This is the legendary first FRENZY release from back in 1984. All three songs were recorded by the original lineup, including founding member Simon Brand on guitar. The 7” vinyl single was limited to 500 copies and was the first offering from Dutch Cat Machine Records. There’s also another Robot Riot 7” chunk of vinyl in circulation, which is backed with a version of Cry Or Die with Simon Brand on vocals and was put out on Rumble Records back in 1990. Track list: Robot Riot /// Sweet Money -- Frustration.
This is the 12” release of the early FRENZY classic, which followed the original 7” pressing on Cat Machine, but with a different track listing. The four-track EP was published by Nervous Records and was also released back in 1984. The last song of the band’s first offering on Nervous also became the epithet for Simon Brand’s next Psychobilly-related outfit, Torment. Track list: Robot Riot -- All Alone /// Cry Or Die -- Torment.
This is another essential vinyl release from the mid-80’s, released on ID Records. I See Red was pressed on 7” as well as 12” vinyl format, with the latter also including Don’t Give Up. The single was also a big story on the the U.K. Independent charts, not only reaching the Top 3 but also bothering the Top 30 for more than six months. Track list: I See Red /// Whose Life – Don’t Give Up.
This is the second single release from the Clockwork Toy album. The 12” vinyl, which was put out on Cat Machine Records again, contains four tracks including fan favourite Misdemeanour and a cover version of the Wall Of Voodoo chartbuster, Mexican Radio. The title track was chosen for the Psycho Attack Over Europe compilation album series too. Track list: Nobody’s Business (But Mine) -- Mexican Radio /// Misdemeanour -- In My Prison.
This is definitely another masterpiece from the heyday of Psychobilly. Fast Neorockabilly rhythms encounter wild Psycho sounds, lyrics about personal concerns accompany more traditional Psychobilly themes, and the use of modern recording techniques alternate with more classic arrangements of guitar, bass and drums. Three songs on Hall Of Mirrors feature co-founding member Simon Brand on guitar, who later went on to form Torment. The rest of the recordings were made with Kev Saunders. The album was re-released on CD format as well, with the Frenzy EP and an alternate take of Hall Of Mirrors from 1990 as bonus tracks. Highlights: Schitzophrenic Emotions, Frenzy, Asylum Moves, Skeleton Rock, Wound Up and a great cover version of Surfin’ Bird.
Clockwork Toy is the second quintessential full-playing record by FRENZY and is also the band’s greatest commercial success. The album was originally put out as a ten-song 12” vinyl affair on I.D. Records and is loaded with many early fan favourites, including their all-time anthem, I See Red. Well-composed songs, one of the genre’s premier bass pickers (Steve Whitehouse) and real tight sound make this one another "must-have". Highlights: I See Red, Misdemeanour, Nobody’s Business and the cover version of Wall Of Voodoo’s Mexican Radio.
Brilliant live recordings from one of the genre’s most popular outfits and premier live acts. These tracks were recorded back in September 1986 at the famous 100 Club, a club that is still running today and is one of the most popular live music venues in Europe. The live set was re-released on Raucous Records in 1994 on CD format with a different sleeve design. For their performance of Love Is The Drug the band was joined by a saxophone. Among the highlights are wild rockin’ versions of their Indie Chart hit single, I See Red, and the classic Robot Riot. Other outstanding tracks are fan favourites Misdemeanour and Clockwork Toy, plus a performance of the G-Men classic, Gotta Go!.
FRENZY became one of the very first bands linked with this genre to see the release of a 'best of themselves' format in 1990. The Rage Records offering compiled fifteen tracks for the 12“ vinyl whilst five more tracks were piggyback for the CD album, showcasing the prolific output of Steve Whitehouse and different FRENZY line-ups over their initial seven years. To make things more interesting for the record buying folks rarities like a live take of Long Gone from 1990, the previously unreleased Hot Rod Satellite and Don't Give Up, the B-side of the classic I See Red 12” EP were thrown into the mix. Highlights are Robot Riot (MKI), Schizophrenic Emotions, Nobody's Business, Don't Give Up, I See Red and the CD-onlies Gotta Go! and 12” version of Cry Or Die.
With the band almost two decades in existence, Anagram's Psychobilly Collectors Series eventually honoured the Bristol-based three-piece and its contribution to the scene with another 'Best Of' album in 2002. For whatever reasons this twenty-track collection lacks of many band anthems and also doesn't come up with a any rarities or new material, so this CD is mostly interesting for FRENZY fanatics to complete their collections and for newbies to the scene to gain a fast insight into the development of the Psychobilly pioneers. Sorry, but these bananas are not so cool! Highlights: Frustration, Mexican Radio, This Is The Fire, It's A Mad, Mad World, Nine-O-Nine.