Freur...news

[big screen satellite]

I am in the process of acquiring some intersting back history from a friend of Karl, Freur, and Underworld from as far back as 1984

This history is in the form or some letters, press cuttings, press photos and press releases and other nice bits and bobs...

Anyway, I recieved the first of about 6 folders today, dated Freur 1984-1986

rest assured I won't be divulging any personal information, not that any is contained, but will be able to divulge some historical bits and pieces, as i read through the articles, and will also upload some of the more intersting photos!

[big screen satellite]

the main notes from this press release:

'...Freur, who triumphed with their debut LP, Doot Doot in 1983, are back in action with their single 'The Devil and the Darkness', which will be followed by the release of their long awaited second LP in the new year.

The line up is still the same...Alfie Thomas / keys and editing, Rick Smith / keys and assorted machinery, Karl Hyde / vocals and guitar, Bryn Burrows / drums, John Warricker Le Breton / video synthesiser and graphics. A new bassisthas been added. His name is Jake Bowie - a little man with orange hair and a dog...'

'Originally concieved in 1982 at the University of Cardiff, in South Wales, Freur converted their Splott terraced house into a nifty little 4-track studio called "The Black Box"...'

'Doot Doot was released in 1983, number one in Italy, 24 in Germany, top five in NZ.' (wow!) (also popular in US and Canada - cult status!) 'College radio went crazy over their music'!

'Everyone wanted to know who Freur were. Where did they come from? And why did they dress up in emeralds, pearls and diamonds? Brightly coloured clothing? Crimped hairstyles?

"We did it because, at that time, nobody else was doing it," explains Karl.

"...we stuck with that look for 18 months."

"A lot of the new material (the new album) started to lean towards a more traditional vein - the background of old England - the celtic and old English styles of modern technology including emulators, sampling equiptment, guitars, drums and a great London studio (Mayfair). The initial backing tracks were recorded in ICC studio down on the south coast...

(somewhere near Bexhill if my memory serves me right - Mattval)

...The Crux of the LP was produced ourselves and John Hudson (who's credits include Gary Glitter, Ultravox and Tina Turner.)"

...

'Like the new single, a lot of the new material doesn't feature any sequneced basslines. As already mentioned, Jake Bowie is the new bass player. In fact Karl promises that if the group have any kind of financial success, more musicians would be added to the current line up.'

next, is the best bit of the whole piece for me...in todays context - Mattval:

"We're getting a bit bored with synths and pure electronic sounds." says Rick...

!!!! hahahaha !!!! oh how times have changed

'...The name is Freur. And so is the noise. The band never intended to come up with a name that meant anything in particular. If anything the name separated the group from all of the other groups. It had to be multi-national. Freur is a noise that everyone around the world can translate. It's got absolutely nothing to do with language. Freur is a sound that rolls off the tounge. It's a pictogram, a logo, a signal post that typifies six different people.'

'Karl: we have most of the actual recording sessions down on video...'

press release by Peter L. Noble 1984

...

the rest of the piece is about the actual release of 'The Devil and Darkness', i've not included everything in the press release, some bits I held back purely because its waffle, some bits I might need if I ever get around to writing a book... It'll all be in there...and anyway, i might upload a scan of the entire piece in time ...but this is an intersting taster of what was happenening at the time of the second album release.


anyway more bits and pieces to follow...

Mattval1

[undarrenworld]

It seems to be interesting.
Thanks for the info.

[big screen satellite]

Curly Managment (Simon Davies), was Freur's manager, and Karl sent out several bits on 'official' headed notepaper to his friend in 1984/5.

Simon Davies was Director of Curly Management, which was based in London, as detailed on the notepaper.

i've detailed a few bits of interest from a couple of these notes sent out...some of which were handwritten by Karl are detailed below (again anything personal has not been detailed, although most of it is about the band...)

appox. dated Sept/Oct 1984

"...you asked me about any new Freur releases, and it just so happens that on 15th Oct, the first track from our (as yet unreleased) 2nd album poked its head out onto the streets. The single is called...'The Devil and Darkness' and will be available in three (3!!!?) different formats with other 'things' on the B-side."

"...I don't know anything about touring Britain yet, as we have to spend a lot of time in Europe, but we are doing one show at the Marquee club in London on the 31st October."

(signed 'lots of luv and good health Karl')

another handwritten headed letter sent after the Marquee gig:

"...it was very hot in the club, and unfortunately, we had to turn away 200 people as the gig sold out!.

still....we will be appearing at the same club on 11th Dec '84..."

(signed 'luv Freur') - (the squiggle not the name!)

another headed letter this time typed by Simon Davies (Freur's manager)(dated 19 April 1985):

"...I'm sorry Karl hasn't had an opportunity to answer your letter but the band has been really busy over the past month or two in the studio recording the soundtrack for the film "Underworld"."

another headed letter again typed by Simon Davies (Freur's manager)(dated 2 May 1985):

"...the boys have just finished the soundtrack for Underworld and i believe it should be released in London towards the end of the year...."

"...the 12" edited remix of The Devil and Darkness was never released, although it was recorded and cut, so that explains why you had difficulty finding it. The album "Get Us Out Of Here" is due for release soon, so i'll let you know the exact dates when i have them..."

details from a FREUR NEWS newsheet type letter, from Simon Davies again (dated 10/06/85):

"As you know Freur have been working on the soundtrack to a film called "Underworld".

This is now finished and the film is having its first showing at 10:30am on Sunday 16th June at the Empire cinema in Leicester Square."

"...we are playing at the Hippodrome again on the 20th June at midnight and at the Marquee on Monday 15h July..."

details from a FREUR NEWS newsheet type letter, from Simon Davies again (dated 09/07/85):

"Once again the time has come for us to wave farewell to some of the songs and ideas we have been performing for the last twelve months.

So it is that on July 15th 1985, Freur will play their end of term show at the Marquee Club, Wardour Street, London, W1. Uncle Jeoff and the lads want you to know.

Lov. Lov.

Les Boys du Musik"

another Curly Management Letter from Simon Davies, dated 6th August 1985:

"...The film premier went very well as did Freur's subsequent appearance at the Marquee.

Since then they've been very busy whittling down hours music they wrote for the film into a sountrack album. As yet i don't know the exact dates for its release but when we know we'll write.

You asked for the boys birthdays, Karl is 10 May, Ricks 25 May..."



i keep this bit in purely to alert you to the fact that Karl's B'day is very soon (this Wednesday!) and not long afterwards is Ricks...so if you guys wanted to post a salutation here, you could

anyway, thats all i'll post for a while, there is a lot more, but copying it out takes its time...

hope this has been a bit informative at least for the Freur fans amongst us...

Matt

[m.g.]

Thanks a lot Matt... i was already a fan of R&K music in 1984 (and actually never stopped liking their music...*), and of course, i never had this kind of infos at that time... very interesting. Thanks again for sharing.


* mmm... well, except maybe with Underneath the Radar & Change the Weather...

[lloyd]

thnx matt, nice inside view of the early days

[Dirty0900]

Cool, nice one matt, guess we need a bday thread for Karl soon.

[freur]

very interesting
thank you

[big screen satellite]

another bit of info that my correspondent, who is sending me stuff, has divulged, is that Freur used to turn up on stage (sometimes) wearing what best can described as 'Synthesiser Suits', which had electronic pads that allowed them to be played whilst on stage...not sure what these actually looked like or even sounded like, but i'd love to know if anyone still has these...(i might be getting a scan of some old photos of these - will post when i get them... did the photos in the previous Freur thread show these suits...i can't recall??)

Rick also had some kind of electronic stick thing that he banged in mid air...apparently...

more news when i get it and when i can upload it....

Matt

[freur]

Yeah, remember that stick, but I don't think it has been used live on stage.