Freur: Difference between revisions

Freur
Freur
Years active	1983–1986
Members	Karl Hyde; Rick Smith; Alfie Thomas; John Warwicker; Bryn Burrows

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Freur is the name of the first band of Karl Hyde and Rick Smith, of present band Underworld.

History

File:Freurlogo.gif

Symbol which came to be called "Freur".

Formed in the early 1980s in Cardiff, Wales by Carl Hyde, Rick Smith and Alfie Thomas, this band originally had only a graphic 'squiggle' for a name. In 1983, after recruiting John Warwicker and drummer Bryn Burrows, they struck a recording deal with a major label, CBS Records, and met the label's insistence on a pronouncable name with the compromise that the squiggle was pronounced "Freur".

Their first and only hit (number 59 in the UK charts), "Doot Doot" (1983), was typically eighties pop, with drum machine, reverse live drums and phased vocal. It was recorded by Alex Burak at The Point studio in Victoria, London, which was controlled by Rupert Merton of Point Music publishing. Merton (who also had an early version of the Thompson Twins on his roster of artists) signed Freur.

The band's look was a cross between goth, rock, glam and new romantic - something that eighties chart terrorists Sigue Sigue Sputnik pulled off to better effect, not long after Freur had failed with it.

The band released five further tracks after "Doot Doot", between 1983 and 1985: "Matters of the Heart", "Runaway", "Riders in the Night", "Devil and the Darkness" and "Look in the Back for Answers". All failed to dent the UK charts.

There were also two albums: Doot Doot (1983) and Get Us Out of Here! (1985). The second LP was only released in Germany and Holland and is now a rarity.

Warwicker left the band in 1986 and Freur went into recess. In 1987, Hyde, Smith, Thomas and keyboardist Baz Allen signed to Sire Records under a new name, Underworld, and found minor success with the single "Underneath the Radar" (1988) before folding in 1990. This incarnation is now remembered as "Underworld Mk.1", in the shadow of Hyde and Smith's later worldwide fame under the Underworld moniker.

Band members

Karl Hyde (b. 10 May, 1957, Worcester, Worcestershire) - vocals, guitars
Rick Smith (b. Richard Smith, 25 May, 1959, Ammanford, Wales) - keyboards
Alfie Thomas - bass, keyboards
Bryn Burrows - drums
John Warwicker - keyboards

Trivia

The Guinness Book Of British Hit Singles would list "Freur" under the symbol, with the translation by the side, until the late 1990s.
John Warwicker is a video artist in Karl Hyde's graphic design collective, Tomato.

Discography

Albums

Doot Doot (1983) (Reissued 1994)
Get Us Out of Here! (1985) (Not released in the UK)
Transmutations (Underworld) (1985) (A film soundtrack; unreleased)

Singles

Doot Doot (1983)
Matters of the Heart (1983)
Runaway (1983)
Riders in the Night (1984)
The Devil and Darkness (1984)
Look in Back for Answers (1984)
The Piano Song (1986)

External links

Discography: Freur/Underworld/Lemon Interupt - Detailed discography to 1999
Freur fan page
Band History page
Doot Doot video at YouTube

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 |country           = [[United Kingdom]]
 |status            = Defunct
-|music_genre       = [[Alternative dance]]<br/>[[Electronica]]
+|music_genre       =
-|record_label      = [[Sire]]
+|record_label      = [[CBS Records]]
-|current_members   = [[Karl Hyde]]<br />[[Rick Smith]]<br />[[Alfie Thomas]]<br />[[John Warwicker]]<br />[[Byrn Burrows]]
+|current_members   = [[Karl Hyde]]<br />[[Rick Smith]]<br />[[Alfie Thomas]]<br />[[John Warwicker]]<br />[[Bryn Burrows]]
 | website          =
 }}
-'''Freur''' is the principal name under which the band [[Underworld (band)|Underworld]] have recorded from 1983 to 1986.
+'''Freur''' is the name of the first band of [[Karl Hyde]] and [[Rick_Smith_(Underworld)|Rick Smith]], of present band [[Underworld_(band)|Underworld]].
 == History ==
+[[Image:Freurlogo.gif|thumb|120px|right|Symbol which came to be called "Freur".]]
-The band were famously known only for being a squiggle and emerged in 1983, from [[Cardiff]], in [[Wales]].
+Formed in the early 1980s in [[Cardiff]], [[Wales]] by [[Karl Hyde|Carl Hyde]], [[Rick_Smith_(Underworld)|Rick Smith]] and [[Alfie Thomas]], this band originally had only a graphic 'squiggle' for a name. In 1983, after recruiting [[John Warwicker]] and drummer [[Bryn Burrows]], they struck a recording deal with a major label, [[CBS Records]], and met the label's insistence on a pronouncable name with the compromise that the squiggle was pronounced "Freur".
+Their first and only hit (number 59 in the UK charts), "Doot Doot" (1983), was typically eighties pop, with drum machine, reverse live drums and phased vocal. It was recorded by Alex Burak at The Point studio in Victoria, London, which was controlled by Rupert Merton of Point Music publishing. Merton (who also had an early version of the [[Thompson Twins]] on his roster of artists) signed Freur.
-The name 'Freur' emerged because of pressure from record shops and
-the band's own record label, CBS, who complained that nobody knew how to pronounce it. The band suggested it was actually pronounced 'Freur' and the name stuck.
+The band's look was a cross between [[goth]], [[rock]], [[glam]] and [[new romantic]] - something that eighties chart terrorists [[Sigue Sigue Sputnik]] pulled off to better effect, not long after Freur had failed with it.
-The band struck a recording deal with a major label, CBS Records, a coup for a relatively unknown band in 1983.
+The band released five further tracks after "Doot Doot", between 1983 and 1985:
-Their first and only hit (Number 59 in the UK Charts) 'Doot Doot' (1983) was typically Eighties pop, with drum machine, reverse live drums and phased vocal. It was recorded by Alex Burak at The Point studio in Victoria, London, which was controlled by Rupert Merton of Point Music publishing. Merton signed Freur, and also had an early version of the [[Thompson Twins]] on his roster of artists. Despite the dizzy heights of the Top 75, the band survived and went on to produce two albums.
+"Matters of the Heart", "Runaway", "Riders in the Night", "Devil and the Darkness" and "Look in the Back for Answers". All failed to dent the UK charts.
+There were also two albums: ''Doot Doot'' (1983) and ''Get Us Out of Here!'' (1985). The second LP was only released in Germany and Holland and is now a rarity.
-The band, initially were: Carl Hyde (Vocals, Guitar), spelled with a 'C' in those days. Rick Smith, Alfie Thomas (Guitar), Byrn Burrows (Guitar), and John Warwicker (Synthesizer). John later became Totato Video Maker, and Karl Hyde collaborator.
+Warwicker left the band in 1986 and Freur went into recess. In 1987, Hyde, Smith, Thomas and keyboardist [[Baz Allen]] signed to [[Sire Records]] under a new name, [[Underworld_(band)|Underworld]], and found minor success with the single "Underneath the Radar" (1988) before folding in 1990. This incarnation is now remembered as "Underworld Mk.1", in the shadow of Hyde and Smith's later worldwide fame under the Underworld moniker.
-The look the band portrayed was a cross between goth, rock, glam and new romantic.
-Something that the eighties chart terrorists [[Sigue Sigue Sputnik]] pulled off with better effect, not soon after Freur had failed with it.
-The band released 5 further tracks after 'Doot Doot', between 1983 and 1985:
-'Matters of the Heart', 'Runaway', 'Riders in the Night', 'Devil and the Darkness' and 'Look in the Back for Answers'. All failed to dent the UK Charts.
-There were also two albums - 'Doot Doot' (1983) and 'Get Us Out of Here!' (1985).
-The second LP was only released in Germany and Holland and is near impossible to get a hold of these days. It became almost a prophetic title for their last LP.
-John Warwicker left the band in 1986. Baz Allen subsequently joined the band, and Freur spent almost 2 years contemplating their future; they re-emeged in 1988.
-Then they left CBS, and joined Sire Records under a new name, Underworld (Mk1).
-They later went onto become '''[[Underworld (band)|Underworld]]''' an [[electronic music]] duo consisting of '''Karl Hyde''' and '''Rick Smith'''.
-(NOTE : all information by Mattv from Big Screen Satellite)
 ==Band members==
-* Karl Hyde (b. [[10 May]], [[1957]], [[Worcester]], [[Worcestershire]]) - vocals, guitars (1983-present)
+* [[Karl Hyde]] (b. [[10 May]], [[1957]], [[Worcester]], [[Worcestershire]]) - vocals, guitars
-* Rick Smith (b. Richard Smith, [[25 May]], [[1959]], [[Ammanford]], [[Wales]]) - keyboards (1983-present)
+* [[Rick_Smith_(Underworld)|Rick Smith]] (b. Richard Smith, [[25 May]], [[1959]], [[Ammanford]], [[Wales]]) - keyboards
-* Alfie Thomas - bass, keyboards (1986-1990)
+* [[Alfie Thomas]] - bass, keyboards
-* Bryn Burrows - guitars
+* [[Bryn Burrows]] - drums
-* John Warwicker - keyboards
+* [[John Warwicker]] - keyboards
 == Trivia ==
+* The [[Guinness Book Of British Hit Singles]] would list "Freur" under the symbol, with the translation by the side, until the late 1990s.
-[[Image:Freurlogo.gif|thumb|120px|right|Symbol which came to be called "Freur".]]
+* John Warwicker is a video artist in Karl Hyde's graphic design collective, Tomato.
-* The post-Screen Gemz manifestation was originally designated only by an esoteric symbol (see: right), until forced to provide the "Freur" pronunciation.
-* The [[Guinness Book of British Hit Singles|Guinness Book Of British Hit Singles]] would list "Freur" under the symbol with the translation by the side, until the late 1990s. This was due to space-saving.
-===As "Freur"===
+== Discography ==
 ====Albums====
 * ''Doot Doot'' ([[1983]]) (Reissued 1994)
-* ''Get Us Out of Here'' ([[1985]]) (Not released in the UK, but Released in Holland)
+* ''Get Us Out of Here!'' ([[1985]]) (Not released in the UK)
-* ''Transmutations (Underworld)'' ([[1985]]) (A film soundtrack)- Unreleased
+* ''Transmutations (Underworld)'' ([[1985]]) (A film soundtrack; unreleased)
 ====Singles====