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Alan Frew Pays Tribute to the 80s with new Covers Album – 80290 REWIND

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Alan Frew, the voice of multi-Platinum selling Canadian pop/rock legends Glass Tiger, is set to return with a new album offering his interpretations of some of the best-loved hit songs from the 1980s.  80290 Rewind, due out Nov. 6 (Black Box Music, iTunes, Spotify). The album is a 12-track collection featuring Frew’s take on such timeless gems as Simple Minds’ “Don’t You Forget About Me,” Paul Young’s “Every Time You Go Away,” Tears For Fears’ “Everybody Wants To Rule The World,” and Thompson Twins’ “Hold Me Now”. Pre-orders begin today.

Putting this album together was a labour of love for Frew. Inspired in part by his friend Rod Stewart’s The Great American Songbook series, Frew chose to take on the 1980s as a way of shining new light on some of his favourite material by ignoring the dated production values and focusing instead on the essence of each song. With this stripped down approach, 80290 Rewind is sure to provide a fresh perspective on an era to those who still remember it fondly.

“I am most proud of my achievement in ‘making these songs my own,’ of literally ‘owning’ them without taking any of the elements away from the originals that have made them so beloved and such a part of the fabric of our music scene,” Frew says. “The simple, yet exquisite production on this album serves only to show the well-crafted complexity of these marvelous pop songs from a time when melody reigned supreme.”  A five-time JUNO Award winner and Grammy nominee, Alan Frew is one of Canada’s most recognizable celebrities. He burst onto the scene with Glass Tiger in 1985, as their debut single, “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)” reached the #2 position on the Billboard Hot 100 in a year dominated by Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Lionel Richie and others. The band would go on to release two more top-selling albums by the turn of the decade, and embark on several world tours, including a memorable 1987 European jaunt as Tina Turner’s special guests.

Although Glass Tiger never officially stopped working, Frew has taken advantage of his time away from the band by recording two solo albums, 1994’s Hold On and 2000’s Wonderland, and co-writing with others. Some of the most notable songs that have resulted from these collaborations are Jonny Reid’s smash hit “Fire It Up,” as well as “I Believe,” selected as CTV’s official song for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, and “Free To Be,” which the Toronto Maple Leafs chose as their 2010 theme song.

In addition to these accomplishments, Frew established parallel careers as an actor and public speaker, the latter stemming from his best-selling book, The Action Sandwich: A Six Step Recipe To Success By Doing What You’re Already Doing.

Sadly, on the night of August 19, 2015, literally hours after recording his final vocal track for 80290 Rewind, Frew suffered a stroke that partially damaged the right side of his body. However, the 58-year-old went into immediate recovery mode with the help of his doctors and has kept his fans updated on his progress via social media. His intention is to be back in form to celebrate the release of the album and return to the stage by Christmas.

Here is Frew’s official statement on his health:

“I was content and satisfied that night knowing my voice had given EVERYTHING it had to give. I was equally content in knowing that I had left EVERYTHING my heart and body had to offer on the studio floor and so, exhausted and mentally drained, I eagerly headed for bed not knowing that I would awaken on August 20 to a world that for me would be forever and profoundly changed. Somewhere deep in the slumber of dreams… I suffered a stroke.”

“If it is at all possible for my vocals on this album to be even more meaningful to me, my quest to be THAT singer again after suffering this trauma has made it so. They say ‘little by little one walks far,’ and that ‘a thousand mile journey begins with a single first step’.”

“I have taken that step. See you on a stage near you soon.”

80290 Rewind Track Listing:

1. Don’t You Forget About Me
2. Human
3. Every Time You Go Away
4. Live To Tell
5. Everybody Wants To Rule The World
6. Someday
7. Hold Me Now
8. Nothing Compares 2 U
9. In Your Eyes
10. Missing You
11. Time After Time
12. Owner Of A Lonely Heart

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