Nash the Slash

Nash the Slash is a Canadian progressive rock, classical, and alternative musician. Though a multi-instrumentalist, he is known primarily for playing electric violin and mandolin, as well as harmonica, keyboards, glockenspiel, and other instruments. He was a member of the band FM in the 1970s, before launching a solo career in 1978, producing an audiovisual collaboration with artist Robert Vanderhorst which continues to this day.

Identity

Nash has always performed with surgical bandages covering his face, under the pseudonym Nash the Slash. His true identity is the subject of some speculation. The Canadian Encyclopedia lists his real name as Jeff Plewman (Toronto, 1948-),^* but Nash has never officially confirmed or denied his name. In a 1981 interview with the UK magazine Smash Hits, Nash's response to a question about his real name was "Nashville Thebodiah Slasher". Some fans continue to believe that Nash could be Ben Mink, who replaced him as FM's violinist in 1978; in the UK, he was thought to be Billy Currie of Ultravox fame.

Career

Nash has been creating his unique concept of sound and vision for nearly thirty years. His first live presentation of music to film was a performance to Luis Buñuel's surreal silent film Un chien andalou at the Roxy Theatre in Toronto.

Nash's persona was born of silent film. The name comes from a killer butler encountered by Laurel and Hardy in their first film Do Detectives Think? (1927). Nash the musician has gone on to create the music scores for the Canadian films Roadkill and Highway 61, both directed by Bruce McDonald. His other movie score and soundtrack work has included The Kidnapping of the President (1980), Blood & Donuts (1995), and Black Pearls (1989).

Nash's music is a complex blend of new wave, new age and punk rock, using electric mandolins, violins, drums machines and an arsenal of effects and sonic devices. He has written, played and produced almost all of the material on his solo albums by himself, although he has also worked with producers Daniel Lanois and Bill Nelson.

Nash was personally invited by Gary Numan to tour the UK as his support act in 1980-81, and also toured Europe with The Tubes. He was signed to Richard Branson's Dindisc (Virgin) label and released the album Children of the Night in the UK and Europe 1980. Returning to Toronto in spring 1981, Nash followed up the success of Children of the Night with the album And You Thought You Were Normal. This included the track and later single "Dance After Curfew" on which a then relatively unknown Daniel Lanois took the production helm. The single has the distinction of being a club and radio hit in Poland, which was then still behind the iron curtain.

Nash's next project was an album of all-American classics titled American Bandages. Nash enlisted the help of former FM cohorts Cameron Hawkins (keyboards) and Martin Deller (drums),and the album was released in 1984. The album was aimed at the US market, but due to poor distribution and management it never got the proper exposure it deserved. After the bad experience with American Bandages Nash rejoined FM from 1984 to 1989, releasing the albums Con-Test and Tonight. The era of Nash film music then began in 1989 (see above). Nash re-released his first two albums Bedside Companion and Dreams & Nightmares on CD in 1997, calling the result Blind Windows, and then followed the success of this with an all-new album titled Thrash in 1999. Nash continued to release his back catalogue on CD in the early 2000s, supporting this with tours in his native Ontario. During 2004-2005 Nash was again working with Robert Vanderhorst on the project Two Artists^*, a live multimedia event presenting a fusion of surrealistic visuals with classic stylings in music.

Discography

Bedside Companion (1978)
Dreams & Nightmares (1979)
Children of the Night (1980)
And You Thought You Were Normal (1982)
Decomposing (1981)
The Million Year Picnic (1984)
American BandAges (1984)
Blind Windows (1997, re-release of first two albums)
Thrash (1999)
Children of the Night (2000, reissue with bonus tracks)
Nosferatu (2000)
Lost in Space (2001)
And You Thought You Were Normal (2002, reissue with bonus tracks)
American Bandages (2003, reissue with bonus tracks)

Film soundtracks

Nash has composed the film scores for several movies, including:

The Kidnapping of the President (1980) - Nash provided electronic sound effects
A Trip Around Lake Ontario (1984, short subject)
Roadkill (1989)
Black Pearls 1989
Highway 61 (1991)
Blood & Donuts (1995)

Excerpts from tracks on the FM album Tonight, co-written by Nash the Slash, appear in the movie The New Blood.

In addition, he has appeared on the following movie soundtracks:

Highway 61 (1991, track "Into the Land of the Fire")

Movie appearances

Nash has a cameo appearance in the movie Roadkill (1989) playing his own composition We Will Be The Leaders

DVDs

As 'Two Artists' , a collaboration with artist Robert Vanderhorst.
A View from the Gallery - One, (2004)
A View from the Gallery - Two, (2005)

External links

Canadian musical groups | Canadian rock musicians | Progressive rock | Mysterious musicians | Canadian rock groups