Liam Frost and the Slowdown Family
Encyclopedia
Liam Frost, real name Liam Pickering, is an alternative/folk artist, from Manchester
, England
. He recorded and played with his backing group, "The Slowdown Family" on his debut album "Show Me How The Spectres Dance", but now performs under the name Liam Frost. Frost currently releases music through his own imprint, Emperor Records.
bands, and went solo in 2003, aged 20.
Frost is described by Guy Garvey (of the band Elbow
) as “the UK’s answer to Bright Eyes” His songs are heavily focused on the death, ten years apart, of his father and brother and the impact these events had on his life and the lives of those around him.
Frost signed a record deal with Lavolta Records, a subsidiary of Sony BMG, in 2005.
producer Danton Supple, recording his debut album. His first four singles were released by Lavolta; the She Painted Pictures EP in February, The Mourners of St Paul's in June and The City is at Standstill in August. She Painted Pictures was released as a chart-eligible single in February 2007.
With the band, Frost completed his first headline tour of the UK and made appearances at many of the UK festivals throughout the summer. He also shared a stage with Elbow
, The Decemberists
, The Magic Numbers
, Nine Black Alps
, Willy Mason
, Badly Drawn Boy
and Ray Davies
. His debut album, "Show Me How The Spectres Dance", was released on September 11, 2006.
The Mourners of St Paul's was voted the #1 single of 2006 by Channel 4's Planet Sound
.
Following the promotion of his first album, in 2007 Frost took part in a sailing expedition known as Cape Farewell
, campaigning to raise awareness of climate change
. It was on the trip that he began writing the songs that would make up his second album.
, and his second album would be made for them. He travelled to New York to make the record with Victor Van Vugt
at Chelsea's Stratosphere Sound
.
Upon completion of the album, Frost was dropped by Columbia near the end of 2008. However, he managed to negotiate terms to leave the label with the master tapes of the album.
The album, "We Ain't Got Money, Honey, But We Got Rain" was released in the UK on September 28, 2009 on Emperor Records, Frost's own label. It was named after a poem of the same name by the poet
, novelist, and short story writer Charles Bukowski
. It also contains several collaborations with singer-songwriter
Ed Harcourt
, including "Your Hand In Mine", a duet with Martha Wainwright
.
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He recorded and played with his backing group, "The Slowdown Family" on his debut album "Show Me How The Spectres Dance", but now performs under the name Liam Frost. Frost currently releases music through his own imprint, Emperor Records.
Beginnings
Frost made his live debut at 15 years of age. After a few years singing in punk rockPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
bands, and went solo in 2003, aged 20.
Frost is described by Guy Garvey (of the band Elbow
Elbow (band)
Elbow are an English rock band. They have played together since 1990 and recorded five studio albums, the most recent of which is Build a Rocket Boys!, released in March 2011...
) as “the UK’s answer to Bright Eyes” His songs are heavily focused on the death, ten years apart, of his father and brother and the impact these events had on his life and the lives of those around him.
Frost signed a record deal with Lavolta Records, a subsidiary of Sony BMG, in 2005.
Early releases
Frost spent the early part of 2006 with The Slowdown Family in a London studio with ColdplayColdplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
producer Danton Supple, recording his debut album. His first four singles were released by Lavolta; the She Painted Pictures EP in February, The Mourners of St Paul's in June and The City is at Standstill in August. She Painted Pictures was released as a chart-eligible single in February 2007.
With the band, Frost completed his first headline tour of the UK and made appearances at many of the UK festivals throughout the summer. He also shared a stage with Elbow
Elbow (band)
Elbow are an English rock band. They have played together since 1990 and recorded five studio albums, the most recent of which is Build a Rocket Boys!, released in March 2011...
, The Decemberists
The Decemberists
The Decemberists are an indie folk rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States, fronted by singer/songwriter Colin Meloy. The other members of the band are Chris Funk , Jenny Conlee , Nate Query , and John Moen .The band's...
, The Magic Numbers
The Magic Numbers
The Magic Numbers are an English pop rock band comprising two pairs of brothers and sisters from Greenford. The group was formed in 2002, releasing their critically acclaimed debut album titled The Magic Numbers on 13 June 2005...
, Nine Black Alps
Nine Black Alps
Nine Black Alps are an English alternative rock band formed in Manchester, named after a line in The Couriers by Sylvia Plath and fronted by Sam Forrest.-Career:...
, Willy Mason
Willy Mason
Willy Mason is an American singer-songwriter.- Early life :He was born in New York, the son of Jemima James and Michael Mason, both folk singers. When Mason was five, he and his family moved from New York to West Tisbury, Massachusetts on the island of Martha's Vineyard...
, Badly Drawn Boy
Badly Drawn Boy
Damon Gough is an English alternative music singer/songwriter. He was born on 2 October 1969, in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. He grew up in the Breightmet area of Bolton, Lancashire, England....
and Ray Davies
Ray Davies
Ray Davies, CBE is an English rock musician. He is best known as lead singer and songwriter for the Kinks, which he led with his younger brother, Dave...
. His debut album, "Show Me How The Spectres Dance", was released on September 11, 2006.
The Mourners of St Paul's was voted the #1 single of 2006 by Channel 4's Planet Sound
Planet Sound
Planet Sound was a Teletext music page on ITV and Channel 4 in the UK. It was broadcast on analogue Teletext from page 340, and on digital Teletext from page 820. From May 24, 2007, Planet Sound was also available to read online via the Teletext website...
.
Following the promotion of his first album, in 2007 Frost took part in a sailing expedition known as Cape Farewell
Cape Farewell, UK
Cape Farewell brings artists, scientists and communicators together to bring about long-term change in cultural attitudes towards climate change....
, campaigning to raise awareness of climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
. It was on the trip that he began writing the songs that would make up his second album.
Recent work
Following the disbanding of The Slowdown Family and the Cape Farewell voyage, Frost discovered that Lavolta had become a part of Columbia RecordsColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, and his second album would be made for them. He travelled to New York to make the record with Victor Van Vugt
Victor Van Vugt
Victor Van Vugt is an award-winning music producer, mixer and engineer. An Australian based in New York, he has had a long association with the careers of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Beth Orton. He has also worked with the likes of P.J...
at Chelsea's Stratosphere Sound
Stratosphere Sound
Stratosphere Sound is a recording studio located in New York City. Previously known as "The Place", the studio was renamed Stratosphere Sound in 1999....
.
Upon completion of the album, Frost was dropped by Columbia near the end of 2008. However, he managed to negotiate terms to leave the label with the master tapes of the album.
The album, "We Ain't Got Money, Honey, But We Got Rain" was released in the UK on September 28, 2009 on Emperor Records, Frost's own label. It was named after a poem of the same name by the poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, novelist, and short story writer Charles Bukowski
Charles Bukowski
Henry Charles Bukowski was an American poet, novelist and short story writer. His writing was influenced by the social, cultural and economic ambience of his home city of Los Angeles...
. It also contains several collaborations with singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Ed Harcourt
Ed Harcourt
Ed Harcourt is an English singer-songwriter. To date, he has released five studio albums, two EPs, and thirteen singles. His debut album, Here Be Monsters, was nominated for the 2001 Mercury Prize...
, including "Your Hand In Mine", a duet with Martha Wainwright
Martha Wainwright
Martha Wainwright is a Canadian-American folk-rock singer-songwriter. She is the daughter of American folk singer and actor Loudon Wainwright III and Canadian folk singer-songwriter Kate McGarrigle...
.
Albums
- Show Me How The Spectres Dance (2006)
- We Ain't Got No Money, Honey, But We Got Rain (2009)
Singles and EPs
- She Painted Pictures EP, Lavolta, 6 February 2006
- The Mourners of St. Paul's, Lavolta, 5 June 2006
- The City Is At Standstill, Lavolta, 28 August 2006 (#74 UK Singles ChartUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
) - She Painted Pictures, Lavolta, 5 February 2007
- Held Tightly In Your Fist, Emperor, 13 September 2009
- Your Hand In Mine (featuring Martha Wainwright), Emperor, 18 January 2010
External links
- Official website
- Piece on "Your Hand In Mine", written by Frost at Drowned In SoundDrowned in SoundDrownedinSound.com or DiS is a UK based music webzine financed by artist management company Silentway . The site is an editorially independent music website.-History:...