About The Origin of Machines

Pixie

Pixie comes from a writing and drama background. Her previous roles include an amputated breast in Jane Fox’s Butcher, evil daughter Sian in Bob Rogers’ Trevor’s House, Nina in Nuts and Bolts and a mother who gave birth to conjoined twins with the help of a horse in Johnny Three Daps. She’s also been in a couple of adverts but unfortunately not in The Adverts. Her writing experience includes Catastoffi for S4C, a collection of travel books for Trade Travel Gazette and music reviews in several publications. 

Pixie pioneered jam nights and gigs in Pontypridd’s Maltsters back in the day which is where she met Hobbit. She already knew Station and Suchy as local nutters from Porth Transport Club. So although the boys had never heard her sing sober, they thought they’d try her out. Pixie promised that what she lacked in vocal experience, she would make up for in writing ability, attitude and tits and she’s certainly fulfilled that promise so far.

Pixie’s lyrics are inspired by overheard conversations in toilets, social media posts, pub characters and urban legends, among others. Her musical influences are varied but her preferred genres are metal, hardcore and alternative ’80s. Her current favourite band is Violent Offence which has nothing to do with her giving birth to one of them. Honest. 

Pixie will do almost anything for a gin and tonic, but she won’t do that. Well, she might. 

Station

It has often been said (probably) that “If you haven't been in a band with Station then you haven‘t really been in a band at all”.

Starting out on guitar at age 13, by the age of 15 he had switched to bass in the same way that most bass players do – too many guitarists and not enough bass players. However, something clicked when he switched over to bass, it felt far more natural to him. Influenced early on by such notible players such as Steve Harris, Geddy Lee, Flea, Billy Sheehan and the ilk but also (in his humble opinion) very underrated players such as Frank Bello, Jason Newsted, Duff McKagan and Gene Simmons.

At age 16 Station joined notable and legendary local band Alchemy (later The Cow said Wonky) before going on to play Bass for RiTA who, in 2001, recorded in Abbey Road Studios.

Circa ’97 when the first incarnation of TCSW split up, he took up drums for a few years and played with such bands as Gash, Fragile, Claypool, Jeff the Dentist and Bovine.

Despite his roots being in traditional Rock and Metal he nearly always writes from ‘left-field’ most likely due to his love of the likes of Primus and Ivor Cutler.

Station would like it to be known that he likes pale ales and single malt whisky, just in case anyone wants to buy him a drink at a gig. 

Suchy

Prepared to have a go at anything, Suchy has tried playing everything with anybody with various degrees of success.

The Cow Said Wonky was where he realised pushing buttons to make beeps, clicks and random noises was easier than plucking strings.

When The Deadheads, legendary valleys punks that were a massive influence on a teenage Suchy reformed and needed a guitarist, Suchy couldn’t believe his luck. A couple of years of ear-bleeding drunken mayhem proved that plucking strings really isn’t that hard.

His love of original music and loud horrible noises made it almost inevitable that Suchy would end up making beepy noises again. Suchy eventually agreed to join The Origin of Machines for the opportunity to throw spiders at people and to get free Wi-Fi in the rehearsal room. Station lied about the parking though.

As well as The Origin of Machines, Suchy is also playing bass with Red Joker, who are not really sure what type of music they play.

Youthful, trusting, cheerful and a shameless liar. Size 8 feet.

Hobbit

Hobbit started playing drums the way so many people do – a friend at school asked 'I need a drummer, do you want to learn?'. After finding out just how much damn fun it is, he stuck with it.

Influenced by the rock and metal bands he grew up with in the ’80s such as Iron Maiden, Motörhead, AC/DC, Saxon, Metallica and Anthrax, his first introduction to live rock was Monsters of Rock ’87, in all its wet, muddy and, above all, loud glory.

After leaving school in North Wales, Hobbit came down south to the Polytechnic of Wales in Treforest, where he spent more time playing in student bands and socialising than studying. After dropping out in 1990 he met local lads Accidental Genocide and played many, many gigs with them, often with Rhondda legends Alchemy/The Cow Said Wonky, where he met Station and Suchy.

In the late ’90s, Accidental Genocide (then renamed Fracture) split up and, after several unsuccessful attempts to get bands started, Hobbit joined Porth metal band Ilysium, who played various pubs around the Rhondda Valleys for several years until they too went the way of the Dodo in around 2005. He unofficially retired from drumming (primarily by not looking for bands to join) in an attempt to actually get paid for a living for about 10 years, until an unexpected call from Station in 2015.

Hobbit rarely drinks at gigs due to 'having to drive these bloody drums back to the lockup' but, should you encounter him without an attached drum kit, would like a Lemmy (Jack Daniels and Coke), please.