Your new album Poetry Of The Deed is out soon. What can people expect from it? Is there a running theme, or feeling, through the album?
I guess the overall theme is about how to grow old adventurously. I had a big debate with Jay (Beans On Toast) about the lyrics to "The Ballad Of me & My Friends". He asked me why we have to give up doing the things that we love, and I realized that maybe we don't. I made the record with my live band this time round, so I wanted it to sound a little bigger, a little more rock. I'm very pleased with it.
Your video for your new single The Road features you playing 24 gigs in 24 hours. That must of taken a hell of a lot of organisation? Was there any point during the day that you wish you'd not started it?
The organization was actually not too hard to do - the whole thing came together in about 3 days. So many people wanted to be involved that it didn't take long to put together. We did 8pm to 8pm, and around 11am things started to get pretty fucking horrendous. It wasn't much fun. But in the end it was a cool experience, and the video came out really well, so it was worth it.
You recently toured the States with the Offspring. How did you find the reception from the audiences and how did it differ, if at all, from new audiences in the UK?
The tour was interesting. I was pretty nervous, for the first time in a while, because I didn't know what to expect - I was playing solo to a punk crowd who had no idea who I was. It could have gone either way really. In the end it was fine, the crowds were receptive and I had a great tour. American audiences are, on the whole, pretty open, and if you have an English accent that helps as well, in all honesty.
It's been 4 years since Million Dead split. Do you ever wish you were still playing hardcore punk and is folk what you see yourself doing for the rest of your career?
There are days when I miss things about MD, the physicality of the live shows and things like that. But I'm not really one for dwelling on the past so much, and I make the music that I want to make right now. I've learned to never say never, so who knows, maybe I'll be back making punk records in 10 years. Maybe I'll be making progressive trance. We'll see.
The following questions were put forth by Frank's online fan community, many thanks to them or their input.
Will you ever go electric? Or will it always be a case of you playing acoustic guitar with an electric backing band live?
That's something I've thought pretty hard about, and in the rehearsal process for the new album we actively discussed it. In the end I decided that for now I like the way the band works sonically, and I'm still attached to the one-man-and-his-guitar paradigm as well. But it might well be something to consider for the new album.
Why do you parallel the fascinating, complex and beautiful process of photosynthesis with the lives of unfulfilled people? Do you in fact hate plants? If not then why do you trivialize their hopes and dreams in this way?
Ha ha, yes, I hate plants. Little bastards.
You've covered The Postal Service in the past. What do you think of Confide's cover of Such Great Heights?
I don't know who Confide are I'm afraid. There have been a lot of PS covers in recent years. I stole the idea for mine from Ben Marwood actually.
Who would you want to play you in a movie of your life and why?
Morgan Freeman. I feel he'd bring the gravitas.
If you could have a superpower what would it be?
Time travel, I suppose. Is that a superpower?
Dylan or Cash?
Dylan for sure. Cash was great but he wasn't so much of a songwriter. Dylan is infinitely more important to the history of modern music.
Mini Cheddars or Mini Jammy Dodgers
Mini Cheddars 4 EVA.
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Poetry Of The Deed is out on Tomorrow (7th Sept) in all good record stores, and online.
Frank will be touring the UK in October at the following venues:
13 Oct 2009 Academy 2 (18+) Dublin, Ireland
14 Oct 2009 The Stiff Kitten (18+) Belfast, Northern Ireland
15 Oct 2009 QMU (14+) Glasgow, Scotland
16 Oct 2009 Academy 2 (SOLD OUT) Manchester, Northwest
17 Oct 2009 University Basement (all ages) Newcastle, Northeast
18 Oct 2009 Rock City (14+) Nottingham, Midlands
19 Oct 2009 Wulfrun Hall (14+) Wolverhampton, Midlands
20 Oct 2009 The Academy (all ages) Oxford, Midlands
22 Oct 2009 Met Uni (14+) Leeds, Northeast
23 Oct 2009 The Junction (14+) Cambridge, East
24 Oct 2009 University (14+) Plymouth, Southwest
25 Oct 2009 The Lemon Grove (all ages) Exeter, Southwest
26 Oct 2009 Anson Room (14+) Bristol, Southwest
27 Oct 2009 Solus (14+) Cardiff, Wales
28 Oct 2009 The Guildhall (SOLD OUT) Winchester, South
