Thirty-three years after the convergence of a hair-frosting fad and a refrigerator brand, the name "Frijid Pink" has once again re-emerged above the musical radar. In it's fifth incarnation since 1969, the newly reformed group has completed the first full-length Frijid Pink album to come out in twenty-eight years. "Inner Heat" features nine new tracks and a re-make of their very first single, "God Gave Me You," - a crowd-pleasing, arm-waving rock anthem that sold 15,000 copies locally in just two weeks...... in 1969 but was pulled from rotation by London Records to release the band's one-hit wonder, "House of the Rising Sun."
Frijid Pink gained international attention from their version of 'House' which was an un-rehearsed one-take from the last four minutes of a recordiing session. The song wasn't meant for release but eventually sold 5 million copies, charted at #7 on Billboard and launched the band into international super-stardom - at least for a brief period. The band charted two more times in the early seventies and released four albums but never again broke the top twenty in the U.S. The arrival of disco in the mid-seventies signaled the death of the band who were unable or unwilling to sacrifice their sound to the new dance fad.
But in mid 2001, bassist Terry Stafford, who'd joined a version of the group in the late seventies, approached the band's original manager, Clyde Stevers (Frijid Pink, Toby Redd, Outer Drive), to discuss the possibility of a resurrection. Stafford, who's chronicled the history of Frijid Pink and the early Detroit rock scene for us in his "Motor City Flashbacks" articles, was convinced by interest from record labels in Europe that the band still had a market. Stevers agreed and they set out to recreate the group.
Frijid Pink's new line-up consists of former Step One recording artists, Fate Dotson (vocals) and Randy Mac (guitar) who enjoyed some success in Nashville and Canada with the band Gunslinger; Terry Stafford (bass) and Tim Aaron (keys) who are both Frijid Pink alumnus from the mid seventies and Bill Gordon (drums) who played with Savage Grace. The band entered a New Hudson studio in 2001 and spent several months writing and recording the tracks that would become "Inner Heat."
Pink Unlimited, the band's management company, has been shopping the recording for a deal and has already attracted interest from representatives with Polydor and Epic records as well as a few smaller labels both foreign and domestic. Tentative plans for a short tour to stretch the band's live muscles, coupled with a limited distribution release to test market reaction, are on hold until the lawyers give the word. Final release information will be forthcoming.
Look for a full review of Frijid Pink's "Inner Heat" very soon - exclusively from Michiganbands.com
- Mitch Phillips