After four critically acclaimed albums under the moniker Fad Gadget, Frank Tovey dropped the name and recorded a further five albums throughout the '80s and early '90s. Forever moving away from his heavily synthesized style as Fad Gadget, he continued to experiment with many different styles, mixing electronics with rock, folk and dance music. After 1986's poppy Snakes & Ladders and 1988's percussion led Civilian he essentially became a fully-fledged folk artist with the release of 1989's Tyranny & The Hired Hand.