Frost*: The Riveting Interview

[gr8gonzo]

Okay, maybe not exactly riveting, but my intentions were good.  My guess is this thread will probably have been hijacked by the time I hit the submit button, but I'll give it a shot anyway.

Given Jem's recent blog post about the questions he's already tired of getting from journalists, I thought Frost*ies might be better prepared to ask questions Jem and the guys would find more interesting than the usual fare - serious questions a journalist might ask, things you'd really like to know.  I realize it's only a matter of time before things get silly, but here goes:

Questions for Jem:

What pop song of yours are you most pleased with as a writer and why?

If the answer to the above is "Whole Again," what's your second choice?

What's your favorite pop song that you didn't write and why?

What prog song of yours are you most pleased with as a writer and why?

What's your favorite prog song that you didn't write and why?

If you were to put together a pop band, what non-Frost* musicians would you choose?

If you were to do an entire album of covers, what songs would most likely be on it?

What's the next project of original, non-day job Godfrey music?  The synth album?  What can listeners expect and when do you anticipate its release?  '09?  '10?  Later?

Is Inside Out doing anything to promote EIMA?

[kyuwert]

Great questions  

Hope Jem answers seriously for once  :lol:

[gareth]

These are good questions!  

[gr8gonzo]

Thanks, guys.  Feel free to jump in with your own questions.  I feel badly I didn't ask the rest of Frost* anything.  A good night's sleep followed by a giant bowl of Crunch Berries will fix that.

[Dodie]

>If you were to do an entire album of covers, what songs would most likely be on it?

Yes, that's a question I'd love a proper answer to!

My wife (who isn't really a prog lover, though she quite likes hobbits) is teaching a Year 6 class today (that's 10-year-olds) about "Cover versions", and one of the things she's chosen to play them is The Urbane's "Time after time". So the wonderful JM's work has now made it into the classroom. And my kids love the Frost* version of "Here is the news", and also Marillion's live version of Britney's "Toxic"...

The other question I'd love to ask Jem is about all the prog albums he acquired when doing his early research before making Milliontown. The only thing I've read somewhere is that Kino stood out. But what were all the other things, and what did Jem like about these others? (without being undiplomatic and saying which ones were loathsome, cliche-ridden, etc!)

However, as a relative newbie here, maybe this has been answered before somewhere, perhaps its ancient history and not of interest anymore, or possibly it won't ever get a serious answer, but a "Never mind that, did you know..."!  :roll:

Cheers

David

[DannySoisSage]

The other question I'd love to ask Jem is about all the prog albums he acquired when doing his early research before making Milliontown. The only thing I've read somewhere is that Kino stood out. But what were all the other things, and what did Jem like about these others? (without being undiplomatic and saying which ones were loathsome, cliche-ridden, etc!)

I always wondered this. Especially as, coming from a metal background, I'm a bit of a noob into what you might describe as 'modern prog' (90's   ) it would be very interesting to see what he came up with.

[Geetar]

Who are your favourite producers/mixers, and why ?

Outside the Cube, which studios/spaces do you feel most inspired by ?

How about "Jem at the Steinway Hall" as a blog video ?

Broccoli or cauliflower ?

[Pedro]

So, Jem, how do you hold that hot metal part in the hole while the other end of it gets flattened out?

[Jem]

With my teeth of course.

[Jem]

What's your favorite pop song that you didn't write and why?

It's still Toxic by Spears. F*cking brilliant construction and execution. Plus it's great driving music.

Beautiful by Aguilera wasn't bad either.

[Pedro]

So, Jem, how do you hold that hot metal part in the hole while the other end of it gets flattened out?

With my teeth of course.

Sounds painful....bet you dislike them. In fact, if you don't like them, that makes it more than "riveting"....that makes it fastener-hating.

[Jem]

What prog song of yours are you most pleased with as a writer and why?

Toys. It's got everything I like in a prog song, but without labouring anything too much - good melody,  just the right amount of 3 part vocal harmony, a bit of odd time, a good arrangement, a cracking guitar solo and a proper chorus.  

What's your favorite prog song that you didn't write and why?

Blimey that's really hard.  

Favourite track...hmmm. I have to say that I genuinely don't know. I'd have to give that some serious thought.

If I could nominate a fav prog album though, currently I think it would be The Lamb. I don't think there's a duff track on it. Plus it's got great chunks of actual improvisation on it AND I love the sound of it, especially the drums. Even the Mellotron bits work.

[James_S]

Even the Mellotron bits work.

You can be sure they only worked after many hours of tweaking and miles of gaffa tape though!  

[TonyB]

What's your favorite pop song that you didn't write and why?

It's still Toxic by Spears. F*cking brilliant construction and execution. Plus it's great driving music.

Beautiful by Aguilera wasn't bad either.

I have to agree with Mr. Godfrey here...
Being a bit of a music geek i noticed this :

The string line that goes "ner ner ne-ne ner" (descending notes) that goes all the way through is the line same as the string line that goes "ner-ner ner-ner (rising notes this time) except it's played backwards...
That happens to be a technique used by composers in the 17th century classical tradition and is known as Retrograde

The second i realised that, my respect for those who write pop songs went through the roof. Typical that no bugger except geeks like me realise this stuff!!

I was impressed either way  

[James_S]

What's your favorite pop song that you didn't write and why?

It's still Toxic by Spears. F*cking brilliant construction and execution. Plus it's great driving music.

Beautiful by Aguilera wasn't bad either.

I have to agree with Mr. Godfrey here...
Being a bit of a music geek i noticed this :

The string line that goes "ner ner ne-ne ner" (descending notes) that goes all the way through is the line same as the string line that goes "ner-ner ner-ner (rising notes this time) except it's played backwards...
That happens to be a technique used by composers in the 17th century classical tradition and is known as Retrograde

The second i realised that, my respect for those who write pop songs went through the roof. Typical that no bugger except geeks like me realise this stuff!!

I was impressed either way  

I had spotted that too, which makes me retrograded?