FRENZY

FRENZY from the UK, a cult band of Psychobilly and Neo-Rockabilly. A band from the first wave of founding Psychobilly bands in the '80s, at a time when no one really knew what Psychobilly was or wanted to become.

Three years ago, the last album was released. A long time, but now the band is back with “In the Blood.”

The new album is convincing across the board.

I sent a few questions via email to the UK about the new album, the scene, and the significance of music in their lives, and received a prompt response.

A: The song “In the Blood” was the first song we recorded for the new album. We particularly like this song. The recording and style of the song show exactly how we wanted the new album to be. So it’s only fair to give the album the title of this song.

The song also has a strong message. It’s about people like us, for whom music is life, and who will always make music. We know that many music fans understand us and feel the same way we do. Thus, the song is not only for us but also for everyone who cannot live without music.

The song is also about respecting your family and their origins, as well as the generations before. This is how your family has become what it is, and you will now pass on the genes and shape your family for the future.

Q: Is there a special story or experience that occurred during the recordings?

A: The production went smoothly overall.

The songs were written and then recorded as demos using a multitrack recorder. This gave us the opportunity to experiment with the melodies and instrumentation to see how the song comes across best. This also allowed our drummer Adam to develop a better feel for the individual songs. We could calmly discuss within the band what works and what doesn’t before the actual studio recordings.

In my estimation, the recordings were more relaxed than ever with FRENZY.

The relationship within the band and with our producer Alan Wilson was also very relaxed and productive. We had a lot of fun during the recordings.

However, there are actually no special or crazy stories to report from the recordings. We all knew we wanted to make a solid album, and everyone contributed their part.

I still vividly remember our laughing faces during the long hours at the mixing desk while mixing the songs.

The atmosphere during the recordings was very creative and full of ideas. We all wanted to get the best out of the songs and did everything to ensure they sound 100% like FRENZY. This worked very well for almost all songs. Only with the song “Johnny Rocket” did we get a bit lost. We let the song rest for a few days and then re-recorded it with a changed arrangement. The song then went into the studio and immediately onto the CD. It sounds really good now.

Q: The first song of the new album is called “Time Machine.” Why would you like to have a time machine? Do you have problems with this world and its development?

A: (As an example for the band’s responses, the answer from Steve Whitehouse, bassist of FRENZY, should stand in for all, note by the author.)

I would love to have a time machine. I am a very nostalgic person. I really like the last century. I especially like the '50s, but overall the period from the '30s to the '80s.

I collect many things from that time, like the whole band. I believe that people from the late '40s to the late '60s took better care of each other and treated each other with more respect than is the case today.

I enjoy looking at photos from that time and really immerse myself in the people in the photos when writing songs, trying to bring their feelings and thoughts into the songs of FRENZY. I really wish I could turn back time to experience that era.

I believe there are truly better times to live in than the current one. I often feel like I was born in the wrong time.

If I could choose just one time to which a time machine could take me, I would choose the '60s. I can’t tell you exactly why. Maybe it’s because I have collected many things from that time and I am fascinated by that decade. I can’t exactly imagine what it was like to live in the '60s, but I hate all the regulations that modern technology imposes on us today. I also find it really bad how people treat each other nowadays.

The song “Time Machine” is thus a song full of dreamy nostalgia.

Q: What do you think of the younger Psychobilly bands? Are there any bands you like and can recommend?

A: With the increasing popularity of Psychobilly, some very good young bands have also formed and established themselves. In my opinion, GRAVEYARD JONNYS and THE GRIT are two great bands. It’s good that there are many new bands. This is important so that the scene and the music do not stagnate, as they did in the mid-'90s. However, it is difficult for new bands to establish themselves in the scene, as there are many purists who only want to hear a certain style and disdain everything else. This can kill the scene in the long run, which cannot be in the interest of fans and musicians.

Q: Many outsiders see the Psychobilly scene as just a bunch of crazy thugs. How do you assess this view?

A: We are happy when people are wrecking and going wild. Of course, aggression can be seen, but it’s not harder than at a hardcore or a good punk concert. We certainly don’t wish any concert-goer injuries, but anyone who goes into the wrecking pit does so at their own risk.

There is always a very special atmosphere at our concerts. To outsiders, it may look more brutal than it actually is. Many of the mean-looking Psychobillies are actually very nice people with big hearts.

You’re more likely to get a hug than a punch.

Q: What are FRENZY's plans for the near future?

A: The new album has cost us a lot of energy. It was absolutely worth the effort, but we will take a break from writing new songs for a while. Steve (bassist of FRENZY, note by the author) and I have written and recorded the last three albums alone. It was really exhausting, and I think a creative break can’t hurt us. We will now focus on touring and the upcoming 25th band anniversary.

With “In the Blood,” we have released a really good album and have a great label in People like You that supports us comprehensively.

We will probably start writing new songs again soon. The songwriting has improved from album to album, and we are curious to see what the next album will be like.

We want to promote “In the Blood” with all our might. The album is too good to just release it and then see it fade away without much promotion. We will be doing a tour and some individual shows this year where we will play a lot from the new album.

We are very happy with our new label People like You Records. The people there are doing a great job, and we know that we have reached a new, higher level with this collaboration. This will surely have a positive impact on the future.

“In the Blood” is so good that we are confident we can gain new listeners through it. People like You believes in us, and this trust will do FRENZY good.

We hope to reach new young listeners with our new album, especially in the USA. Many street punk kids from the USA also like Psychobilly, especially the style we play. We want to reach these kids so they can get to know FRENZY. “In the Blood” should be the gateway drug. For that, besides concerts, we also need proactive promotion, like what People like You can provide.

We are really excited about what the next 1-2 years will bring us and, of course, we look forward to seeing everyone at our concerts.