 1989 release The Honey Tangle, an album of seamless pop. By that point the roster had shifted to incorporate Clem Burke (ex-Blondie) and James Eller (ex-The The), with only Gannon retained from the prior lineup. An earlier effort, Spin This Web, recorded in 1987 for Beggars Banquet Records, stayed unreleased.
Coinciding with the arrival of The Honey Tangle, the personal and professional rupture between Brix and Mark E. Smith entered the public domain. A subsequent recording of Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man," featuring violinist Nigel Kennedy, was abandoned after Fontana dropped the band in October 1990. Smith maintained a low profile for a period before briefly rehearsing as a prospective bass substitute for Hole. In 1995 she rejoined the Fall for a guest appearance on that year's Cerebral Caustic following a temporary reconciliation with her former husband Mark E. Smith.