Frank Turner left hard rock band, Million Dead, in
2005 into an unknown of solo folk singer and after hardship, over 1,500 shows
and 5 critically acclaimed albums he settles down with us at his biggest
headline show ever at the Phones4U Arena in Manchester.
In this we divulge into Frank’s life in touring,
heckling, festivals, America, guitars and a few more things and all to look
into the life of the busiest man in music today.
Let’s go then. How is the tour going?
It’s a bit weird, on the one had we’ve only done
three shows but on the other hand we’re already halfway through the tour. It’s
going good, I’ve been thinking about it for a long time it’s obviously a
different thing for us.
This show is in a massive arena, does the size
intimidate you?
A little bit but on an equal measure it’s exciting
as well. It’s important to me, and I should mention my crew particularly, have
been thinking hard so that it doesn’t lose anything you’ll get in a smaller
venue. It’s possible but it’s not easy
and unfortunately no one has written a guide book on how to do it. We’ve
been trying to make sure everyone enjoys themselves as much as any other show.
When Tape Deck Heart was released in the USA it
got to the top 10 of the iTunes chart, does America “get” your music? Even with
such an established folk rock scene.
When I first went to America, which was quite a
long time ago now, I remember being on
the plane thinking “is anybody going to get this?” do you know what I mean
with songs about suburban England and whatever. Turns out on the American folk
scene there is a strong scene of Anglafilica, it’s all like Joe Strummer is God
and they all love The Clash, The Police and Elvis Costello and all that so
there is something to build on. The thing about America is you have to put the
work in. You can, not saying I have kind of cheat in the UK. An American band
comes over they do one tour and get the NME behind them and they’re huge. You can’t do that in America, you just have
to do the work, you’ve just got to go to Ohio ten times and play to four
people and their dog and then ten people and their dog and then just keep
building. There’s something I like about that, it’s new and fresh and honest
and you can’t cheat.
"If anyone fucks with me I’m going to give them both barrels back..."
What’s the best city to perform in America?
Hope I don’t get any hate for this but I’m going
to say Boston, Massachusetts. We did a tour with the Dropkick Murphys and
they’re the kings of Boston so if you tour with them people in Boston think
you’re alright. That show we did on our
last tour was in Boston and you could cut atmosphere with a knife, it was
awesome.
Whilst you were in Cincinnati you kicked off at a
fan for heckling, do you regret that or did you like putting them in their
place?
Yes and no. On the one hand since I started I’ve
never considered myself different from anyone else so if anyone fucks with me I’m going to give them both barrels back,
same like you would. If you said that to
me in a bar I’d call you a prick. The rules don’t change because I’m stood
on a stage. At the same time as an entertainer my job is to make sure everyone
else has a good time and it sort of bummed me out for the rest of the night. It
was self-fuelled because I was a bit pissed off but then I was more annoyed
because I was making everyone else not have a good time.
But there was a happy ending because the girl in
question sent me a really decent email the next day saying sorry for being a dick.
I replied saying good on you and now we’re all square.
What was your first guitar?
Probably from Argos but for Christmas my mum and
dad got me a black and white fender strat copy, you know one of them. Came in a
box with a 30 amp and they have really weird brand names no one’s ever heard
of. I’ve still got it somewhere, wait I’ve got a feeling my mate Ben still has
it, thieving bastard. It was a piece of
shit but I loved it.
"I’m so happy Biffy have done what they have done, because they fucking deserve it."
What were the first songs you learnt on it?
There first song I learnt was Knocking on Heavens Door;
I could stop that story there and sound
really cool. But I was 11 and I thought it was by Guns & Roses at the
time (it’s a Bob Dylan cover), and I fucking hate Gun & Roses now but it’s
true.
On your new Polaroid Picture EP there is a cover
of “Who’s Got a Match?” by Biffy Clyro, have you ever met the Biffy boys?
Yeah I and Biffy have a lot of history together. I
actually saw them in a scout club in Hounslow in 1998 because they were
supporting a mate of mines band who were obviously forgotten by history.
Million Dead (Frank’s first band) toured with them a bunch and I toured with
them in 2008. And for the record Simon.....Don’t know how to word this
next bit without sounding like a twat, but you have to make certain decisions
when you get more successful in the music industry and when I said with the
arena thing no one has written guidebooks for it. The only thing you do is talk
with someone who has actually done it and Simon has been very kind to me in
terms of making decisions. I’m so happy
Biffy have done what they have done because they fucking deserve it.
As well as the massive arena shows you have a
small homecoming gig in Winchester, is sticking to your roots important to you?
The Winchester show kind of proves my point about
these shows, some people were like “I don’t want to see you in the arena; I want
to see you in the academy”. But we’ve sold out the academy four times over for
this gig which means if we played the academy you would have had a one in four
chance of getting a ticket which is bullshit. It’s the biggest room in Winchester, I know I called up the council and
asked, it holds 800 people. We put it on sale and they sold out in one
minute then tonnes of people were saying it was bullshit. This is why we are doing
big arenas on this tour; it’s not that I’m up my own arse or anything. So if
less people come we’ll do smaller venues next tour and vice versa.
You’ve just passed 1,500 shows which is quite a
career achievement, what is it about touring that you love so much?
I just love playing music, I like travelling, and
I like meeting new people. Touring is harder than most people expect but it’s
not like I’m a nurse or a teacher or something like that. It’s a good way to
make a living, its socially disjointing but I’ve done it for so long it is just
normal to me. I don’t have a life in a normal box that I’m losing touch with,
that went years ago! Last year was an interesting year for me because we toured
and worked harder than we ever did before and I got to the end thinking “fuckkk
chill out!” Going the past few years there was a bit of bravado in my tour
schedule, it was like I was trying to
impress somebody and I just started wondering who I was impressing and whether
or not people cared. I’m not going to stop touring but I might take a week
off here and there, I did 11 months and it’s just utterly stupid. I’m not
getting old but I’m getting older and it would be nice to have a break every
once in a while.
"I love Reading Festival. I grew up 20 minutes away from it. I went there since 1995 and it’s just got a special place in my heart."
Your biggest gig spectator wise was definitely
opening the Olympic ceremony, how did you feel about that?
My manager got a call off Danny Boyle’s manager
saying they wanted a meeting but it couldn’t be done over the phone, we were like what is this “fucking James
Bond”? Got the train to his office and it was very cool that Danny Boyle
wanted to have a meeting with me. I incidentally thought it couldn’t have
anything to do with the Olympics because that was ridiculous, I thought he had
a film coming out or something- even that would have been cool as shit, he’s a
great film maker. We got there and he said it was about the Olympics and it was
really weird. He said “don’t think about it straight away, have time to think
about it” and I knew what the answer was anyway. It was a weird gig, not really
a gig we were just playing on hill with a bunch of actors and sheep. The crowd
were miles away and I imagine 95% of them were like “who the fuck is this?” But
it’s something to put on your CV.
What’s your favourite festival to perform at?
Err I’ve got a three first equals. I love 2000
trees festival in Gloucestershire, I know the people who run it I’ve been there
since day 1 and we’ve headlined it twice, it’s just a great vibe with lovely
place and lovely people. Secondly, Beautiful Days festival down south. And
thirdly, I know we’re up north but Reading, I love Reading Festival. I grew up 20
minutes away from it. I went there since 1995 and it’s just got a special place
in my heart.
As a spectator what is your favourite festival to
go to?
It’s been a while since I just went to festival
not to play. Glastonbury gets a vote, Glasto
is like nothing else. Glasto isn’t really focused on music, it’s bigger
than just music and that’s cool. Personally being somebody who is addicted to
music it’s not my number one. But I do think that whole experience of going to
Glasto is like no other, everyone should do it once. If you’re going to take
acid you should take it at Glastonbury.
Any funny festival experiences?
Yeah tonnes. Fighting
hippies on stage in Cornwall is one, playing with NOFX in Reading was a big
thing for me because I love that band.
If you had to create a three day festival, who
would the headliners be?
Nirvana from 1993, The Band with Bob Dylan and
then Gogol Bordello because they’re one of the best live bands around.
What’s next for Frank Turner?
Well, we’re touring until the end of April we’re
going to South Africa for the first time which is exciting, going to Europe and
US and then Coachella again. Mongol Horde record will be out soon. I’m writing
a book. We’re making another record this year. I’m keeping busy, why not eh?
Frank has already been added to the bill at the
massive Sonisphere festival in Knebworth and he will probably be added to a
whole bunch more festivals worldwide. His latest album, Tape Deck Heart, is
available from all good stores.
So it’s clear that the busiest man in music still
has a bit more work to do!
He was a proper legend too!
Words by Will Whitby