Freur

Freur is the name of the second band (following the art school collaboration, The Screen Gemz) of Karl Hyde and Rick Smith, who went on to found the successful electronic act Underworld. The band was formed in the early 1980s in Cardiff, Wales by Hyde, Smith and Alfie Thomas. It originally had only a graphic 'squiggle' for a name. In 1983, after recruiting John Warwicker and drummer Bryn Burrows (formerly of the Fabulous Poodles), they got a reco... more

Freur is the name of the second band (following the art school collaboration, The Screen Gemz) of Karl Hyde and Rick Smith, who went on to found the successful electronic act Underworld. The band was formed in the early 1980s in Cardiff, Wales by Hyde, Smith and Alfie Thomas. It originally had only a graphic 'squiggle' for a name. In 1983, after recruiting John Warwicker and drummer Bryn Burrows (formerly of the Fabulous Poodles), they got a recording contract with, CBS Records, and met the label's insistence on a pronounceable name, with the compromise that the squiggle was pronounced Freur. Their first and only hit single (number 59 in the UK Singles Chart), was "Doot Doot" (1983). It was recorded and co-produced by Alex Burak at The Point studio in London, which was controlled by Rupert Merton of Point Music publishing. Merton (who also had an early version of the Thompson Twins on his roster of artists) signed Freur. The band released five further tracks after "Doot Doot", between... less