Frenzy (album)

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Frenzy
Image:Frenzy.jpg
Studio album by Split Enz
Released	19 February 1979 (Australia) & (New Zealand), 1981 (UK), (US)
Recorded	The Manor Studios, England, November – December 1978
Genre	New Wave
Length	45:24
Label	Mushroom Records (AUS/NZ), A&M Records (UK/US)
Producer(s)	Mallory Earl, David Tickle, Split Enz
All Music Guide (4/5) link
Split Enz chronology
Dizrhythmia (1977)	Frenzy (1979)	True Colours (1980)

Frenzy is a 1979 album by New Zealand New Wave band Split Enz. The album, like much of the band's work, featured mainly Tim Finn compositions. Frenzy ventured even further beyond the band's art rock roots to more of a pop sound.

The album is notable for being the first to feature Neil Finn on lead vocals — though the lyrics to "Give It a Whirl" were written by his brother Tim.

The song "Abu Dhabi" created controversy due to the use of phrases such as "greedy westerners" and "oil barons", considered to be racist by some. As a result, the song's vocals were mixed softly, and the offensive lyrics were not printed anywhere on the album.

Dissatisfaction with the original mix of the album led to Eddie Rayner remixing the album in 1981 for the North American and British releases. Side one comprised songs from the original release, while side two was a mix of songs recorded on the Rootin' Tootin' Luton Tapes from 1978. The sound of the original album apparently suffered from either bad tape stock used for the recording of the album, or misalignment of the tape machines used to record it — which limited what Eddie Rayner had to work with in the aforementioned 1981 Re-mix.

Subsequent developments in recording technology led to the re-mix of album track "Stuff and Nonsense" for the 1997 Best of Compilation "Spellbound", and an entire re-mix of the album by Eddie Rayner released in early 2006. Release of the Rootin' Tootin' Luton Tapes has been mentioned as a possibility for release in 2007.

1 Track listing
2 1981 release
3 2006 release
4 Personnel
5 External links

[edit] Track listing

All tracks written by Tim Finn, except where noted.
"I See Red" was not included on the first 10, 000 copies of this album, having not been a part of the same sessions. It was added subsequently on 1 March 1979.

"I See Red"
"Give It a Whirl" (T. Finn, N. Finn)
"Master Plan"
"Famous People"
"Hermit McDermitt"
"Stuff and Nonsense"
"Marooned" (Rayner)
"Frenzy" (T. Finn, E. Rayner)
"The Roughest Toughest Game in the World"
"She Got Body She Got Soul"
"Betty"
"Abu Dhabi" (T. Finn, E. Rayner)
"Mind Over Matter" (T. Finn, N. Finn)

[edit] 1981 release

All tracks written by Tim Finn, except where noted.

"I See Red"
"Give It a Whirl" 1981 remix (T. Finn, N. Finn)
"Master Plan" 1981 remix
"Betty" 1981 remix
"Frenzy" 1981 remix (T. Finn, E. Rayner)
"Stuff & Nonsense" 1981 remix with spoken dedication
"Marooned" 1981 remix (Rayner)
"Hermit McDermott" Luton version
"Holy Smoke" Luton version (N. Finn)
"Semi-Detached" Luton version
"Carried Away" Luton version (N. Finn)
"She Got Body, She Got Soul" Luton version
"Mind Over Matter" Luton version (T. Finn, N. Finn)
"Livin' It Up" Luton version (N. Griggs / Split Enz)

Some bootleg versions of the A&M 1981 Frenzy also include b-sides "Message Boy", "Hypnotized" and rare "Next Exit" -- all recorded during the Luton sessions.
"Stuff & Nonsense" is preceded by a brief introduction by Tim Finn, who dedicates the song to the New Zealand All Blacks football team.