Sad news reaches Gable End of the demise (or at least suspended animation) of the awe inspiring, genre rogering and hugely talented progressive-rock band Frost*.
Main-man Jem Godfrey (interviewed by myself for the ace podcast Prog Personality Of The Year, still available at an iTunes store near you) has had to call it a day. Here is his post:-
"Hello all,
There’s not really an easy way to say this, so I’ll just say it. I’ve decided to suspend the Frost project with immediate effect. If this were somebody else’s band, I’d just say I was leaving, it would be so much easier, but it’s not so easy when you’ve created the band in the first place…
The reasons are many - I don’t feel comfortable any longer in the role of singer/front man/keyboard player/principle songwriter/principle cheque writer. Truth be told, I never have. It’s all got a bit out of hand from the gently self-mocking studio project I started for fun in a shed in East Sussex in May 2004 when I was young and happy and it was always sunny.
More than that though, trying to juggle two full time careers as I have over the last 7 years has been a tough ask and has ultimately become a price to high to pay in certain areas of my life. One of which is my health. I’ve been to a very dark place over the last 8 days and ended up in a pretty bad way. Although I’m now emerging out the other side (a stone lighter into the bargain), I have realised that I have some serious issues I must address. I’m no longer young, I’m no longer happy and the sun is no longer shining.
These issues have made me realise that life is sometimes about doing what you must do when the time comes regardless of what other people might want or expect of you. Some things are bigger than music or bands, expectation or disappointment. Figuratively speaking, I’ve now been given a yellow card and my priority now is to get myself back together before I get sent off for good.
So what now?
Nothing. I’m going to go to ground for a bit. Be private. Grow some veg. Get well.
And reflect. It’s been an amazing journey full of brilliant moments. Too many to list, I’m sorry it’s stopped like this, so abruptly, but I’ve been at my wits end lately and I’m no use to anybody in an urn.
I hope you’ll understand. Thank you for being brilliant.
Jem"
I am deeply saddened by this. I suspected something was not quite right, as he had not been posting on twitter, his blog had gone quiet and there had been no sign of him on the Frost* forum.
After I'd interviewed him for PPOTY, he asked me to email him when the show was ready and released, and I did that, but didn't receive any reply - not that I expected to, to be honest, but nonetheless, given how up for it and supportive he was, I did wonder. I had previously had to email him about a rights question I had and had an almost immediate reply so when I didn't hear from him at all, I thought something might be up.
It was a really big deal for me to get to speak to Jem, for reasons that will become apparent in the closing paragraphs of this post. But he immediately put me at ease and we ended up having a right laugh.
Of course, the most important thing is that he needs to fix whatever is broken, and speaking from my own experience, if something happens to you that is life changing to the extent you have to reboot yourself, it's best to own up to that and prioritize the things that are truly important and let go of the rest.
After I'd interviewed him for PPOTY, he asked me to email him when the show was ready and released, and I did that, but didn't receive any reply - not that I expected to, to be honest, but nonetheless, given how up for it and supportive he was, I did wonder. I had previously had to email him about a rights question I had and had an almost immediate reply so when I didn't hear from him at all, I thought something might be up.
It was a really big deal for me to get to speak to Jem, for reasons that will become apparent in the closing paragraphs of this post. But he immediately put me at ease and we ended up having a right laugh.
Of course, the most important thing is that he needs to fix whatever is broken, and speaking from my own experience, if something happens to you that is life changing to the extent you have to reboot yourself, it's best to own up to that and prioritize the things that are truly important and let go of the rest.
Here's the thing...
I would like to thank Jem, because if it weren't for him I would never have got to hear Milliontown. And If I'd have never heard Milliontown, I'd have never looked him up on the internet and from there, never have joined in the forum all those years ago and from there, never have met any of the people who I am now honored to call my friends.
I would like to thank Jem, because if it weren't for him I would never have got to hear Milliontown. And If I'd have never heard Milliontown, I'd have never looked him up on the internet and from there, never have joined in the forum all those years ago and from there, never have met any of the people who I am now honored to call my friends.
Frost*'s music has sustained me through some of my own difficult times over the last few years and through his music, he literally was the catalyst for a large part of my life now (which is why I was a bit nervous about speaking to him).
One day, when he's better, I'll tell him that.
So, I am sad that Frost* has finished (or at least in a state of suspended animation) but grateful for the gifts Jem and it have bestowed upon me, and glad that he is getting better.
One day, when he's better, I'll tell him that.
So, I am sad that Frost* has finished (or at least in a state of suspended animation) but grateful for the gifts Jem and it have bestowed upon me, and glad that he is getting better.
Beyond that, there is nothing left to say but maybe this tune is apt Jem Godfrey - RIMH
1 comments:
Sad news as I'd only really discovered them recently - bloody nice bloke I wish him well
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