Freezepop
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| Freezepop | |
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 Freezepop headlining at PAX '09.
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Genres | Electropop Electroclash Synthpop Electronic rock |
| Years active | 1999 - present |
| Labels | Cordless The Archenemy Record Company Elefant |
| Associated acts | Symbion Project Lifestyle Karacter |
| Website | www.freezepop.com www.myspace.com/freezepop |
| Members | |
| Liz Enthusiasm The Other Sean T. Drinkwater Robert John "Bananas" Foster Christmas Disco-Marie Sagan |
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| Former members | |
| The Duke of Pannekoeken (1999-2009) | |
Freezepop is an American synthpop/Electropop band[1]. They formed in 1999 in Boston, Massachusetts, originally with Liz Enthusiasm, Sean T. Drinkwater, and "The Duke of Pannekoeken", an alias for composer Kasson Crooker. The band is named after the frozen snack. The members describe their music as "sweet and cold and fruity and plastic-y", much like the snack.[2]
Former member Kasson Crooker currently works as a Senior Producer at video game development studio Harmonix. Many of the band's songs have appeared in video games, including the Harmonix titles FreQuency, Amplitude, Karaoke Revolution, Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero II, Phase, and the Rock Band series. Their music has also been included in Downhill Domination and one of the North American entries in the Dance Dance Revolution series. Freezepop songs continue to appear in certain Harmonix titles.
The group is popular with college students in Boston and has become part of the U.S. synthpop scene.[1]
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[edit] Background
Originally, their music was entirely composed on a small portable MIDI sequencer, a Yamaha QY-70, which has often been mistaken for a Game Boy. On more recent albums, they have expanded their toolkit due to a lack of variety in the sounds the QY-70 provided, but it still remains an important part of the composing process. The release of Future Future Future Perfect only features the QY-70 in a single song, that being "Pop Music Is Not a Crime."[citation needed]
In addition to Freezepop, Kasson, who had previously been in fellow Boston band Splashdown, still records as a solo artist Symbion Project. Sean is also a member of the bands Lifestyle and Karacter, and worked with the band Polystar on their debut album.
Liz Enthusiasm appears on the song "Boom Box Chic" by Los Angeles based Le Mans Electro.
In addition to dozens of remixes released over the last 9 years, Freezepop released a remix of their song "Shark Attack" done by chiptune artist 8 Bit Weapon in October 2007. The remix was done with a Nintendo Entertainment System and a Commodore 64 computer. Robotkid also used a similar approach in his "Science Genius Girl (lameboy remix)" that featured the GameBoy audio software Little Sound DJ.
A recurring theme in Freezepop's music is references to science, technology, and mathematics. As examples, the song "Science Genius Girl (hi-phive Mix)" features Liz reciting the first thirty digits of Phi. Additionally, the Robotron 2002 (All Your Base Are Belong to Us) Remix by DJ Nebula pays homage to the cult "All Your Bases Belong to Us" internet phenomenon All your base are belong to us.
Freezepop was once arrested in Canada for trying to enter the country under false pretenses.[3] Harmonix pokes fun at them for this in the loading screens for their songs, in Rock Band and Rock Band 2.
On Thursday June 4, 2009, it was announced on www.freezepop.net that founding member the Duke of Pannekoeken (originally the Duke of Candied Apples, as well as the Duke of Belgian Waffles, all three pseudonyms of Kasson Crooker), will be leaving the band. Kasson Crooker stated that “My responsibilities at Harmonix making games continue to increase which takes away from my time and energy to compose and go out on the road to play shows.” Kasson’s last show as a member of the band was the night after the first day of 2009 Penny Arcade Expo at the Seattle venue, El Corazon.
Along with bands such as The Aquabats, Bad Credit, and Slowdraw the Hungry Eskimo, their music is featured in the Mega64 television series. Mega64 also produced the music video for the Freezepop song "Brainpower".[4]
Freezepop's song "Swimming Pool" was featured in the episode "Liquid Heat" in season 5 of The L Word.
In 2009 Freezepop and Crooker announced that due to conflicts between his schedule with Harmonix and the band that he would be leaving as a permanent member. Crooker played with the band in their 10th anniversary shows in Boston and at PAX. Crooker plans on carrying on his Symbion Project as a musical outlet while also doing Freezepop remixes in the future. Crooker's departure in no way means that Freezepop's music will stop appearing in Harmonix games.
On November 25, 2009, the band announced the addition of two new members: Robert John "Bananas" Foster and Christmas Disco Marie Sagan.[5]
[edit] Critical reception
Freezepop were Best New Band winners at the 2002 American Synthpop Awards and were semifinalists on WBCN's Rumble competition.[1]
In early 2006, Freezepop's "Stakeout" won in The 5th Annual Independent Music Awards for Best Dance/Electronica Song.[6]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Full-length albums
- Freezepop Forever (2000)
- Fancy Ultra•Fresh (2004)
- Future Future Future Perfect (2007)
- Imaginary Friends (released November 9th 2010)[7]
[edit] EPs and remix albums
- The Orange EP (2000, EP, limited edition CD-R)
- The Purple EP (2000, EP, limited edition CD-R)
- Fashion Impression Function (2001, EP)
- Hi-Five My Remix (2003, remix)
- Mini Ultra•Fresh (2004, remix, promo only)
- Maxi Ultra•Fresh (2005, remix, out-of-print)
- Form Activity Motion (2008 online, 2009 hard copy, remix)
[edit] Singles
- Bike Thief (2003, 12")
- Dancy Ultra•Fresh (2005, 12")
- The Rokk Suite (2006, CD single)
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Freezepop on MySpace
- Interview with Liz Enthusiasm at Big Stereo
- Symbion Project official website - Includes downloadable music and in-depth history of Kasson Crooker's musical endeavors.
- Lifestyle official website - Includes downloadable web album and info.
- Freezepop interviewed in Chaos Control Digizine
- The Second Supper Interview and concert review, plus second interview
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