It feels as though it's all over............

[Neilgwhite]

I am the first to admit that my visits to Frostieworld* have become few and far between. But with the twitter and blog activity of the day, I have mixed feeling. Feelings of joy that Sir Jem is back on the road, but on the other hand, ........... (pause while I gather my thoughts), I feel a bit let down, there I said it, let down. I don't care if this offends people, no doubt Pedro and others will jump to defend Jem. But after the overwhelming support that this forum has given Jem over the last 3 months, I think we, the product he created deserved better......... A blog entry blaming Frost* !!!!  It should have been on here, this is not a music forum, it's Jem's forum, it should be on here............

I see this being my last post Frost* post, so your thoughts please....

[Pedro]

Well you don't leave much room for manouever.
You don't care if you offend, you imply that I am a mindless fanboy and you say you're not coming back....
So I shall simply continue to give overwhelming support to Jem in your absence.

[JakeWorrell]

So I shall simply continue to give overwhelming support to Jem in your absence.

I'm with you!

I think we're all a little sad about the end of Frost* but I don't feel let down, Jem has already given us a lot of Frost* flavored goodies and I for one am very grateful. He owes us nothing.

[gr8gonzo]

I doubt anyone would blame you for being disappointed; I'm sure we're all sad to see Jem file Frost* away, but I can't say he owes us a thing. The man gave and gave to us to the point of spoilage. I can't recollect any other musician doing half as much for his fans. I'm grateful for the experiences I've had as a result of his "hobby" and don't begrudge him one bit.

Accepting there will be no more Frost* music is a tough biscuit to swallow. In fact, it sucks. But, I think 'tis better to have Frost* and loved than never to have Frost* at all.  :?

Please don't bail on the forum. Frost*ies are still among the finest people in all the land.

[Neilgwhite]

Well you don't leave much room for manouever.
You don't care if you offend, you imply that I am a mindless fanboy and you say you're not coming back....
So I shall simply continue to give overwhelming support to Jem in your absence.

Sorry Peds, you know I do care, and I apologise  

[RacingHippo]

I'll just quote Walter Breuning who was, until last Thursday when he died, the world's oldest man:

Embrace change, even when the change slaps you in the face. ("Every change is good.")

After all, isn't "change" just another word for being "progressive"?

[Purple Tentacle]

I don't feel let down... I think that to feel let down, you have to have people who actually owe you, or at least, people who promised you things that won't happen. Jem doesn't owe us anything. Frost* was his project, so he can do what he sees fit. No matter what. Even if Frost* was your favorite band. Which did the best you've ever heard/will ever hear. It REALLY DEEPLY sucks to have to deal with that news, but we can't complain, really...

Now, if only Jem could release 1976, as a farewell present, it would make things easier... I've been EAGERLY waiting for this song since I bought Experiments In Mass Appeal with the bonus DVD. I don't care if it's not finished, I need to hear it before I die. That was my little rant.

[catherine]

ooh yes, the 1976 loose end BADLY needs tying up!

[JakeWorrell]

To me 1976 was like one of the nails in the coffin. Maybe it's not 'supposed' to get finished and released. If it is then I think that is more likely to come in a few months or years when Jem is feeling the prog itch again. And that is how it should be, it's the way it has always been and that's what has brought us some wonderful music so far.

I'm not too worried at the moment personally. I think the winning formula for frost* was Jem doing something he loved and he is doing the very same thing now but without the frost* weight on his shoulders. Just like back in the milliontown days.

What IS frost* really? To me it's a bunch of great songs. Jem will keep writing songs so will frost* ever really die? We will probably see when he releases his next song. To me that's something to get excited about, god knows what it will be like. It wont be like milliontown that's for sure but neither was eima and tdl wasn't like either of those, the pattern continues sans the frost* name.

Something like that anyway. Maybe.

We probably will lose some posters on the forum, but that's their loss if you ask me.

[DueyC]

Word.

[D S]

Well, if Jem says Frost* is no more, then basically it is all over - it was his band to do with as he wished and I'm just grateful for what we have as a permanent record of a truly great and original band.  I'm not going to go over old ground in that regard.  However, on reflection, it is exactly this issue which makes me a little puzzled by some of the comments in his new blog.

"I was watching an interview with Peter Gabriel last night from 1980 and in it he explained that one of the reasons he left Genesis was because as it got more successful, he felt it became too safe and less willing to take risks. He didn't want to end up not being able to do what he truly wanted to do creatively for the sake of keeping "the machine" going. I was doing Frost* on and off for 7 years and the longer it went on, the more I felt exactly the same way."

Frost* was Jem's band from day one and he was free to experiment and do whatever he wished - and he frequently did!  Line-ups and directions changed.  No-one can claim that the last Frost* tracks (The Dividing Line or the track that no-one has heard - FFTCM   ) were safe or unrisky efforts, either done just to satisfy fans unwilling to accept any change from previous works or to keep the A&R men from some big record label happy.  I would hope Jem did not feel any pressure from us Frostie*s to remain 'safe' as I don't think that was the case - sure, some did only want Milliontown 2 instead of what we got in the form of EIMA but the vast majority who remained on this forum were happy to follow whatever twists and turns Jem's project took (and will no doubt continue to do so with his new projects).  As he really did have the freedom to do whatever he wanted within Frost*, I have to say I am a little puzzled and even saddened that his own band appears to be getting the blame for his recent issues and "holiday".  :?

That said, I will, of course, continue to frequent this forum and look forward to hearing whatever new aural treats are in store for us from Mr Godfrey...

[Pedro]

"Blame" is probably a bit heavy....I think that Frost* just happened to the straw that was breaking the camel's back(?).
If you have to stop doing some of the things you're doing you have to appraise each thing in pretty cold terms...so Frost* had to be shelved. It makes perfect sense, once you understand that it was only ever a *hobby*.

[D S]

Fair point.   8-) However, I was only going on Jem's own words:-
"Anyway, I found out why I was so unhappy through a process of elimination. Turns out it was Frost*."

[Pedro]

No, you're right. It can't be all about workload - cos he is doing extra-curricular stuff- so he has a new hobby, as it were. I just don't like to think that Jem killed Frost* with any bad feelings - that would be even more sad.

[DueyC]

No, you're right. It can't be all about workload - cos he is doing extra-curricular stuff- so he has a new hobby, as it were. I just don't like to think that Jem killed Frost* with any bad feelings - that would be even more sad.

I read his comments as saying he felt he was under pressure to do more Frost* stuff, even though most of us didn't see it that way. He's just too nice and obliging, and maybe he's one of those people who struggles to say no.

I know what it's like to have a hobby take over your life to the point of putting you under stress. I used to breed horses as a pastime, but when I got to four (with another foal due), as well as holding down a full time job, I suddenly realised I was spending all my time looking after them, and none enjoying them, and I needed my life back, so I sold the lot. I didn't make myself physically ill like Jem, but for the next couple of years, even seeing a horsebox on the road brought back memories of the pressure, and much as I miss my horses, it's unlikely I'll own another until after I retire.

Based on that, I think we're lucky that Jem's decided his extra-curricular activities can still include music, albeit not in 7/8