Topics

Hello Frosties

I have new album out on bandcamp entitled 'So Far'

https://andyedwards.bandcamp.com/album/so-far



The album is basically one track that is half an hour long with some outtakes and other stuff added. I would describe it as progressive free jazzfusion with ambient elecronica dub tendencies. A lot of it is in 15/16 so any fans of this time signature will be really happy.

My bandcamp stuff is basically stuff from my vaults and music that has very little commercial potential. This album is in the latter category.

Currently, in the real world, I'm playing for the folk rock band Quill. Quill have been going for 40 years and have a fantastic following. I replaced Bev Bevan in the band so yet more Frost/ELO connections! We will be playing Cropready festival this year. We have a bunch of gigs elsewhere too.

I have been working on the music for a play (This album came out of the sessions for that). It's called 'The Dancing Club' and we hope to be getting funding to tour it.

I have also been doing some informal gigs with Robert Plant which has been awesome. Great to jam with him again!

On another note, I met up with Dec Burke last week, his new album 'Book of Secrets' is really fantastic with some great playing and monster choruses...what a singer! Anyone going to see him tonight?

All the best

Andy E

Hi everyone.

Here is a 55 minute interview I did for The Progmeister on a show called 'The Lost Art'
Lots of stuff about KIAMA but also lots of talk about Frost.
Great to hear John Mitchell, ELO, KIAMA and Frost all on the same show too...can you spot all the links?

http://www.midlandsmetalheads.com/the-lost-art-with-the-progmeister-29th-nov-2015-kiama-special/

All the best

TBE

Hi Frosties

We have recently released a new promo by my band KIAMA. It features a song called 'Tears' which features a pretty insane guitar solo by Luke

http://youtu.be/dKiZ474Z7gI

We will be releasing a promo of a new song next week too.

All the best

TBE

[KIAMA.]

Hi Frosties

I would like to announce my latest project which is a new prog band called KIAMA.

The band also features Rob Reed (Magenta) Dylan Thompson (The Reasoning) and Luke Machin (Maschine)

www.kiamaband.com

If you head over to our website you can have a listen to 'Cold Black Heart' which is featured on our promo video which was mixed by Jem.
There will be more Kiama/Frost* related news too so keep watching.

Any questions?

Hi Frosties...

Just letting you know about a new album I have just released.

It's a collection of jazz standards recorded as a tribute to my Dad who died earlier this year.
It has been recorded in my new studio I have built in my garden and if all goes to plan I will recording stuff for the new Frost album there very soon!

You can listen to it here...

http://andyedwards.bandcamp.com/album/mike

There is a LOT of stuff happening this year, I will try and keep you all informed as it happens.
If you haven't already please like my FB like page so we can keep in touch...

All the best

Andy

I'm having a clear out, as I'm building a new studio in my garden and it's time I said goodbye to this fella...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261883108248

Hi all

With all so quiet on the Frost* front I thought I'd tell you about the new website we have set up for the course I now run at Kidderminster College.

If you would like to have a look...

http://www.yourkctv.co.uk/

and there is a youtube with lots of videos, (I'm playing on 'Sidewinder' and 'Golden')

http://www.youtube.com/user/kidderminstercollege

There are quite a few Frost* fans among the students and they would welcome any constructive criticism so if you have time have a look and tell me what you think.

all the best to you

Andy Edwards

....what are you doing here?

Hello chaps

If you are a budding musician or know a budding musician aged  between 16 and 17 then my college is offering a free day in our recording studio where you can make a track for free!

It's the same studio where we recorded the drums to 'the dividing line'

more here:

www.musicatkc.com


Hope you are all ok in Frost* land

all the best

TBE

Martin  Atkins, drummer with PiL and Killing Joke is giving a free talk at the college if amyone is interested.

Martin is now a noted music industry guru and he will be giving a talk on the music business.

There is more here:

http://andyedwardsmusic.blogspot.com/

and the MAS records website MAS is the industry offshoot of Kidderminster College.

http://www.mightyatomsmasher.com/news.htm

Cheers

Andy E

Hello chaps.

I've been asked to do something for the Kidderminster College open evening so I've decided to do a clinic. I haven't decided what quite to do yet but I may play a few Frost songs.

The event is on next Thursday and it's free!

My mate Gary Edwards will also do a talk on the future of music. Gary worked on my DVD and has worked with The Prodigy, Bjork, My Bloody Valentine and a load of other artists but he now writes and lectures on philosophy and has a lot of intersting things to say on music.

I have also done the music for a series of films he has produced of which the first is up on YouTube.

It's all here...

http://andyedwardsmusic.blogspot.com/

If you can pop down please do.

I was interviewed on Radio WM on Wednesday.

You can read and listen to it here...

http://andyedwardsmusic.blogspot.com/

Thanks to everyone for all the good wishes sent regarding my little arrival. We doing fine and she is lovely.

all the best

Andy

Just posted this on another forum. I know there are some teachers here so I thought I'd post it up here too:


I'm writing a scheme of works for the music course I teach on

(Kidderminster college National Diploma in Music. Read all about it here> http://andyedwardsmusic.blogspot.com/
plug plug)

and some thoughts have occoured to me.

A few years ago the goverment commissioned a report which suggested the country needs skilled people and looked to education to supply this.
I agree that this is true.

BUT...

What would we define musical skill as?

I've just written a definition but I'll post it up later if this discussion gets spicy.

The question I have is this:

What is musical skill? How valuable is it to society and should a we, the tax payers fund establishments to develop these skills?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

It seems everything is changing.

I have redesigned my blog and I will be updating it regularly. It has been redesigned to cover my music teaching at kidderminster college and the many projects and events surrounding the course there.

There is a short video up there too (which features yours truly playing a blast beat)

I hope to discuss certain musical, aesthetic and educational points there. It's interesting how the current recession is affecting these things. This summer we ran a series of workshops and our own Robin B delivered an excellent masterclass on computer game music.

I really am enjoying it here and I am looking forward to sharing the madness with you here.

all the best

Andy

http://andyedwardsmusic.blogspot.com/

Hello chaps.

In my new role as music lecturer I seem to be hitting the same problem with my students.
They are rock musicians so they have learnt by learning licks and songs.
Many of them seem to have real problems in equating what they play with basic harmonic theory.
A lot of the video tutors seem to miss out the real basic concepts that form the fundamentals of music theory.

I have started on quite a big project to produce a number of simple vdeos that try and explain the basics of music harmony.

I have just posted three up on my blog if you fancy a look.

http://andyedwardsmusic.blogspot.com/

These are primarily for my students but I hope they will be of use to other musicians too.
If these work I will be doing some more in the future so your views are welcome.

all the best

TBE

Hello chaps.

I have put up some tracks I have been involved with over the last 18yrs on my myspace.

This is from my blog...


As I delve deeper and deeper into my old minidisc collection I have uncovered a lot of music that I have recorded over the past 20 years.
It's interesting to listen to this stuff and survey my 'career' in music, especially as I feel I am at a crossroads artistically

I have uploaded six tracks on my myspace that cover the last 18 years! Some of these tracks were recorded on four track, some in studios; the way we we make music really has changed in that time.

So here is a run down of what is up there...

'BLACK'
'CLOSED'

When I stopped playing with Robert Plant in 2001 I was still involved in production and remixing. I decided to to put a project together with Dan Jenkins, with us sharing production duties and with Dan also singing.
At the time we were listening to a lot of electronica like Aphex Twin and Autechre but we were also into Scott Walker's 'Tilt' album. I think this influenced the strange vocal approach on these tracks.
Usually I like to work quickly but we spent a long time on the production on these. I think they are quite proggy in a way. I know I found it difficult being so anal over these tracks which in the end scuppered the project.

'TWITCH OUTAKE MEDLEY'

In 2002 I made an album called 'the Twitch' It was full of lots of drumming and wierd time signatures and polyrhythms. (You can listen to it at Lastfm) Here are a few things that didn't make it on. One features me singing and one features Paul Wetton on guitar. (more of him later)
All the twitch recordings have a certain sound that I have always liked.

'SOMETIMES IT SNOWS IN APRIL'

Between 1999 and 2001 I played drums for Robert Plant in a band called The Priory of Brion.
It was a great band that got knocked a bit at the time for it's musicianship which I think was unfair.
We were in the studio one day when Paul Timothy (keyboards) and myself got a call to do a remix for a singer called Amar. So we jammed some stuff along with the bassist (Paul Wetton again!) and then we dropped the vocal on after. The record company wanted us to do a version of 'Sometimes it Snows in April' by Prince. This has always been a track I really like but the record company rejected it because it was a bit too heavy for them.
Paul Timothy later found chart success with his dance project 'Soul Central'

'KILLER AUNTY IN DUB CONFUSION'

This comes from the four track days so prepare yourself for hiss!
It features Paul Wetton on guitar, aka Aunty. When I'm asked about musicians I have worked with I often mention Paul as being on of the unsung greats. A monster musician with a unique approach.
I have put this up as a tribute to Paul.
He is currently playing bass in the band Cantaloop. Check him out next time he is gigging near you.

'DERVISH'

The earlist track in this list, it comes from 1991 and was recorded in my bedroom on a four track.
It features some funky arabic stuff, some complex runs and rhythms and a keyboard solo I recorded whilst under the influence in 19/16. Basically it contains everything that I have been doing ever since!


There is a lot of this stuff and I'm looking forward to putting more weirder stuff up as and when I find it.


If you have time to listen please do....

Ta x

It's getting close to the release of the new IQ album. I think it's being mixed as we speak.
There is also some proper footage up on the IQ site and on mine...

http://www.gep.co.uk/iq/

I thought I'd let you lot know how things are going in education land.

Settling in at Kidderminster College and we have lots in the pipeline. I'm doing a show on the blues on 11th Feb and we have some drum clinics happening soon too. I hope to do one with Martin Randscombe (the drum tuning guru) and we have a very famous drummer coming in I hope. Also we are putting a big seminar together on the future of music in April.
All this stuff is open to the public so if any of you guys are in or near the Midlands (UK) and want to pop down and see any of this stuff just let me know. I will be putting details on my blog as and when.

I have also revamped my drum school. We have a new website...

http://www.midlandacademyofdrumming.co.uk/index.php

if you guys want to have a look any advice would be welcome.

Fanks Frosties...

Hello Frosties...

Thanks for all the good will and messages of good luck you lot have sent me. I'm sat here in the end of year no man's land feeling all warm and cozy in part to all the calories I have ingested and because of all the Frostie love.

ANYWAY...

having a little browse round here and I felt inspired to put down my opinions of prog, and it's up on my blog.

Here is a big chunk so you don't have to leave the safe confines of this forum...

'Progressive rock is of course much maligned. This Friday on BBC4 there is a programme called 'Prog Britannia'.
I don't know what it will be like. The programme is presented by Nigel Planer from 'The Young Ones'. The last major documentary on prog was presented by Bill Bailey. It seems that the media think comedians are the best to discuss this genre.

If only Andrew Marr could have presented, then we may get more than the usual 'ELP lorries or YES farms in studios' stuff.

Prog rock was important.

In the 60's acts like Dylan, The Beatles and Frank Zappa showed you could do more with Rock than write three minute songs about driving around in yer car with yer girl.
Musicians who had learnt their craft in the 50's (learning I assume either blues, jazz or classical) suddenly found themselves drawn to rock and roll. In England in the 60's the incredible climate of inclusiveness and individualism meant these musicians could form bands together and create new music forms.
Taking their lead from Dylan and the Beatles they felt they could do what they liked. You get bands like Cream (two jazzers and and blueser) and King Crimson (classical and jazz musicians)

As it was basically an British phenomenon we also see the influence of folk music in bands like Pentangle and Fairport Convention and also in prog bands like Jethro Tull and Yes.

What an incredible mix and what music! The spirit of innovation and improvisation!

This mixing made rock grow up and become one of the dominant artforms in the 20th century and ensured that for a number of years all the great rock bands came from Britain.
The British also showed the world how to do Punk properly and not look like a bunch of art students. Punk to me is not just the antithesis of prog but the natural extension of it.

Punk carries on the British tradition of individualism. It is not so surprising that in the wake of punk we saw the rise of Neo prog, an accelerated new wave version designed to be seen in the same sweaty clubs that had seen the rise of the punk bands a few years earlier.

The question in my mind is how much today's prog bands still champion these virtues. With the collapse of the music business (and the collapse of the distributors Pinnacle will be a big nail in this coffin) we need the spirit of progression and individualism and inclusiveness in music making.

How much do the bands that still work under this banner still hold true to these virtues?
And how many will be wiped out in the next few years as we go through this cultural shift into an age of post post modernism?

Only time will tell....'

Be interesting to hear your thoughts.

TBE

I grew up listening to Yes and Crimson and all things prog but missed out about on GG.
Recently I got all their stuff and I have been listening to them a lot.

Aren't they just the best progressive band of all the time?

Hello O people of the Frostiverse.
 
 It is with mixed emotions that I must tell you that I'm to take an
 indefinite break from playing the drums with the band that is known to you
 as Frost*
 I have recently become a full-time teacher of music at the College of
 Kidderminster and  my duties with the talented youth of it's environs will
 place a great strain on my ability to travel in various planes, boats and
 white vans about the place doing gigs.
 After a big big big chat with Jem we decided it would be best for me to
 stop gigging with the band known as Frost*  although I hope my total
 involvement with the said band won't stop (as there are so many things a
 band can do as well as gig!)
 
 'What' I hear you ask!
 
 and also you may ask
 
 'why stop gigging?'
 
 My reason for doing music is coz I like to do music. Write it, record it
 and think of different ways of doing it. Of all the bits involved in
 making it the bit I like the least is gigging.
 If my time is going to be restricted then it is that bit which I would
 like to curtail.
 
 I also feel that the music business is about to change dramatically. I
 think Frost could play a vital part in that change and I want to be free
 to be involved in that if I can, not spend the little spare time I have
 rehearsing and travelling to gigs.
 
 I love Frost*. I love the guys so much too. I have laughed so much and had
 a great time. I thank everyone who has supported the band and allowed us
 to make and break the rules.

 I hope this change of affairs will allow us to make and break the rules
 even more.
 
 Here's to the future and all who sail in her.
 
 Andy xxx