"It" the Factor: Alien Sex Fiend, 13-Minute Epics, and the 80s Format Wars

In 1986, the English rock band Alien Sex Fiend did something brilliantly literal: they released an album titled, well, "It" the Album. But beneath that Dadaist simplicity lay a complex strategy that turned the physical media landscape into a playground for their DIY gothic aesthetic.

In this episode of pplpod, we conduct a "musical archaeological dig" into the band’s fourth studio undertaking. We explore how frontman Nick Fiend seized total creative control—from painting the chaotic album art himself to self-producing the record—ensuring that the visual and auditory experiences were perfectly aligned.

What we unpack in this deep dive:

• The 13-Minute Monolith: We dissect "Manic Depression," a track so massive it took up nearly 30% of the entire record, forcing a total shift in listener momentum and vinyl groove physics.
• The Format Wars: How the band used cassette and CD reissues to subvert the industry. From the "two-for-one" value of "It" the Cassette (which bundled their 1985 album Maximum Security) to the premium bonus tracks on "It" the CD.
• Critical Acclaim: We revisit the Trouser Press reviews that hailed the album as a "mind-expanding undertaking" and a pivot point for English rock bands in the mid-80s.
• The Texas Connection: Why the band’s cover of Red Crayola’s "Hurricane Fighter Plane" serves as a secret decoder ring for their sonic DNA.
• The Digital Glitch: We investigate a fascinating contradiction in the historical record regarding the band’s late-80s release timeline.

Whether you're a fan of post-punk, a student of music history, or just fascinated by the quirks of physical media, this episode reveals how Alien Sex Fiend made the container as important as the content.

SEO Keywords: Alien Sex Fiend, 1986 rock albums, English rock bands, Trouser Press reviews, cassette and CD reissues, goth rock, post-punk history, DIY aesthetic, physical media transition.

Source credit: Research for this episode included Wikipedia articles accessed 2/27/2026. Wikipedia text is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; content here is summarized/adapted in original wording for commentary and educational use.