1997's history at Frostbyte Records

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1997

On returning to England with an exhausted Fußgängerzone, Benjamin enforced a low profile upon himself, due to the hounding of the World's press. He took back control of the company from Andrew Morrison, and set about moulding it into a more efficient force.

BBFCB decided it was time to have a "spring clean up" of bands. Many artists had been living off the label's successful name for several years, without contributing anything new. As he had in 1990, he drew up a list of bands, but this time the chosen artists were to be expelled from Frostbyte Records in a cost saving exercise. This list read as follows:

The Natural Technicians From Carpetland,
Disordered Mode Shop,
Digital Thunder,
The Chinky Mental Daves,
and Etch-A-Sketch Warhead.

None of these bands have been heard of since.

Fußgängerzone were somewhat offended by the dumping of their friends Etch-A-Sketch Warhead (especially after the success of their support slot on the World tour), but Benjamin insisted they had to go as there was no new material to bring out from them.

Andrew Morrison's debut LP 'Pursuits' marked the first release from Frostbyte in 31 months, coming out on September the 22nd, 1997. The album was a compilation of Andy's early work, and was slammed by critics for being unimaginatively pieced together from old material, and not reflecting Andrew's current creative output.

After the tame sales of Andy's album, Fußgängerzone once again came to the rescue, with the 'Cockney Wanker' EP in September. The songs featured on this EP were recorded back in September 1995 when the band were preparing for the 'Fuzzbox Wah' tour, but the release was delayed due to Fat Cat Benjamin's absence.

Feedback Syndrome made a welcome return in October with the song 'Stop!', which was in fact a cover of The Jackson's 'The Love You Save'.

Gin & Tonic were also soon to reappear in October with the controversially titled 'OOE - Licenced To Rave' which was nevertheless a phenomenal club hit. The B side was worthy of note for Dave's guest rapping on 'Born Sh*tty', a mainly improvised version of Underworld's 'Born Slippy'. This track was hastily recorded before Dave jetted off to the Amazonian jungle to begin his expedition to search for a natural cure for the feedback syndrome condition.

(Dave explores the Amazonian rainforest as he desperately hunts a naturally occurring cure for feedback synrome.)

No One Knows We're Dead also returned triumphantly in November, with the fruits of their recording sessions with The Saint, who had at last reappeared from obscurity. 'The Return Of The Saint' EP was the sound of three guys in a recording studio simply enjoying making music. Embraced by fans and critics alike, this single managed to outsell even 'Cockney Wanker' (the first time any Frostbyte artist had rivalled Fußgängerzone). The EP mixed original songs with cover versions - their version of Radiohead's 'Creep', in particular, went down a storm at local indie clubs. BBFCB was very pleased that another band on his label were shifting as many units as Fußgängerzone.

('The Return Of The Saint' cassette single cover.)

Feedback Syndrome followed up the popular 'Stop!' with a new single on the 1st December. 'I Know Him So Well' covered the Elaine Page and Barbara Dickson song from the musical 'Chess' in a drum 'n' bass-cum-thrash metal style.

'Blood '97' was a further release from No One Knows We're Dead & The Saint's prolific summer recording sessions, coming out on the 15th December. The track was "dark and despair ridden, with no hope of salvation", and took the listener "into the sadistic minds of the Portsmouth underground".