WINTER SOLSTICE (THE SNOWMAN CAME INSIDE)
Movie Premiere on 4th December 2006
Last year you heard it, now you can see it, and own it! ‘Winter Solstice’ tells the story of a cheeky snowman who escapes from the cold weather for a nip of sloe gin with disastrous results. It is available as an iTunes (audio) download single on 04/12/2006 from Sorted Records and as a mail-order DVD via this website from the same date.
The song’s accompanying film is a traditional animation in the style of those Polish cartoons we all used to love seeing on TV in the 1970s! The Freed Unit’s Matt Kerry shot it on super 8, and all the characters and sets are crafted from paper. All initial copies of the DVD come with an original piece of artwork from the film.
Winter Solstice will also be premiered on YouTube on the day of the single’s release. ***Update*** Now available here.
Keen filmmakers, The Freed Unit have made numerous films to accompany their songs over their 10-year career, and plan to release a long-form DVD of these movies early in 2007.
THE HORROR ALBUM
A new song by The Freed Unit entitled ‘The Horror Album’ features on the Sorted Records compilation CD of Leicester bands called Hollow Smoke, which is also released on 04/12/2006 and distributed by Shellshock.
So if you’re after that elusive warm and fuzzy feeling you used to experience at Yuletide years ago, curl up beside a log fire, help yourself to a mince pie and tune into YouTube to see 'Winter Solstice', or buy the DVD.
Best Wishes,
Ron Stark &
The Freed Unit
Greetings From Ron Stark - Spring 2006
Hello one and all. This is your honourable friend, Ron A Stark here, reporting on behalf of The Freed Unit. You may have wondered why I’ve been so quiet over the past 12 months… If you must know, I’ve been incarcerated at Tall Cedars for what’s known as a ‘rest cure’. I think it was listening to the unreleased classic album Straitjacket that caused it.
Freeds Play Live!
Anyway, enough of my problems, you’re here to catch up on The Freeds. You’ll be pleased to know, they’ve been relatively active since my ‘holiday’.
As some of you may be aware, those talented Unit boys, emerged from their semi-retirement to play at the Sorted Records 10th Anniversary gig, upstairs at The Charlotte in Leicester in October 2005. Their short set included 2 new songs, ‘Hex Marks The Spot’ and ‘Throwing Ashes At The Moon’, which have also been recorded for future release.
Freed Xmas Song
Those of you who logged on to this website over the period of last ‘Winter Solstice’ would have been tickled to hear a song of that very name on the downloads page. ‘Winter Solstice (The Snowman Came Inside)’ is a very moving seasonal ditty about an icy fellow whose downfall comes due to a drop of homemade Sloe Gin. It will return to the downloads page later this year, along with a video. Here are just a few of the responses to the song:
“Thanks matt...the track is heart-warming!!!”
Richard (Hood)
“Quite lovely - Cheers !!” Philm Riot
“Nice! Glad to hear sleigh bells a-ringin'” Martin, Blur FC
Matt Freed is currently compiling clips and movies for a planned Freed Unit DVD. It should be ready later this year.
Freed Collectibles
Finally, did any of you see the latest edition of the Record Collector Rare Record Price Guide, 2006? There are 4 rare Freed Unit releases listed, including the Masonic Youth EP valued at silly money… Don’t sell it, kids, or you won’t have the necessary cheerful/melancholic soundtrack for the spring.
Free(d) CDs
The ex director of the Ecstatic label has informed me that some more copies of the split Freed Unit/Seksuroba EP are on their way to Blighty. If you want a free copy, please get in touch. (Presuming they turn up!)
Yours, Ron.
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