Oxford Lives - Episode 77 with Phil and Pete Fryer

In this special episode of Oxford Lives we interview one of the city's first families: the Fryers. Phil and Pete Fryer have been at the forefront of the Oxford music scene for over fifty years, both as performers and promoters. But their story really starts when their father Bobby (born Robert Freisinger) fled his native Austria in 1938, taking the Kindertransport to Great Britain. After a stint with the Scottish Regiment, which included acting as a translator during interrogations of Nazi officers, Bobby returned to Britain and met his wife, Margaret. Following a brief period living in Wales, the couple moved to Oxford, with Bobby taking a job at the Morris Motors factory. He rose to become the leading shop steward and a highly effective union leader, admired by fellow workers and respected by management. A highly cultured and principled man, Bobby passed his values onto his sons, as they grew up on the Florence Park estate. By their mid-teens, the boys had discovered their true passion, music, which they pursue to this day. In this episode, Phil and Pete talk about their father's legacy, their roller coaster musical journey, and how it all came together in Phil's play The Free Singer, which explores their unique family history.

LINKS:

Phil Fryer Music:

https://freizinger.co.uk

The Mighty Redox:

https://themightyredox.co.uk

Mighty Redox songs:

https://themightyredox.bandcamp.com/track/sweet-zombie-horse-3

The Free Singer:

https://www.thefreesinger.uk

Free Singer songs:

https://themightyredox.bandcamp.com/album/the-free-singer-the-songs-live

The Pete Fryer Band:

https://www.petefryerband.net

Klub Kakofanney:

https://www.klubkakofanney.co.uk