Fester Fanatics

Fester Fanatics
Origin	Sydney, NSW
Genres	Heavy metal, thrash metal
Years active	1987 - 1990, 1992 - 1996, 2011
Labels	Original
Associated acts	Killing Time, Massive Appendage, Massappeal, The Harlots, Helter Skelter, Melody Black, Josie Jason and the Argonauts, Starworld, Asylum
Past members	Alfie Fester, Jed Starr, Bear, Greg Aldridge, Squire Anderson, Oxx, Tubby Wadsworth, Catweazle, Snuff Beastly

Band members

• Final line-up
  • Alfie Fester (Aldo Rubernik) (vocals)
  • Jed Starr (Darren McCormack) (guitar)
  • Bear (Trevor Maddicks) (bass)
  • Greg Aldridge (drums)

• Former members
  • Snuff (bass) 1992
  • Squire Anderson (Peter Armstrong) (bass) 1989 - 1990
  • Oxx (Simon Cooper) (drums) 1989 - 1990
  • Catweazle (Marc Welsh) (guitar, vocals) 1989 - 1990, 1992
  • Tubby Wadsworth (drums) 1987 - 1989
  • Snuff Beastly (Shawn McCormack) (bass) 1987 - 1989

Band information

Sydney's Fester Fanatics gained notoriety for their slapdash approach to thrash metal mayhem. The band's original line-up existed concurrently with Massive Appendage and King's Cross, all of which featured the same members except for Fester. The debut album What Choice Do We Have? appeared quickly, with Venom Brown sharing some of the drum duties with Tubby Wadsworth. When Wadsworth left to join Killing Time he was replaced by Oxx, who did most of the band's artwork as well as that for other Sydney bands including Addictive, and ex-Asylum guitarist Catweazle also joined. Starr followed Wadsworth to Killing Time mid-89. Snuff was replaced by Squire Anderson in 1990, an old school friend of Fester, Jed and Tubby.

After Wadsworth and Starr departed from Killing Time, Fester Fanatics reconvened in Melbourne with another Snuff on bass. This line-up lasted for about a year and toured very heavily, sometimes playing up to four shows a week. This band's style now bore a more commercial edge than the earlier frenzied thrash of the Sydney version. In 1993, Snuff and Tubby were replaced by Josie Jason and the Argonauts members Greg Aldridge and Trevor "Bear" Maddicks, with other musicians like Smeer from Depression and Steve King (Tough Luxury, Rose Tattoo) often playing live with the group. This line-up produced The Last Aussie Demo, a demo-ish sounding CD that owed its style to Jed Starr's appreciation of Lobby Loyde. Following this Fester Fanatics disbanded with Fester following a career as a chef in Melbourne and Starr going on to form Starworld. In 2011, a line up of Fester, Jed, Catweazel, Snuff, Tubby, Venom, Bear and Greg Aldridge played a single show in Melbourne to help raise money for Fester's ongoing dialysis treatment that has prevented him from full-time work. Fester's former apprentice, Master Chef personality George Colombaris, was one of the donors on the night.

Discography

Albums:

	1988	What Choice Do We Have?	Original
	1989	Fester Fanatics' Greatest Cocktail Party Hits	Original
	1996	The Last Aussie Demo	Original