James Freud dead at 51.

[Leaping Lindner]

Undercover has heard that James Freud, the singer with Models, has taken his life in his Melbourne home this morning.
Freud was noticeably absent when his band Models were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame last week. Sean Kelly commented that James “had fallen off the bike”.
In his autobiography, Freud described his life as “not without a few old-fashioned rock’n’roll excesses”.
He had a long-term battle with alcoholism and recounted those battles in his two books.
Freud was 51-years old.

http://www.undercover.fm/news/12648-mod ... ts-suicide

I just saw his two sons' band play on saturday night and thought it was odd he wasn't there as he usually went. RIP James. Another Ballroom original gone.

[southee]

I am seriously shocked at this news.

I have both of James books and they are amazing. My favorite bio's ever.

I sent James mesages via Myspace and he always replied to me without fail.

RIP James

.....Im still a bit shellshocked at this news.

[CK]

Terrible news. I had also read one of the books and wondered how he was coping with his battles, but didn't think for a minute this would happen. As LL said, another of the Ballroom regulars gone. I was obviously too young to be part of the Ballroom scene, but have read plenty about it over the years and it must have been an influential, decadent, jumbled, yet creative, amazing scene to have been a part of.

Very saddened indeed to read this.

[zipzap]

Shocked and saddened by this. Watched the Models play the other night and as you say he was definitely conspicuous by his absence. Was only talking about him with Mrs ZZ last night! I know some thought the Models went downhill when he joined but I always liked his work and the way he complemented Sean Kelly.

Arrghh dammit. That sucks so much. RIP James.

[southee]

Don't forget James was a pretty successful solo artist with the Teenage Radio Stars before he joined the Models.

Modern Girl their most played and famous track,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMtVWnUGGyc

So sad to watch it too......

[zipzap]

This is my favourite James Freud Models track and one of the highlights from Australian Made movie, along with The Saints' Ghost Ships and Triffids' Wide Open Road
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C22wBhlRlg8

[Hondo]

Are singers of Australian bands from the 70s/80s cursed? James Freud, Matt Moffitt, Michael Hutchence, Marc Hunter, Guy McDonough, Shirley Strachan.

This is very sad news. I wasn't a massive fan but if you followed music in the 80s you knew about The Models and James Freud.

[southee]

This is my favourite James Freud Models track and one of the highlights from Australian Made movie, along with The Saints' Ghost Ships and Triffids' Wide Open Road
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C22wBhlRlg8

My favorite to ZZ.....awesome track that gets on alot of my iPod mixes

[godoubleblues]

This is my favourite James Freud Models track and one of the highlights from Australian Made movie, along with The Saints' Ghost Ships and Triffids' Wide Open Road
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C22wBhlRlg8

My favorite to ZZ.....awesome track that gets on alot of my iPod mixes

yep, good song and film clip, great trio of legs as well

[zipzap]

If you're interested and haven't heard it, I thoroughly recommend this 2007 interview he did with Richard Fidler from DAAS
http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/201 ... 058258.htm?

Fascinating, funny, very sad stuff.

One interesting thing I never knew before this week was the link between Models and Gary Numan. But I bought a 1981 Numan album at Vinylpalooza this week and noticed that Roger Mason (from a latter incarnation of Models) played keys on it. OK I thought, that's interesting. Then in the above interview James Freud was retelling how he became friendly with Gary Numan (there were gay accusations at the time apparently) and even ended up living in a caravan with him in the UK! I guess that's how Mason and Freud hooked up initially?

Over to you LL?

[southee]

If you're interested and haven't heard it, I thoroughly recommend this 2007 interview he did with Richard Fidler from DAAS
http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/201 ... 058258.htm?

Fascinating, funny, very sad stuff.

One interesting thing I never knew before this week was the link between Models and Gary Numan. But I bought a 1981 Numan album at Vinylpalooza this week and noticed that Roger Mason (from a latter incarnation of Models) played keys on it. OK I thought, that's interesting. Then in the above interview James Freud was retelling how he became friendly with Gary Numan (there were gay accusations at the time apparently) and even ended up living in a caravan with him in the UK! I guess that's how Mason and Freud hooked up initially?

Over to you LL?

Great interview!!! Weird listening to it.

[Leaping Lindner]

As I remember it James Freud and the Radio Stars supported Numan on his 1980 tour of Australia. Numan was supposedly blown away and invited Freud back to London to record an album with him. He grabbed the chance - as you would - but apparently Numan far from being a "rock star" was a boring mummy's boy who still lived at home (thus the staying in the caravan) and was a pain to record with. It didn't end well and as far as I know the tapes of these sessions have never surfaced.

[Leaping Lindner]

FWIW this is my fav song of The Freud era Models.
"I have this recurring dream where I am in control....."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClBu6Pxb-PQ

[Dogwatcher]

As I remember it James Freud and the Radio Stars supported Numan on his 1980 tour of Australia. Numan was supposedly blown away and invited Freud back to London to record an album with him. He grabbed the chance - as you would - but apparently Numan far from being a "rock star" was a boring mummy's boy who still lived at home (thus the staying in the caravan) and was a pain to record with. It didn't end well and as far as I know the tapes of these sessions have never surfaced.

Who was the 'virginal' popstar of the day Freud was supposed to be seeing at the time of all of this?

"Here in my caravan"

[zipzap]

FWIW this is my fav song of The Freud era Models.
"I have this recurring dream where I am in control....."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClBu6Pxb-PQ

LOL, I got up this morning singing that chorus around the kitchen. One of those tunes that just sticks in your head. Like Little Spanish Flea..oh, no..not again....AAARRGGH! (*whistles*)

[MatteeG]

Dare I say Out of sight but not out of mind...

[Strawb]

It was such a shame he passed away at such a young age.

[zipzap]

Just returned from Marion Market where I got Out of Mind Out of Sight on LP signed by all the Models, plus James Freud's Breaking Silence LP - near mint and supposedly hard to come by - for a buck apiece