- Frazier Mohawk
Frazier Mohawk (born Barry Friedman, 1941, in
Los Angeles ) is an American record producer and sometime photographer, publicist, circus owner and farmer.Friedman attended the
Happy Valley School in California. He then spent time working in circuses and as a photographer, living in France for a period. In 1962 he returned to Los Angeles, becoming a radio show producer. He also became a publicist, handling the press conferences forThe Beatles around theirHollywood Bowl performance in 1964.He went on to work for
the Troubadour club, becoming friendly withStephen Stills , and helping him put together a new group, which becameBuffalo Springfield . Friedman was driving the car with Stills andRichie Furay which passed on Sunset Boulevard the hearse carryingNeil Young andBruce Palmer from Canada, a meeting which led to the formation of the band. As their de facto manager, he got the Springfield to tour with theByrds , subsequently becoming involved in the Byrds’ own work. He also started to work as an independent producer, withPaul Butterfield , Kaleidoscope, theHoly Modal Rounders and others. Notably, he producedNico ’s album withJohn Cale , "The Marble Index".By this time, Friedman had decided to change his name to Frazier Mohawk. Around the same time the stresses of living in the city led him, supported and funded by Elektra boss
Jac Holzman , to build a studio and mountain retreat atPaxton Lodge in northern California. This was a centre for creative endeavours but, according to Holzman, relatively little usable output. Mohawk also met and married singer Sandra Hurvitz, who had previously recorded withFrank Zappa , and who now changed her name toEssra Mohawk . He subsequently produced her albums.By the mid 1970s, burned out by the music business, he moved to Canada, producing a few obscure acts and becoming seriously ill for a period. After his recovery he established and ran his own travelling circus for several years. Eventually he settled at Puck’s Farm north of Toronto, developing it as an attraction for families, and also including a recording studio.
External links
* [http://www.pucksfarm.com/studio/frazier.htm Official website for Frazier Mohawk and Puck's Farm]
* [http://perso.orange.fr/brad.spurgeon/fraz.HTM 1997 interview]
* [http://www.kingsentinel.com/news/2006/0823/news/003.html Crop circle at Puck's Farm, 2006]
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