BizLounge: What was it like working with Arno Carstens on "Another Universe?"
Frost: Another Universe was a big gamble for us; we literally moved to Jo'burg to record not even having a set band! We just followed our instincts and it came out beautifully. We will always be proud of that specific album, it changed our lives.
Frost has shared the stage with other SA musicians that include Vusi Mahlasela, Louis Mahlanga, Morris Goldberg, Nico Carstens, Ollie Viljoen, Theo Crous, Anton Goosen, Riku Latti and Gerald Clarke. His career however started a little closer to home playing alongside his father, Frank D. Frost in the Blues Broers.
Frost: My father has always been a drummer so I have always been surrounded by music and musicians! I guess it was inevitable.
Frost: I joined the Blues Broers in 1994 and we disbanded in 2003 so it was quite a stretch. Playing in a band with one's own father comes with its own pros and cons; we became good friends but, being a teenager, I also had to dodge him every now and then! I have always wanted solo success and, although my priorities have shifted somewhat, I believe I will and have achieved success through creating honest and good quality music.
Solo success is no longer a dream for Frost. He was earlier this year scooped up by Seed, joining their stable and releasing his debut solo studio album, Devils & Gods. Last month saw the release of the video for the Devils & Gods track. It's a real rock n roll track showcasing Frosts unadulterated talent with a guitar.
Frost: I definitely consider myself an all-rounder, but a master? Definitely not! I don't think you can truly master an instrument in one lifetime. There are too many different genres, styles and variants out there; I keep discovering new stuff all the time.
Frost: It was great fun! This is my first solo video so I was so excited, even though it's quite an intense exercise! I was totally exhausted after that two-day shoot but think it looks great.
Frost: The idea behind Devils & Gods is the yin and the yang, juxtapositioning of good and bad, how there is this uncomfortable balance in this world between the two. Hence the ‘devil angel' and the ‘god angel' on each side of me, trying to seduce me to both sides! Also the whole look links up with the cover, since it's the title track and that came through excellently.
Frost: Seed approached me which was great! For the type and style of music I specialise in they are the perfect company to promote and distribute my stuff. Also, I've always got on well with everyone there.
Playing on-stage in a band with your father is one thing, but rocking out with the Rolling Stones and REM is a completely different ball game. But lucky for us, the opportunity these performances presented didn't go to his head. Frost returns year-on-year to Oppikoppi playing 29 times in total so far at the annual festival. And yet this superstar remains a family man...
Frost: Nothing can beat performing in Spain with the Rolling Stones! It was kind of like meeting Santa Claus, such an unimaginable thing! Other great events have included the re-inauguration in 2004 in Pretoria, performing in front of 70 000 people is quite an eye-opener… also I've played a couple of 46664 concerts and subsequently met Madiba which was awesome!
Frost: Incredible! We had such a good time on that tour; fell in love with REM all over again after that! So cool to hang and work with such proven professionals, they are so relaxed and always enjoy themselves, to them its music first, everything else falls around that.
Frost: Oppikoppi is holy to me, I have spent so much time there I feel like I'm part of the woodwork! Some of my best gigs ever have happened on that farm, there's definitely something special about this festival, I always feel at home and in my element. I believe any venue or festival's success lies in the people that run it, very important…
Frost: The best thing is the travelling and the people you meet. It's really satisfying to know you can make people happy through playing music! The worst thing is being away from family and friends for long stretches at a time, I really miss my love Lelanie and daughter Bella everytime I'm away…
He's into blues in the morning and prefers to rock out at night but if he wasn't a musician he believes he would have been a pyschologist.
Frost: I'd probably be a psychologist, in this industry you get to meet the most fascinating people; I've always found human interactions interesting on all levels. Also, as my mother has noted, I'd have lots of work just in our family - ha!
SA's definitely got plenty of talent and you can check them out every weekend strumming, drumming and belting their hearts out at your local bar or club. The industry hasn't always been the most conducive to garnering and nurturing talent, but it is getting better.
Frost: The infrastructure has improved and is improving, so that's building the demand and support. Also, corporate companies have really come to the party and getting involved in the industry. This is great as it shows up-and-coming artists that there is a living to be made from music.
Frost: There's a span! Dan Patlansky, Willem Moller, Robin Auld, Basson Laubscher, Gerald Clarke…it would take too long to go into detail though…
Frost: I want to stay as busy as possible, the trick I think is to just keep pushing, keep producing and keep getting stuff out there. I would also like to perform more abroad, I think this country has a lot to offer and it's up to us to make it happen.
Frost: No need, I already feel like one!
For more on Albert Frost, view his Myspace profile or check out his Facebook page.
