Freezepop own Liz Enthusiasm
Interview conducted October 11, 2020
By Dan Locke
Funded by the band’s dedicated fanbase through Kickstarter, the new Freezepop album Fantasizer finds the band back with their first LP since 2010’s Imaginary Friends
Liz Enthusiasm, The Duke of Pannekoeken, and The Other Sean T. Drinkwater
What is your upbringing?
Liz E.: indie normal/sheltered suburban childhood.
How did you discover music?
My parents have always been big music fans, so I definitely grew up around it.
How did you start to write music?
I just write the lyrics, generally when we first started, I would write some lyrics and hand them off to The Duke, and he would rearrange them and make a song out of it.
How did the band get together?
The Duke was putting together a synthpop band, and he knew he wanted a female vocalist, and a mutual friend recommended me. And Sean happened to answer the phone when the Duke was calling me, and they already knew each other from the Boston scene.
How did you get your name?
My house had a 4th of July party one year and got a freezer full of freezepops the day before, but they didn’t freeze in time for the party, so we were basically eating freezepops for the rest of the summer. So, it was sort of a joke but then we realized, it was a pretty appropriate name for our kind of music.
What was your first performance at like? And how was it to meet Richard Simmons at the first show?
Our first show was Valentine’s day party at a friend’s house, it was fun but I was very nervous!
And I actually met Richard Simmons at LAX when we were flying back from our first tour in California. It was like 6 am, and I was half-asleep but Sean pointed him out to me, and I freaked out! He was SO NICE and funny! I miss that guy; I hope he’s doing OK.
What makes a good songwriter?
I don’t know, there’s some kind of magic to it.
What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?
It was called “Secret Admirer”, I was in kind of a 60s girl group project. There were cassettes of it somewhere…
We have all heard of a guitar army. Is there a keyboard army?
There’s a keytar army.
How did you feed the first time you heard your music on TV?
Our first album was licensed in Spain, so they invited us onto Spanish TV to perform a few songs, which was exciting and pretty surreal!
How was it to heard your music at NASA? Did NASA give you any warning that they were playing your music?
Oh, we actually played a show there! They invited us because they were throwing a big party for “Yuri’s Night”, it was the anniversary of the first Cosmonaut in space. That was definitely another surreal moment.
Why did you decide to do a kickstart program to produce your new CD “Fantasizer”?
We had tried self-releasing our albums and had also tried being on a label, and Kickstarter seemed like a good way to bridge the gap so we could connect with fans directly, and have some financial help to support the project.
What did the kickstart backer get for helping out?
There were all sorts of reward tiers, we wanted to throw in more crazy/unique items in there as well, just to make it more special and personalized than just buying a cd.
Why did you use Fantasizer as the title?
It kinda fit with the mood of the album, and we generally have gone for alliteration in our album titles.
What is your favorite track on the album?
Probably “Heat Lightning Hott”
How was this album different from your first album?
Our first album was much more minimal and blippy. (Also, I was definitely a worse singer back then.) The first album does have a kind of naive charm about it, but I’m really loving how our band has evolved.
How do you stay healthy while touring?
It’s hard! Especially as we get older! We just try to make sure to eat fairly well, do lots of stretching (because sitting in a van all day will mess you up) and not go too crazy after the show. And stay hydrated!!
What are you’re feeling about streaming music?
There is a growing awareness that Spotify etc are just totally screwing over musicians, and so I’m really happy that Bandcamp is getting more popular, as a good option for the convenience of streaming but also making sure that artists are fairly compensated.
Digital vs. vinyl?
Both! Our new vinyl release comes with a download code, because you obviously can’t bring the vinyl everywhere with you.
What are your feelings about the social uprising going on in the United States?
Anxiety! I mean a lot of the uprising seems pretty necessary (I mean people fighting for their basic civil rights, not like incels or neo-Nazis or conspiracy nuts) but it’s still a painful process.
What is the mental health situation of the United State? How can the public help the doctors and nurses on the front line?
a) NOT GOOD b) BELIEVE SCIENCE.
Do you think kids should go back to school?
I’d say probably not until there’s a vaccine and/or better treatments.
In Canada, they just released a new Covid-19 vaccine school child which get rid of the invasive nasal swab and instead ask kids to gargle and spit. Now this is for children only. Should, this also be given to adults?
If it’s effective, then sure, more options for testing can only make the situation better.
Studies are showing that because of COVID-19 many students who were ready for college have decide to hold off because many schools are doing virtual school and changing the same amount for school as they would for on campus classes. Do you think the colleges should give some type of discount to these students?
Yeah, they should. College is really about the experience of it, learning to live on your own, etc. But doing virtual schooling is definitely the best situation at this time. We’re based in Boston, and there are soooo many colleges here, and we’re thankful that *most* of them have decided to do it remotely.
What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?
I mostly just have our music in my head right now, since we’ve been doing so much with it. It will be nice to get some other tunes in rotation again eventually!
Your last show was on May 18, which was postponed, because of the virus. What were you thinking at the that time?
That was a real bummer, because we were supposed to be opening for Heaven 17, who are synth-heroes of ours. I hope it’ll get rescheduled eventually.
How do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?
It’s going to hit hardest for the music venues. So many of them have closed already, there’s barely any government support for them, it’s so sad. Even when we can eventually start playing again, half the venues will be gone, and anything that remains will be booked up with postponed shows for the foreseeable future, it’s going to be REALLY DIFFICULT to go on tour for a very long time.
What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?
Mostly getting this record ready.
Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
I haven’t really done much baking like a lot of people, I guess I started growing more plants?
95% of people said that they have changed the way they watch television. This includes people who don’t have television and using their computers to do streaming of programs and movies. Which is your favorite streaming channel?
I don’t really have a favorite, I kinda switch between all of them.
Many artists are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. In October that is going to change at least on Facebook. Facebook is cracking down on livestreamed shows that include recorded music with new terms of service, preventing artists from using the platform for “commercial or non-personal” purposes, unless they have obtained the relevant licenses.
The updated music guidelines state that users “may not use videos on our products [which include Instagram] to create a music listening experience […] This will includes [Facebook] Live,” and stipulates that such content should be posted for the enjoyment of friends and family only.
How do you think this will change the landscape of Facebook?
Yeahhhh, it’s kind of a nightmare. We’re definitely leaning more towards Twitch now. We’re still figuring out if/how we can play together since we’re all pretty cautious about quarantining, so it might not even be too much of an issue for us. But yeah, it’s a shitty move on Facebook’s part, just because they don’t want to pay for some music licensing.
How can bands keep their fans if they cannot play live in front of the fans and sell merch to them at the show?
It’s hard! I mean, just being more active on social media, and like I had already mentioned, Bandcamp is really stepping up, especially with Bandcamp Fridays. But I really do miss that personal connection you feel at a show.
Are you going to vote by mail or in person? Did you know that Live Nation Activates Concert Venues as Polling Places and Promotes Voting Engagement among Fans and Employees?
Probably by mail, I’m just grateful we live in a part of the country that doesn’t make it unnecessarily difficult for people to vote. That’s great about the Live Nation venues, I didn’t know that!
What about Holographic concerts in our living room?
I mean, I’d give it a shot.
If you can’t do music what would you like to be doing?
Well I consider myself more of a designer than a musician anyway.
Anything you would like to say in closing.
Thanks to our fans, for sticking with us for so many years!
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