Editing Severed Heads (section)

===Early years and independent releases (1979–1982)===
In 1979, [[Richard Fielding]] and Andrew Wright formed an experimental electronic duo, Mr. & Mrs. No Smoking Sign, in Sydney.<ref name="McFarlane">{{Cite book | last1 = McFarlane | first1 = Ian | authorlink1 = Ian McFarlane | title = Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop | chapter = Encyclopedia entry for 'Severed Heads' | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20040605055734/http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=361 | chapter-url = http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=361 | accessdate = 1 January 2014 | year = 1999 | publisher = [[Allen & Unwin]] | location = [[St Leonards, New South Wales|St Leonards, NSW]] | archivedate = 5 June 2004 | isbn = 1-86508-072-1 | url-status = dead| title-link = Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop }}</ref> By the end of that year, [[Tom Ellard]] joined the group.<ref name="McFarlane"/> The group issued cassette albums, including ''Mr. and Mrs. No Smoking Sign Go Cruising fer Burgers!''<ref name="McFarlane"/> In December 2006, Ellard explained the name change: "[W]e were called Mr. & Mrs. No Smoking Sign, because that was really ugly. Then, we wanted to fool people that we were Industrial and it worked. Severed Heads was a really dumb name, so that's what stuck. Forever. I hate it by the way."<ref name="Jones">{{cite news | url = http://www.reocities.com/hiphopinterview/severedheads.html | title = Severed Heads (Tom Ellard) Interview | last = Jones | first = Todd E | publisher = Endorphin Bath, Todd E. Jones | date = December 2006 | accessdate = 1 January 2014 }}</ref>

The group's early music was characterised by the use of [[tape loop]]s, noisy arrangements of synthesisers and other dissonant sound sources in the general category of [[industrial music]]. Wright departed late in 1979, leaving the duo of Ellard and Fielding to put together the band's early studio offerings, including the A-side of a [[split album]], ''[[Ear Bitten/No Vowels, No Bowels]]'', with the B-side by Rhythmyx Chymx.<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="Deming">{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p5394|tab=biography|pure_url=yes}} | title = Severed Heads {{pipe}} Biography | publisher = [[AllMusic]] | last = Deming | first = Mark | accessdate = 1 January 2014 }}</ref> Fielding departed the band during the recording of 1981's ''[[Clean (Severed Heads album)|Clean]]'', leaving much of the work to be completed solely by Ellard.<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="Deming"/>

Severed Heads began incorporating various popular music tropes, such as a consistent 4/4 rhythm, strong melodic lines, resolving chord arrangements and Ellard's thin but gently eerie vocals and elliptical, poetic lyrics. This move was underscored by the incorporation of mimetic devices, such as [[drum machine]]s and bass synthesisers. The result was a striking hybrid of [[avant-garde]] industrial and pop. The group moved their live shows from "experimental venues and art spaces to rock clubs",<ref name="Deming"/> and they issued the ''[[Blubberknife]]'' and ''[[80's Cheesecake]]'' albums in 1982 after expanding to include synthesiser player [[Garry Bradbury]] and guitarist Simon Knuckey.<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="AMG Blubber">{{cite web | url = {{AllMusic|class=album|id=r215203|pure_url=yes}} | publisher = [[AllMusic]] | title = ''Blubberknife'' – Severed Heads | accessdate = 1 January 2014 }}</ref> Following the release of these albums, Severed Heads were also joined by video expert and musician [[Stephen Jones (musician)|Stephen Jones]].