Glass Tiger - Alan Frew
 
Glass Tiger is a staple of Canadian of the Canadian Music scene. They are a band that never went away after the 80's and took a shot at resurrection in the 21st century, as we are seeing with many bands in this new musical era. What you have with Glass Tiger, is a band that over the years, matured, pursued many different avenues of the music and entertainment business. You can catch Alan Frew on the stage in Toronto, in a rendition of Snow White and the Group of Seven, with former Canadian Idols, Billy Klippert, Gary Beals, and winner of season #1 Ryan Malcolm. Sam Reid has been a collaborator with great talents like Rik Emmett. And now, in this new century, Glass Tiger has brought new music to the table. I was lucky enough to get some time in with Alan Frew, and we had a wonderful, if not too short discussion about himself, and Glass Tiger. Read on and enjoy!!!
Toe: So Alan, welcome. Festival season is winding down in Canada. Did Glass Tiger get involved with any shows over the summer?

Alan: We did a ton of gigs over the summer. The funny thing is, that once we start playing a bunch, I forget which ones we have done. We played a lot in Saskatchewan, Edmonton. Did a few club dates, and of course played for the Canada Day celebration.

Toe: Let's go way back here, and talk a bit about the predecessor of Glass Tiger, Tokyo. What were the gigging days of that band like?

Alan: The animal was very much the same. You are still hungry, and looking for success. We were literally living hand to mouth. You have bar owners that do not want to pay you after a gig. One night you are in Chatham, the next in Niagara Falls. They did not really care that there was a lot of distance between gigs, and that the funds to get there were minimal. They just wanted you there to perform, and help them sell liquor. Not really different than how it is for new bands these days.

Toe: Although in the early days, with Tokyo bar owners wanted bands playing top 40 covers, did you ever perform any of the music that made it to the Thin Red Line album with Glass Tiger?

Alan: We sure did. We did songs like You're what I look For, Ecstasy, and Thin Red Line. But of course, the bar owners did not want bands coming in playing originals. They were out to sell beer, and wanted whatever was on the Top 40 charts. So, when we would submit a set list, we would add a song like You're What I Look For, and say it was by a great band out of England called Thin Red Line. We would perform them, and people would love it. It kept everyone happy.

Toe: What was it like working with Jim Vallance on your debut record? What kind of impact did he have on the production of Thin Red Line?

Alan: He is brilliant. A consummate musician. He was able to learn from us as well. We had an amazing relationship in the studio. He had the ability to help us with arrangement and edit songs. Be able to point out things like "You do not need that bridge there". A master.

Toe: How much did life change overnight, with the Thin Red Line album going 4 times Platinum in Canada as well as Gold in the US?

Alan: Part of you is in awe. Personally, I had been involved in the bar scene for about 10 years at that point. I felt that good hard work ethic, things will eventually take off. Part of it is payoff for solid work. But then, having jets flying you around, and crews working for you, it blows your mind.

Toe: Michael Hanson, the original drummer in Glass Tiger made a hasty exit from the band. Why did he leave so quickly, with Tiger on such an upward trend?

Alan: Michael's stay in the band was short, as he was in the wrong sort of position within the band for himself. Michael was foremost a singer and front-man. He felt he needed to be a front-man, and we did not hold him back.

Toe: It seems there are a lot of bands from the 80's staging some sort of reunion or comeback over the last couple of years. Yet, with Glass Tiger, it seems more like a rebirth, or a project that has never really ended, but evolved. What is your view on that?

Alan: This band has never vanished or become redundant. No one had to lift us off the shelf for a nostalgic go-round. I have 2 solo albums, I have written themes for the World Hockey Championships, and have a corporate band to write music. The other guys have other projects and interests outside of Glass Tiger. As a band, we have always remained friends. Tiger has always been out doing an occasional date. There is no pressure, and things feel the same now as it did in the beginning.

Toe: Alan, I read a quote from you once long ago. When you were in medical school, and being pressured to live the life of a musician, did you actually say "I will join your band, but I will never go out on the road"? If so, all these years later, what do you have to say for yourself?

Alan: (laughs) The famous last words. It was a result of the classic case of student loans to pay off, and giving up jobs. I had a great game plan. I wanted to become a surgeon in fact. Then, Glass Tiger hit, and I went in an entirely different direction.

Toe: Will we be seeing you out West soon?

Alan: We played the Commodore out there not too long ago, in the Spring. It was one of the best gigs of my life. Like I said before, we are not rehashing the past. We found out that we had sold the place out. There was such a mixed group of people in the room that night. you could look out in the crowd and see these 20-22 year olds, and they were loving the music. They were totally into it. While we were in the dressing room, Jim Vallance and his wife came in to say hello and all that. But they had to apologize that they would only be there for a few tunes, and would have to leave. they wound up staying for the whole show! He came back after and told us it was one of the best gigs he had ever seen.

Toe: Glass Tiger released a new CD and DVD this year, both named No Turning back. The CD is a compilation of your greatest hits, as well as two new tracks, No Turning Back and Give It Away. The DVD is a compilation of your video's with some great humour involved in the commentary by the band. Was it difficult to select what material went to these projects?

Alan: Well, the previous videos were not in digital format. So, it made sense to move everything over to digital. The song selection was not too hard to come up with. 2005 was the 25th anniversary of Glass Tiger, and we really wanted to see if people would still be interested in this stuff, and how they would respond. It worked out very well for us. Now, we are inspired to go back into the studio, perhaps this winter, and record a new CD as well as perhaps a new DVD.

Toe: I am going to give my honest opinion on the two new tracks that are on the CD and DVD. Feel free to disagree with me if I am off base. I feel a sense of a band that is grown up, moving forward, with some great hooks and melodies being written, right up there on par with bands like U2. Not that it sounds like U2, but the anthemic nature of the choruses, the hooks, are great, as well as the production.

Alan: What I hear myself, is a band that is exactly where it should be right now. Mature, and finely tuned. I agree with you fully.

Toe: The DVD. I suggest people watch it WITH commentary turned on the first time .It gives a whole new perspective of the attitude of the band, the humour and stories. How long did it take to go through the whole set of videos to do the commentary? Nice pizza delivery by the way (you have to watch the DVD)

Alan: Surprisingly, not very long. It was like 4 guys sitting on the couch with a case of beer shooting the shit. We did a few edits of the first couple of vids, as we seemed to warm up and get more in-depth and less forced after a few videos. A really good time actually.

Toe: What is next Alan. As Glass Tiger and in your solo career?

Alan: Well, there is a play beginning in November named Snow White and the Group of Seven. That will take me into December, and then, perhaps back to the studio for a new album.

Toe: Alan, thank you for taking the time to talk to me. I hope we can do this again soon. Good luck in all of your endeavors.

Alan: Thank you, and you are welcome