Entertainment Magazine On-Line (EMOL) presents

JANE WIEDLIN
is froSTed

By Tina Alvarez

Jane Wiedlin is enthusiastic about her new band, froSTed. The former GoGo, a co-founding member who penned the single "Our Lips Are Sealed" for the pioneering popular all-girl group, has been busy writing a slew of numbers on her own. So many, in fact, after three solo albums, this vocalist/guitarist decided to get a band together of her own.

She recruited guitarist John Lowery, drummer/vocalist Lance Porter and bassist Sean DeMott, and in the short time they've been together, they've released a two-song indie debut, "Bed," on Sugarfixx Recordings with the title song and "Call Me Crazy."

"I know the two-song cassette is really a teaser," she said. "That's kind of why we made the little single, almost as a calling card to let people know, 'Hey, here we are.' "

In order to get that message across, froSTed played a number of gigs on their own, and then joined the Big Audio Dynamite Tour in the fall of last year.

"The last few months I've just been doing froSTed, so it's beeen pretty focused and in that four months I've actually changed the entire band except for me. The band I have now is the permanent line-up," she explained. "The good thing was that I already had a bunch of songs. I had them learn the songs and we took off from there. Another good thing is that everywhere we played, every club wanted us to come back right away."

Wiedlin said she chose the name froSTed because she liked the way it sounded. I queried her about the unusual spelling and she burst into giggles.

"Oh, you mean the 'ST.' It's just kind of a silly joke. It's just because I'm a Star Trek nerd," she admitted, laughing even harder. "I like the 'Next Generation' and 'Deep Space Nine.' It's kind of funny, because my bank thinks I'm such a dork -- I am a dork -- I admit it."

As far as the band sound goes, Wiedlin said she is aiming for a punkier groove that she was doing back in the late '70s, as opposed to the more pop feel found on her solo albums. She also said she had no preconceived ideas in choosing her all-male band.

"I would love to have another girlin the band, to be truthful," she explained, "but these are just the people that were available that seemed to suit the style and we go along and everything. I think I would have been just as happy with girls or guys."

Having been around the music scene for a spell, how does Wiedlin look back on her days with the GoGos?

"Very fondly," she said without hesitation. "For a long time all of us dwelled more on the unpleasant things -- the horrible break-up, the drugs and the drama. Now, I think, all of us feel like 'God, we had something really amazing, really special.' That's why people loved us. There was something there, musically and personality-wise.

"You know, I'm a lot more into talking abut the GoGos than I was a few years ago," she continued. "We've kind-of promised to work together again. It's just a question of when."

For the present, froSTed is committed letting their presence be known, getting a record deal and to start recording the reserve of songs in stock.

And, on a parting note:

"Well, let me just say hi to all my fellow Internet-ees," she relayed quite enthusiastically, "--- and all my cyberspace cadets! I love my computer. Every second you want to be on-line!"beengirl in
dtofroSTedthat after some prodding. Wiedlin's seductive, airy vocals grace "Bed," while driving percussion and chunky bass line permeate "Call Me Crazy."



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