(Belleville, ON) – He has one of the most recognizable voices in all of Canadian popular music and it just seems to be getting better. As the vocalist and one of the primary songwriters for the seminal 1980s hit-making group Glass Tiger, Alan Frew has toured the world, shared the stage with some of the biggest names in the business and earned five Juno Awards and one Grammy nomination selling nearly six million albums worldwide.
Songs such as Diamond Sun, Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone), Someday, My Town, Animal Heart and Thin Red Line are still staples on Canadian radio and Glass Tiger is still a popular concert attraction, playing between 15 to 20 shows a year, usually in large casinos or at large outdoor festivals. The band performed at Empire Rockfest in Belleville last summer and Frew is returning to that same venue on July 25, opening for Big Sugar and Tom Cochrane.
The Scottish-born singer/songwriter has developed an enviable career as a solo artist and songwriter since Glass Tiger took a hiatus in the 1990s, and he has also added author and public speaker to his roster of professional talents over last decade and a half, even after Glass Tiger resumed recording and touring more than a decade ago.
He released the acclaimed solo album Hold On in 1994 (spawning the hits So Blind and Healing Hands) followed by Wonderland in 2000. As an increasingly in-demand songwriter, he collaborated with pop artist Stephan Moccio on the song I Believe, which became the official theme for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Frew co-wrote Johnny Reid’s hit song Fire It Up, which was subsequently recorded by the legendary Joe Cocker. His first book, The Action Sandwich, became a best seller and saw Frew become a motivational speaker, who would pepper his relaxed, off the cuff talks with music. He has also hosted his own TV show, Road Stories with Alan Frew, and appeared in the motion picture Gravy Train.
Musically, Frew decided to set Glass Tiger aside for 2015 to focus on a couple of interesting new projects.
“I am in the middle of recording a CD of classic number one 1980s hits. So I am doing songs by Peter Gabriel, John Waite, Tears for Fears, Paul Young, Madonna, one Glass Tiger song and others. All the music was recorded in Nashville. It’s not country, but all the players are from there, and I am doing the vocals right now. I will be putting a band together and tour it later in the year,” said Frew.
“The spark of the idea came from my new manager, Jason Murray of BlackBox Music. He and I sat down and we thought, ‘how do you take a 58-year-old guy and rebrand him?’ I know I can do Glass Tiger until they are handing me my walking stick, but I am singing extremely well – probably the best I have in my life, and I want to challenge myself.
“So I dabbled with the idea of doing a British Invasion thing which was the music I grew up with. But Jason said, ‘why don’t you do your own era? What if you did Simply Red and Paul Young? It’s going to be believable because you did it.’ And that’s what we came up with.”
Frew said that while it may sound all fun and games to be singing some of the most beloved songs – songs that helped define an era of popular music – it’s actually been a daunting challenge because of the necessity of trying to honour the spirit of the original material while still being able to put his own unique stamp on the material.
“There is no escape. There is no filler. They are all incredible songs and vocally it’s been a monster task. I am here in the studio every day and every night. Everything was a number one hit: Every Time You Go Away by Paul Young, Hold Me Now by the Thompson Twins, Owner of the Lonely Heart by Yes – they are all iconic songs and I have toreally own them,” he said.
“I have never done this before in my life. And I know these are iconic songs for people, so when you do something like this you’ve really got to know what you’re doing. Right now you’ll just have to take my word for it that it’s starting to really, really sound great.”
Glass Tiger was one of Canada’s biggest bands in the 1980s, starting with their 1986 debut album The Thin Red Line, and followed up by 1988’s Diamond Sun and Simple Mission in 1991. The band toured with the likes of Journey, Roxette, Tina Turner, Huey Lewis and the News and Rod Stewart. While many of the cultural trends and fashions of the 1980s have been often maligned by later generations, Frew believes there was something special about a great deal of the music produced in that decade.
“I heard someone say the other day that there are, like, 5,000 playlists on satellite radio just for the 1980s. It’s an incredibly popular era. And younger fans are finding this music too and really digging it. When Glass Tiger plays, and we do some pretty big shows and festivals, I often have fun with the audience because I will ask how many people saw us back in 1986 and usually 1/3 of them would put their hands up. And if I ask how many are seeing us for the first time, they always outnumber those who saw us back in the day, and most of them are young,” he said.
“I do think there is something special about that era of music. I think it was one of the most melodic periods in music, similar to what the Beatles were doing in the She Loves You days. I have often said when I wrote Don’t Forget You (When I’m Gone) if all you ever got from that song was that if you were stuck in a traffic jam and for three minutes you were tapping your toes, I’d be happy.
“And I think that era is becoming popular with young people because the youth of the world right now is getting a little tired of the darkness and angst and I think they are gravitating to highly melodic songs.”
Frew said he is also working on a project with Gregory Martin, eldest son of Beatles’ producer George Martin, although he is keeping details close to the vest.
“He’s close to launching this really great idea that he’s got and I have been doing some of the music for it. If it takes off, it’ll be a really big thing for me. And it’s cool because it’s basically me sitting in my studio writing music as if it were 1967 to about 1970,” he said.
As for Glass Tiger, he said the reason for not touring this year was so that he wasn’t competing with himself when he launches his 1980s project, but that the band will be back – big time – in 2016.
“I want to do the 1980s thing and I want it to blossom and grow. But next year is Glass Tiger’s 30th anniversary and I would like Glass Tiger to have the opportunity to make a big splash to mark that it’s been 30 years,” he said.
As for the solo gig opening for Big Sugar and Tom Cochrane, Frew said he likes the freedom of being able to stroll on stage and sing whatever he wants to sing, be it a Glass Tiger track, solo song, or covering one of his favourites.
“I did a show with Tom about two years ago in Ottawa and I was asked to do something and I literally just strolleded out there and did a bunch of classic hits acoustically and people loved it. I honestly don’t know what I am going to do in Belleville. I might just come out with my acoustic, or might do it with a trio or band. But it’s going to be a fun night,” he said.
For more information on Empire Rockfest, visit http://www.theempiretheatre.com/rockfest-2015.
For more information on Frew, visit http://www.alanfrew.com.
For more information on Glass Tiger, visit http://www.glasstiger.ca.
- Jim Barber is a veteran award-winning journalist and author based in Napanee, ON, who has been writing about music and musicians for a quarter of a century. Besides his journalistic endeavours, he now works as a communications and marketing specialist. Contact him at jimbarberwritingservices@gmail.com.
Jim, well-written article. I like your style. Looking forward to hearing how well Frew matches up with his peers from the 80’s. Cheers!
Alan Frew is multi talented I’m many ways. I enjoy his music acting debuts Roadstories his book and music. One a fan…always a fan. All the best to you Alan xoxo