The victoria sponge to my brewing leaves…

Heres the new song I’ve put on my soundcloud

I recorded it yesterday/this morning with lots of precussion and boundless enthusiansm….which quickly waned as I did take after take on the keyboard (I’m a rubbish player.) A lot of the other tracks/instruments were thankfully done in one take. It’s another rough realisation but one day it would be great to get some proper recordings, particularly of tracks that sound entirely different live.

The song is called Leaves and Crumbs and is based on a cartoon that Alex has that says ‘You are the victoria sponge to my tea.’ He had a rough script that has yet to be filmed which says that ‘tea is cake’s love.’ After I put up a video about 5 mins after writing it someone on youtube said it sounds a bit like a nursery rhyme and needs more depth but to me this song is allowed to sound like a nursery rhyme. In a way its a metaphor about growing old with someone and hoping that they will love you despite the aging process – which is a simple thing. (I think anyway…)

Feel free to download and pass on if you wish.

On tuesday I’ll be playing at the Bulls Head at an event called Bazaar (part of Mosely Festival.) I’m not sure when I’m on but possibly near the end so hope to see you there.

Gearing up for Get Frank

The news in briefs (aka bulletpoints)

I’ve just finished my last bit of work for uni and now just have a dissertation proposal meeting (weds) and a 9am-5pm audition on tues to go.
Am about to launch a podcasting project on Burnfm.
Have been offered (and taken) the position of Generation Next Future Media Production Assistant for Channel 4 (more on that later.)
Have a featured open mic slot at The Phoenix, Coventry on Monday
Am preparing for my first gig with a full band at The Rainbow on Friday 29th May…

So firstly the ‘big gig…’ I’ve been dreaming of playing The Rainbow in Digbeth for over a year. It’s literally my favourite Brummie venue so I can’t believe I’m getting to play there. I’m playing with the wonderful Dan Smith, who I played at the Yardbird with in March. You can check out my myspace or my youtube if you’ve not heard my music before. All tracks on myspace are available to download for free! I’ve got five extra people helping me so expect glockenspiel, keyboards, guitars, drums, bongoes and a saxophone…

Also big thanks to all the lovely tweets about the Channel 4 internship I was very pleased too! I’m going to be focused on the Big Brother website and a few others I’ve not been told about yet. It’s my first proper paid internship so hopefully I won’t be too overdrawn at the end of summer like I was last year.

Hope to see you at the Rainbow on Friday!

Frank x

Having Waterworks…

The other day I went to Sainsburys in Selly Oak and saw a man (in VERY unflattering leggings) and his son cycling down a path on the other side of the road so I thought, aha! Perhaps a shortcut! So shopping on my arm I followed and discovered that the path actually led to the Birmingham and Fazeley canal.

Aha! (I thought again) I bet this takes me close to Raddlebarn road, which is close to the top of Heeley Road where I live. There was an exit where I expected, by the hospital but it was a locked gate and I couldn’t use it, therefore I had to walk a kilometer further to Bournville train station to find an exit from the canal towpath. This wasn’t an unpleasant walk at all, I loved the scenery, it was just the heavy shopping and the rather narrow towpath (with countless cyclists its quite hard to avoid falling into the water!) I’m also a bit nervous when I’m in an area where I can’t see an imminent exit and I’m on my own. I guess its a kind of claustrophobia.

I would love to use the canals more so I can get some exercise and walk more but I would also like to know where exits are. I know there’s one at Brindley Place and at The Vale student halls but apart from that I’m a bit stuck! I’d like to walk to Five Ways Station but I’m not sure where the nearest exit is! I’ve tried looking for pedestrian guides on the internet but all I can find is guides for boating and council re-developments. The Waterscape site is meant to promote the canal to walkers but from what I can tell, it only promotes Brindley Place and the Mailbox.

If anyone can recommend me a decent resource or has had found the same issues with the canal then please comment!

Thanks

Frank x

In postscript I didn’t win Birmingham’s Got Talent, although it was a great night. The only problem I have is a problem that happens at lots of events, people talking REALLY loudly when you and/or other people are onstage trying to perform. When you’re on a stage trying to focus on two or three things at a time, (in my case singing, playing guitar, avoiding nerves but trying to acknowledge an audience it becomes very difficult to not stuff up!) There were certain performers yesterday who I feel deserved a bit more from the audience. But it’s in the past now. Big thanks to everyone who voted and helped raise important money for Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice. It will be very well recieved!

May I count on your vote?

Hey everyone,

As I’ve already posted today, I’m performing at the Jam House tonight at charity fundraiser for Birmingham’s Got Talent. If you can’t make it you can still make my day and donate money to charity by voting for me. To do this all you have to do is text 8 and 10.30 pm ‘talent b’ to 64343. The texts cost £1 with at least 60 pence of this going to Birmingham St. Mary’s Hospice. If I win I think I get a night out I’m not exactly sure, the prize isn’t too important to me, I’d just like to escape ‘nil point’ as the results are being displayed on a giant screen in the venue! There is potential embarrassment factor there, teamed with the fact that I don’t actually know if anyone is coming to watch me BUT… the main thing is to raise money for charity!

Thankyou!

Frankie x

It Runs in the Family (I think)

My family isn’t really known for being musical. My dad played trombone and accordion when he was younger (I don’t really know how well!) and my sister played alto sax for a while (and I don’t even know for how long!) I would say I’m probably the most ‘musical’ in my immediate family.

However, not so long ago I discovered my dad’s cousin, Graham Ward is a former child ‘drumming’ prodigy who played the drums in the movie of Bugsy Malone and owns a recording studio in LA. Nice huh?

Anyway my dad is going to LA (I think for work…this is a rather unsure blog!) and is hoping to pop by so he’s going to try and take a CD of my music along. I guess because we both record (him obviously having the upper hand of a luxury recording complex!)

This is the tracklisting for the CD I’m sending to LA via ‘Dad mail.’ Not all of these songs are on my soundcloud yet, but the ones that are you can download for free. I’ve been recording over the past couple of days so I’ll put them on my cloud soon. I would have put them up already however the Soundcloud site won’t let me upload more than five tracks per month. I have made all of the featured songs on my myspace downloadable so you can grab and go from there! I hope that people who like my music will pass it on and possibly blog about it, however I know my recordings are scrappy. I can’t quite capture my voice as I like it – I know that vocally, I’m much better live. The effects on my desk aren’t great and the reverb is rather difficult to program. I also have coined myself the phrase that ‘I haven’t the time for a metronome’ because none of my recordings are recorded to a click track. I record to literally keep a record of what I’m writing and creating and I like to be quick. If I was recording with other people it would probably be more fun and a more precise process.

In terms of uni work I’ve got a 1,000 creative analysis of a radio play I’ve produced and designed the sound for and I’m ready for the next semester. Hurrah!

Frank x

Easter Holidays? Art Brut Vs Satan and Going gigging…

There is a question mark in my title.

I doubt very much that I’m going back to Kent this Easter for a number of reasons, mostly because I need books and have a lot of work and also because one piece of work, a 10-15 minute radio play requires me to use the computer network at uni.

One of the biggest common problems with Uni is it has a distinct lack of books. With thirty people or more writing the same essay often you can’t get the right book before the deadline. I’m popping into the library later before band practice with Pyschonaut to see if I can find anything and then tomorrow I’ll begin my radio play. Its a play called Sunday Morning at the Centre of the World by Louis de Bernieres. I’ve got some ideas but not sure if they’ll work yet so I’m sure I’ll spend tomorrow finding out. My aim is to get this done by the end of the week. I wrote a 2,000 word essay over the weekend. To be honest my aim is just to get rid of my current backlog of work. I want to focus on bringing music back into the guild.

My music ‘manifesto’ as it is shaping out is to try and get Guild Venues to put on music acts. You can find out more and join the facebook group I’ve set up too and have your say. The group has only been in existence for a few days but its growing nicely. I’m going to email Adam Craig, head of venues at the Guild of Students later and see if I can set up a meeting.

I think I’m starting to get a reputation as a workaholic.

I just like to get things out of the way so I feel responsibility-free…except that never happens because I take something new on! However I can’t afford train fare home so if I do get rid of all ‘to dos’ I still can’t go back. My real aim is to start recording better Get Frank demos, but my guitarist Nick isn’t around and he always plays my stuff differently to me! Martin from Urbanfly has asked me to play an unsigned showcase at the Victoria pub on the 4th June and even if Nick can’t make it, I’ll figure something out.

I was reading Eddie Argos of Art Brut‘s blogspot blog and read a Drowned in Sound article he wrote for them about new album Art Brut Vs Satan. I’ve just reviewed the new single Alcoholics Unanimous for Culture Deluxe and wrote a review of the album earlier today. I now wish I’d read the article first. I really really like the record, its another brilliantly realised collection of songs with more than your average share of wisdom. On my uni course we learn about postmodernism/challenging perceptions/going against the grain etc… and I completely ignored my own intellect and gave the record a 7 out of 10, when in my own personal opinion I’d probably give it a little bit more, I was just thinking in a ‘person reading the review’ rather than writing the review way. The band are playing the Academy 2 on the 28th April so I’m hoping to go see them. I’ve seen them a couple of times and both were awesome. The last time was at Lounge on the Farm in Canterbury. I managed to grab a quick interview with Eddie and guitarist Jasper Future for my BBC Blast page but my bloomin’ dictaphone ran out of batteries without me realising. Grrrrrr…..

On thursday I’m playing a headline gig at the Birmingham Academy 3 with Pyschonaut . I play bass. It’s fun but I’m running out of time/ diary space so not sure how much longer I’ll be a part of them. I also want to concentrate on my own stuff – I need to find a bassist, possibly another guitarist, a drummer and a keyboard player but haven’t got my bum into gear yet. The gig on thursday will be my third gig at the Academy 3, having played there once with Psychonaut, and once on my lonesome (literally last minute supporting The Rileys.) Tickets, I believe, are £5. I’m not even sure who we’re playing with to be honest but details on request folks!!!

Frank x

A Brief History of Helen of Troy (or Everything Will Be Different.)

I’m writing some songs for a Mark Schufler play called A Brief History of Helen of Troy (or Everything Will Be Different.) One of these is ‘Bedspread’ which I’m playing as part of my Get Frank on sunday at the Yardbird.

You can find out more here. The gig is free!

Helen of Troy is going to be performed at the Custard Factory on the Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th March. Find out more here!

Frank x

hope to see you sunday. It is free after all!

Get Frank are go…

Tonight myself and Nick play the Victoria. Here’s a video of Nature Boy that we recorded the other day during practice

I’m playing glock and Nick is on guitar tonight. I might play a little precussion, however I’m a rubbish multitasker.

Its £3 NUS or £4 without.

Last night I played an impromptue set for visiting London based act The Rileys. According to my friend and Burn’s head of music, Fuzz, two of the guys from the band came into the Burn studio to mention the gig and asked if she knew a potential support act. Fuzz called me. I had to go it alone without Nick but It was great fun. I’ve played the Bar Academy with Pyschonaut before (on bass) but playng on a stool to people not there to see you is a different but rewarding experience….and slightly alienating when you have two of the headlining act cheering directly in front of you. As singer Joe said, “It’s like a private gig!”

Don’t forget you can download some of my demos for freeness here.

Hope you see you tonight – come and say hi…

Frank x