R.I.P. James Freud

Like so many of you out there, I was shocked and saddened to hear of the death of The Models front man James Freud.

It appears that he committed suicide after a long battle with alcohol. His struggles were well documented in his memoirs, but it’s still shocking to hear that he’s gone.

“It is with much sorrow that we share the news of the passing of James Freud,” a statement from Mushroom Music read. “James Freud passed away this morning. James’ battle with alcoholism has been well chronicled. His two books on his recovery and five years sobriety were bestsellers and gave a lot of people who were suffering the same affliction comfort and hope. Unfortunately, James has succumbed to his disease and taken his own life this morning.”

I remember feeling his absence while watching The Models being inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame last weekend. What a shame he wasn’t there to take that final bow.

The Models back catalogue was exhaustive, but “Out of Mind, Out of Sight” was always my favourite track. It’s a predictable choice I suppose, but there’s a reason why radio flogs these songs. Sometimes they’re just that good.

So I wanted to post it and remember James in better times. If you’ve got any fond memories of The Models or James, please share them.

The Models Together Again

They’ve been out of sight for a few years, but The Models are making a comeback! The 1980s rock outfit featuring Sean Kelly and James Freud will reunite for some shows next week to celebrate their 30th anniversary.

Expect to hear big hits like “Out of Mind, Out of Sight,” “I Hear Motion,” and “Barbados” when they play Melbourne’s The Prince Bandroom on September 25 and Sydney’s The Gaelic Club on September 27.

It will be the band’s first shows since they played the Countdown Spectacular in 2006, and the first time they’ve done their own shows in eight years. There’s no word yet on whether these shows will be one ofs or whether there’s more to follow, but I’ll keep you posted! Until then here’s a clip for all you old fans, or the young ones who have no idea what I’m talking about!

Australian Music Heaven at Mudgee

A Day on the Green is heading back to Mudgee with a massive Aussie lineup. Fresh from their comeback tour, The Angels will join the Hoodoo Gurus as co-headliners for the October 18 show at Oatley Wines.

But the classic Aussie artists don’t stop there, with The Models and Dragon (well, they’re adopted Australians, right?) also on the bill.

The day will kick off with local Mudgee outfit McGee.

You won’t see a lineup this good in some time, so it’s definitely worth a road trip. You can grab your tickets from Ticketmaster on August 1.

Image source: The Arris @ Flickr