Punk Globe: Hi Guys thanks for chatting with us can you give us a little band history
The Freeze: Childhood friends Rob Rosenthal and myself started the band in 1978, about a year after we heard The Ramones - Teenage Lobotomy on our Cape Cod Community College Radio station. With the volume cranked to 10, The Ramones had us hooked. We released our first single, in 1980 - "I Hate Tourists/Don't Forget Me Tommy", 100% diy, covers even hand cut from paper I stole from my high schools art dept. We started playing around Boston. We were one of the Bands chosen for the "This is Boston not LA" compilation album including the title song. Thing's blew up for us then. Out first album out in 1984 - "Land of the Lost" followed by our first U.S. tour. "Rabid Reaction" was our well received followup in 1986. Then Modern Method, our label, ceased to exist. We were lost and fucked around with our heads mainly, only self recording four songs. Those four got the interest of the King of Thieves, Curtis Casella at Taang. He added those 4 to 6 newky recorded songs and released the album "Misery Loves Company" in 1991... The "Bloodlights/Talking Bombs" 45 was a decent seller, still is.. We toured Europe, signed w Europe's Taang equivalent "Lost and Found" and put out "Crawling Blind", "Five Way Fury " and "Freakshow"... We signed with Dr Strange in 1996 for a split 10" w The Bollweevils, followed it with "Token Bones" and our last studio album, "One False Move". 20 years later we now have a new release "Calling All Creatures" which we stand behind 100%. Our label, Slope Records did not, unfortunately. The current lineup is Myself on vocals, My longtime writing cohort, Bill Close on lead guitar, 11 year Phoenix vet Zack Carmichael on Rhythm and "the kid" Aaron Hjamarson on Drums. We're looking to get this new one released on a genuine label and then tour the fuck out of it!
Punk Globe: Describe your music making process
The Freeze: For this album we kept it simple. All 12 song's by Bill Close (music) and myself (lyrics). We hadn't released a new studio album in 20 years. We figured if Bill and I wrote it, that there was no way for any of the 12 tracks were going to not be recognizable as The Freeze. When i felt like adding a cute little tag line in a description of it, I'd just say: "If this doesn't like The Freeze to you, then you're listening to the wrong album."
More to the point of your question- Bill would send me a home recording of a new tune. I'd give it a few listens, pick up the general feel of where I thought he was trying to take the tune, and start writing. A bit of self disclosure: Every set of lyrics I've written for The Freeze since "Land of the Lost", were written after at least one night without sleep. Only when the dream state mixes with the waking state can i visualize, twist and manipulate words so they accurately depict the oddities of a world that just might lie beyond what's seen as normal... Yes, I've tried to write dozens of times when well rested. The topics are boring and structure predictable.
Punk Globe: If you guys were to describe yourself in simple word choice.. what would you say?
The Freeze: Not dead but always dying
Punk Globe: What's your most embarrassing band experience?
The Freeze: In recent memory? Simple. Having to cancel our European tour this Summer, giving up a great slot on opening night at Rebellion, letting down the people who rightly expected to see us, not being able to tour for the first time since 1991 when having a new album out we were proud to present. "Why did you cancel?" is the question I'm still answering a dozen times a day and will do so again here...
Punk Globe: Are you guys on any record labels?
The Freeze: Great transition, because this question relates directly to our having to cancel the tour. "Are we on any record labels?" Not that we know of. If we were, we would've had review and promo copies of "Calling All Creatures" sent out to radio, venues, zines, promoters etc, at least a month ago. And then letting the album speak for itself. Creating a little buzz surrounding the unexpected event never hurts. Letting people know what's currently happening, introduce or (after 20 years) Reintroduce ourselves to those still interested, those who'd forgotten, who thought i was dead, in prison, or simply insane. After a 20 year break between releases, people are going to want to know how the new album sounds, reassurance that we haven't lost it , just cashing in, are we still relevant or should we retire. I don't blame anyone for asking any of those things. I ask the same about other bands who fall off the grid and return unexpectedly. Its also a fun time. The band puts itself out there in public again. People will hopefully see and share our excitement. Once the authenticity is reestablished, it really gets exciting. Except in this case, NONE of that happened. The label which released "Calling All Creatures" never bothered to send out copies for promotion, never sent out any at all. Fuck, each band member was only "allowed" one copy each. They wouldn't even send one to Ox magazine in Germany, probably the most important place to be recognized, per Ox's request even, as they wished to give the new it a glowing review, having liked what they'd heard. Their plan was to release the review in the issue just prior to our tour. Poor Benny from Klownhouse Booking, a great guy who we'd worked with successfully multiple times in the past. He'd bring up our name to booking agents at various clubs, pushing the small but positive response the new album had been getting, only to find that most of the people had no idea a new Freeze album existed. Add the fact that, for the first time in 41 years, Slope told us that we would have to PREPAY for any and all copies of the Cd, and vinyl (if any were left, no 2nd pressing had been planned to coordinate w the tour) if we wanted to take them with us to sell, give away - whatever. We live week to week - check to check. There was no way we could come up with $10 for each of the albums and $5 for the cds, and then pay to get get them through customs. That's a Bullshit deal that in itself, almost seemed designed to kill the tour. Add the fact that they refused to "loan" us any money (labels always get back what they invest) to help us buy plane tickets... Well, we took Benny's advice and decided to postpone it until we can put it out (hopefully w a few new tracks) on a genuine label. We WILL get there, I promise!
Punk Globe: What's your outlook on the record industry today?
The Freeze: Today there are generally two types of punk/indie/DIY record labels: There are the one's who, have seen firsthand how most of the major labels are greed based corporate vampiric entities, who exist solely to make money and have done nothing but fuck over the artists they've signed. So these people started their labels, not because of the profit margin, but because they love the music and want to work with the bands they sign so that both become successful. Success in this case means being satisfied that each had done their best to help the other and both sides their best to bring what they'd created to those who wanted to hear it at a fair price for all involved..The other side consists of labels who have modeled themselves, business wise after the Major Labels, adopting a greed based profit margin incentive for existing. These Mini-Majors might hide Licensing deals often worth 10's of thousands of dollars and keep 100% of the money rather than the usual 50/50 split. They might hide, alter, delay or just refuse to open their books so a band can see just wtf's going on. I've even heard of one of these scumbags having TWO different pressing plants: one they present the band.sales statements from - the other is pure label profit...In our case: we've been very fortunate to have worked with a couple of the great ones and have also been fucked over by a couple of the best of the worst
Punk Globe: What's new in the recording of your music?
The Freeze: we have the ability to do a lot of pre-production work which helped us save a bunch of time and money when it came time to hit the real studio. Our main drummer, Aaron, has taken an interest in the whole engineering process. It's given us the freedom to work a lot more with backing vocal harmonies, and just figure what fits where and what should be attempted again. Zack, our rhythm guitarist has a voice that sounds remarkably similar to my own, back in the days when I still had some range, so with he and I working out those parts and Aaron helping to piece the parts together, we actually enter the studio prepared... The only downside for me is that, when things get rolling smoothly, there's not as much room for clown time or the interrupted antics that I've been kinda known for... Bill? Not much to say there.. The guy's ALWAYS prepared, and even if he's not, nobody could tell anyways. I've never heard a guitarist turn, what would normally be a fuck up, into something that sounds better than originally planned, as often as he does...
Punk Globe: You just released a new album after 20 years whats been the biggest challenge of the release?
The Freeze: see one of the rants above that speaks to promotion. Just getting people to be aware the release exists and are able to actually acquire a copy once they do, has been a fucking nightmare.
Punk Globe: What do you do when you hear your band on the radio?
The Freeze: change the station. The dj obviously has bad taste
Punk Globe: How do you promote your band?
The Freeze: in every way the label should be but isn't... Tough to do without any money for ads, copies to send out for review. Having to ask "could you please just this once, accept mp3's as email attachments a long with the lyrics and album art? I promise I'll never ask again."
Punk Globe: What advice would you give to fellow bands?
The Freeze: Follow what you feel when you write and you perform... You can only get away with going through the motions for so long before it becomes obvious. If what makes the band unique isn't there. Either give it up or take maybe a 20 year break until the real feel returns.
Punk Globe: Is the tour still on?
The Freeze: No, but one WILL BE as soon as it can be done right
Punk Globe: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
The Freeze: Because it's not about the money and anybody who thinks that their music cant be downloaded for free somewhere is either delirious or net illiterate... Fuck it... I get our stuff at "mp3int.com". If you're reading this and want the songs, there you go.
Punk Globe: Do you have any upcoming shows?
The Freeze: Nope... Haven't even had a record release show. Hasn't even been brought up by the label which released our latest
Punk Globe: Thanks for the interview,your friendship and continued support and thanks to all the readers.
The Freeze: Lisa, let me just close with this- all along this 41+ year journey we've been fortunate enough to meet people such as yourself... People who view what this is, what they do, where their hearts lie as more than just music. Punk has, to me, always been a support network of somewhat like-minded people, welcoming the outsider, the rejected, the weakened, the beaten down and the broken... There will always be a cause that needs fighting for, someone who just needs a spark reignited, a reason to live... This has been mine.
