18-03-2015, 12:37 PM
1
Andy Fraser (Free)
Sad to hear of the passing of Andy Fraser, bass player of Free and songwriter with the same. All Right Now, My Brother Jake, and the Stealer being some of them.Very popular up here in the North, there solid blues rock and steady gigging around the area kept them as one of the much loved bands. His bubbling bass helped provide a strong rhythm to underpin the vocals of Paul Rodgers and Paul Kossoffs superb guitar work.
Thanks for the music Andy.
18-03-2015, 01:03 PM
5
Re: Andy Fraser (Free)
Koss was never free of the drugs. After All Right Now there was so much pressure on the band and `The Stealer` was not the hit some wanted.The music industry brings fame but at a price-Have a cigar-Pink Floyd
And this;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f28xMqEceQA
19-03-2015, 09:51 AM
7
Re: Andy Fraser (Free)
Oh no. Hadnt heard about it. I loved FREE my fav group in the late 60's and 1970's.
RIP AndyWent to see them lots of times and got all the LP's. Have all their
autographs and used to chat with them. Even sat on the stage with
them at Bradford at one of their concerts. I used to do that often
don't know how I wasn't chucked off
Really sad news and will have a little tear for him. That's two of
the four gone now. Only Paul and Simon left. Boo Hoo.
19-03-2015, 10:45 AM
8
Re: Andy Fraser (Free)
I was working as a messenger at the Evening Standard and already into blues music when Mike, a clerk in our department came in one day with Tons of Sobs - Free's first LP.He asked me if I wanted it because he didn't like it!
WANTED IT?!
I was earning £6 10/6 a week and it was costing me train and tube fair to and from work so I didn't have a lot so buying records was well down the list; an LP back then was at least 35 bob!
I had an old Dansette and I played that with all my other Blues and Stones stuff - loved it.
I went to see free at the Roundhouse, Chalk Farm and a lot of my contemporaries at the time said Free were a bit dark yet one of my favourites from Fire & Water is Heavy Load - I can't hear it know of course but here is the first few lines: -
Just a young man, by an old road
By the route he choose.
An ancient song, in an old tongue
For this man was sung.
Oh I'm carrying a heavy load
Can't go no further down this long road
It's a heavy load...
I s'pose I was a bit moody even then but this song still runs through my head all the time.
I was once working as a beer roadie at a gig somewhere, (paid in beer & tips only!), in London somewhere when Free were also on the bill and I saw Andy and heard him warming-up.
I was a drummer and I can definitely say that I envied Simon Kirke - I still remember it now - what a great bassist he was. stevmk2
|
|
