James Frost

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James Frost
Barryfestivaltheautomatic2.jpg
Frost performing in 2009 at Waterfront Festival in Barry, Wales with The Automatic
Background information
Birth nameJames Martin Frost
Born (1986-08-22) 22 August 1986 (age 35)
Origin Cowbridge, South Glamorgan, Wales
GenresRock, Electro, Pop punk
Occupation(s)Musician
InstrumentsGuitar, vocals, synthesizers, bass guitar
Years active2003–present
Associated actsEFFORT, The Automatic, yourcodenameis:milo

James Martin Frost (born 22 August 1986) is the guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist of Welsh band The Automatic, [1] and guitarist and backing vocalist for Cardiff-based band Effort. As well as his musical duties for The Automatic, Frost has also directed two of the band's music videos and their tour video diaries. [2] [3] He currently resides in Cardiff, Wales. [4]

Contents

Musical career

The Automatic (2005–present)

Frost began playing guitar at a young age, and after introducing bandmate Robin Hawkins into music and the bass guitar, Frost and Hawkins along with friend Iwan Griffiths formed the band White Rabbit, which later with the addition of Alex Pennie became The Automatic. [5] After several years of touring, Alex Pennie departed from the band, leading to Paul Mullen from Yourcodenameis:Milo to join the band. Frost and Mullen are both simply stated as guitarists for The Automatic, neither being specifically rhythm or lead. Paul and Frost also provide synthesizers on various tracks, as well as backing vocals.

After the release of the band's debut album Not Accepted Anywhere, James was voted No. 20 in NME's Cool List, beating his at-the-time bandmate Alex Pennie. [6]

Effort (2010–2011)

Frost, along with BBC Radio 1 DJ Jen Long formed the Cardiff-based band Effort in 2010. In early 2011 the band recorded demos at Long Wave Studios with producer Romesh Dodangoda. Their debut 3-track EP 'No Effort' was released for free on 28 March 2011 through bandcamp. [7]

Musical equipment and style

Frost often states his main musical influence to be Blur and specifically guitarist Graham Coxon, his favourite Blur album is 13. [8]

For live performances – since the departure of synthesizer player & vocalist Alex Pennie in 2007, Frost inherited performance duties of the Alesis Micron – which during the recording and performance of debut album Not Accepted Anywhere was one of 3 synthesizer keyboards used, later on This Is a Fix it was also used as well as the Paul Mullen controlled microKORG. The sounds created on the Alesis Andromeda and Roland Juno-106 for Not Accepted Anywhere since Pennies departure are recreated live on the microKORG and Alesis Micron, to control some tracks whilst playing guitar, Frost uses a Boss RC-50 Loop Station, which enables partial foot pedal control of the sounds available on the Alesis Micron. [9] Frost uses bandmate Rob Hawkins Fender USA Jazz Bass live when performing "High Time". [10]

Frost also uses a range of guitars for both live and recording, during the recording and touring of debut album Not Accepted Anywhere the then only guitarist of The Automatic used various models of the Gibson Les Paul as well as a Fender 1972 Thinline Telecaster in Two-Tone Sunburst, Fender Mustang 2005 Reissue in Olympic White, and in various music videos used a could be seen using a Gordon Smith GSII in Black, which he broke in 2007, and a Gibson ES-335. [11] With the release of second album This Is a Fix and joining of second guitarist Paul Mullen, Frost began incorporating the use of Fender Telecaster Deluxe's.

For Digital Delay, Frost uses a Boss DD-6 pedal and a Line 6 DL4 Modeler stompbox, as well as using MXR M-106 6-Band Graphic EQ, and a number of Electro-Harmonix effects including an Electro-Harmonix POG, Holy Stain and Holy Grail, whilst using an Orange Channel Footswitch. During the recording of Not Accepted Anywhere, the album sleeve states that Frost uses both Orange and Marshall guitar amplifiers. [12]

Discography

Frost on the Vans Warped Tour 2007 with The Automatic. James Frost on the Vans Warped Tour 2007 with The Automatic..jpg
Frost on the Vans Warped Tour 2007 with The Automatic.
BandTitleReleaseOther notes
The Automatic Not Accepted Anywhere 2006Guitar, vocals
Yourcodenameis:Milo Print Is Dead Vol 1 2006Producer, guitars
The Automatic This Is A Fix 2008Guitar, vocals, synthesizer
The Automatic Tear the Signs Down 2010Guitar, vocals, synthesizer
EFFORTNo Effort2011Guitar, programing

Filmography

Director
YearTitleNotes
2009Something ElseMusic video
2010 Cannot Be Saved Music video
2012 Bloody Mary Music video

Related Research Articles

Blur (band) English rock band

Blur is an English rock band. Formed in London in 1988, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure (1991) incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing. Following a stylistic change influenced by English guitar pop groups such as the Kinks, the Beatles and XTC, Blur released Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993), Parklife (1994) and The Great Escape (1995). As a result, the band helped to popularise the Britpop genre and achieved mass popularity in the UK, aided by a chart battle with rival band Oasis in 1995 dubbed "The Battle of Britpop".

Graham Coxon English musician and singer

Graham Leslie Coxon is an English musician, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and painter who came to prominence as a founding member of the rock band Blur. As the group's lead guitarist and secondary vocalist, Coxon is featured on all eight of Blur's studio albums. He has also led a solo career since 1998. As well as being a musician, Coxon is a visual artist: he designed the cover art for all his solo albums as well as Blur's 13 (1999).

Yourcodenameis:milo was an English alternative rock/experimental/post-hardcore band from Washington, Tyne and Wear. Their mini album, All Roads to Fault, was released in 2004, followed in 2005 by the full length album Ignoto, both on Fiction/Polydor Records. In 2006, the band left their Polydor contract and within a month signed a new record deal with V2 Records. In November 2006, the band released Print Is Dead Vol 1, a side project album featuring collaborations with other bands. Their second full-length album, They Came from the Sun, was released in 2007.

The Automatic Welsh rock band

The Automatic was a Welsh rock band. The band's last-known lineup was composed of Robin Hawkins on vocals, bass and synthesisers, James Frost on guitar, synthesisers, backing vocals and occasional bass, Iwan Griffiths on drums and Paul Mullen on vocals, guitar and synthesiser. Mullen joined after the departure of Alex Pennie, who provided synthesiser, percussion and vocals.

<i>Not Accepted Anywhere</i> 2006 studio album by The Automatic

Not Accepted Anywhere is the debut album from Welsh rock band The Automatic, originally released on 19 June 2006. Working with producers Stephen Harris, Richard Jackson and Ian Broudie on different tracks at a variety of studios around the United Kingdom the album was released through a joint deal between B-Unique Records and Polydor Records.

Raoul (song) 2006 single by The Automatic

"Raoul" is both the second and the fifth single from Not Accepted Anywhere, the first album by the Welsh band The Automatic. The single was released twice, first on 27 March 2006 and again on 8 January 2007 at the decision of the band's record labels Polydor and B-Unique.

Monster (The Automatic song) 2006 single by the Automatic

"Monster" is the third UK single by Cardiff-based Welsh band the Automatic, taken from their debut album Not Accepted Anywhere. The track was released on 5 June 2006 in the UK and subsequently reached No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart. It was released in the United States under the alias of the Automatic Automatic on 14 May 2007. It is the Automatic's highest charting single to date in the United Kingdom.

Robin Hawkins Musical artist

Robin Hawkins, commonly known as Rob is the primary vocalist and bassist for Welsh band The Automatic.

Recover (song) 2005 single by The Automatic

"Recover" is the debut and fourth single by Welsh rock band The Automatic, taken from their debut album Not Accepted Anywhere. Originally released on 21 November 2005 as a limited 7" vinyl, CD single and digital download, it was re-released on 18 September 2006 as the band's record labels, B-Unique & Polydor, believed it could perform better and reach a larger audience after the band's success with previous single "Monster".

Alex Pennie Musical artist

Alexander Gregor Pennie was previously in Welsh band The Automatic from the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales, where he provided backing vocals as well as playing synthesizers and keyboards for the act. Pennie left The Automatic in late 2007. Since then he has been in other bands, the latest of which was the Goodtime Boys, which disbanded in 2015.

Iwan Griffiths Musical artist

Iwan Griffiths is drummer for Welsh rock band The Automatic. Iwan originates from Cowbridge in Wales, and lives in Cardiff. He has a law degree from Cardiff University.

Paul Mullen Musical artist

Paul Mullen is an English musician, multi-instrumentalist & singer songwriter who first gained recognition for being vocalist and guitarist of the band Yourcodenameis:milo, who went on hiatus in 2007. Since their hiatus, Mullen has gone on to both join and form a number of bands, which he currently splits his time between – including The Automatic, Young Legionnaire, Losers, HorseFight and Bleach Blood.

"That's What She Said" is the lead track on Welsh band the Automatic's debut album Not Accepted Anywhere. The track was recorded in Stir Studio in Cardiff.

<i>This Is a Fix</i> 2008 studio album by The Automatic

This Is A Fix is the second album by Wales-based band The Automatic. It was released on 25 August 2008. The band worked with producer Don Gilmore in Los Angeles, but were disappointed with these sessions, and instead worked with Butch Walker at Sage and Sound Recording in Los Angeles then back in Cardiff with Richard Jackson and London with Stephen Harris.

Steve McQueen (The Automatic song) 2008 single by The Automatic

"Steve McQueen" is the first and ultimately only single from Welsh rock band The Automatic's second album This Is A Fix. It is their fifth single overall. The track began radio and video play as of 7 July 2008 and was released on 18 August 2008.

"Magazines" is a track by Welsh rock band The Automatic on their second album This Is a Fix. The track was announced as their second single from This Is a Fix in late 2008; however, for unexplained reasons, the single and further release of material and promotion of the album ended in early 2009, with the band re-entering the studio to record their third album instead.

<i>Tear the Signs Down</i> 2010 studio album by The Automatic

Tear the Signs Down is the third album by Wales-based band The Automatic. It was released on 8 March 2010 in the United Kingdom, and then on 12 April 2010 for the rest of the world. Tear the Signs Down was the first album released by the band on their own Armoured Records after splitting with B-Unique. The first single "Interstate" was released on 6 December 2009, with second single "Run & Hide" released a week prior to the album itself on 1 March 2010. Third single "Cannot Be Saved" was released on 20 June 2010.

Interstate (song) 2009 single by The Automatic

Interstate is the first single from Tear the Signs Down, the third studio album by Welsh alternative rock band The Automatic. The single was released on 6 December, and marks the first release through the band's own record label, Armored Records.

The This Is A Fix album tour was the 2008 & 2009 tour surrounding the release of Welsh band The Automatic's second album This Is A Fix. The first leg of the tour was played at smaller clubs and venues around the United Kingdom, whilst later dates were at some of the countries larger venues.

Not Accepted Anywhere album tour

The Not Accepted Anywhere album tour was the touring period from 2005 through to 2007 when Welsh rock-band The Automatic promoted their debut album Not Accepted Anywhere. Over the three-year period, the band covered the United Kingdom several times, as well as touring in the United States, Japan, France and the Netherlands.

References

  1. The Automatic BBC music biography, August 2009
  2. Best Laid Plans Archived 7 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine theautomatic.co.uk (James Frost), 10 August 2009
  3. The Shape of Monk To Come James Frost, YouTube
  4. The Automatic BBC music biography, August 2009
  5. "People ask me what it's like to have a famous son". icwales.icnetwork.co.uk (Interview with AnneMarie Hawkins, Robs Mum). 30 October 2006. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
  6. "The Cool List 2007 and 2006, 20: James Frost, The Automatic". NME 'The Cool List'. 26 November 2006. Retrieved 23 June 2008.
  7. Effort – No Effort 28 March 2011, bandcamp.com
  8. Blur Graham Coxon Archived 16 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine theautomatic.co.uk, 10 August 2009
  9. BBC Music biography BBC 3 October 2009
  10. Feature:: Interview with The Automatic roomthirteen.com, 22 March 2010
  11. The Automatic music video Monster, Not Accepted Anywhere, June 2006, Up the Resolution
  12. The Automatic Not Accepted Anywhere album sleeve, release 25 June 2006, B-Unique/Polydor Records