Frank Turnerreportish? (lyrics, singer, dancing, hardcore, punk)

sleepy jack · 08-12-2006, 03:49 PM

Okay, i'm gonna start doing this in here seeing as it didn't take off as well as I hoped in the songwriting forum. Basically, i'm going to try and do these monthly (roughly). I'm gonna try and do lesser known lyricists I like, but i'm probaly do a couple more well known ones who I adore (conor oberst, elliott smith, geoff rickly etc.)

Frank Turner

A Brief History

Frank had been singing in various bands since he was 11, he was called in by his friend (and million dead drummer) Ben Dawson to sing in british punk/post-hardcore band Million Dead.

Million Dead record their first demo and then began touring around the U.K. They were signed to Integrity Records, and in 2003 record their full length debut A Song To Ruin. In 2005, they recorded their second album, Harmony No Harmony. Million Dead then called it quits at the end of their september 2005 tour because of "irreconcilable differences within the band mean that it would be impossible to continue, and anyway, we’d rather leave a good-looking corpse. Our reasons are personal and assured.".

Frank Turner who had been doing an acoustic project before Million Deads demise, released his EP Campfire Punkrock in 2006. His debut is planned for relase in Jan. 2007.

Frank Turners Writing Style

The majority of Frank Turners lyrics were political ranting about societys injustices, and singing about his own views on the world. Though occasionally, he'd show a bit more of a personal side to his lyrics such as this.

Quote:

Million Dead "Living The Dream"

And I’m scared of the kids
who come to our shows,
and scared of the words
that they seem to know,
because in truth all my high ideals are in ruins,
in truth I don’t really know what I’m doing.
Growing out of these clothes turned out to mean
losing certainty.
So sing
"your" voices level the land, my Jericho,
my rock and sure foundation.

But for the most part, his lyrics were about his own ideals and beliefs. To which he'd scream/rant/sing really fast into the microphone with a passion. Which were along the lines of stuff like this.

Quote:

Million Dead "Breaking The Back"

And everything was going to be ok,
but the making of the man
was the breaking of the back
upon the rock of everyday hostility.
Fresh faced, young-dumb-and tragically convinced
that blind faith could make an infantile normative
playground theory on social interaction positive.

Sometimes, he'd slow it down and while alot of his lyrics can be complicated and pretensious they still seemed to be extremely powerful even sung slowly, and, his (my favorite) lyrics to the acoustic and last track on Harmony No Harmony, on their last album kind of gave you a clue it was ending.

Quote:

Million Dead "Harmony No Harmony"

And after all the struggle and the strain
And after all the loss for little gain,
The harmonies have faded away,
But the melody remains.

Frank Turners acoustic songs range from soft singer/songerwriter songs to political folky tunes. On, one of the tracks Cassanova's Lament, he sings about the frailty of the human condition.

Quote:

Frank Turner "Cassanova's Lament"

An evening spent pretending
That we're just becoming friends,
or that this goes any further than going back.
I'm not being pessimistic,
it's just you and I were never meant to be.
It isn't love, it isn't love, it isn't love,
but every time I kind of wish it was.

Another in which, he sings about his hatred for Margaret Thatcher

Quote:

You've got a generation raised on the welfare state,
Enjoyed all its benefits and did just great,
But as soon as they were settled as the richest of the rich,
They kicked away the ladder, told the rest of us that life's a bitch.
And it's no surprise that all the fuck-ups
Didn't show up until the kids had grown up.
But when no one ever smiles or ever helps a stranger,
Is it any fucking wonder our society's in danger of collapse?
So all the kids are bastards,
But don't blame them, yeah, they learn by example.
Blame the folks who sold the future for the highest bid:
That's right, Thatcher fucked the kids.

Discography

A Song To Ruin - Million Dead

Suggest Tracks:
I Am The Party
Smiling At Stangers On Trains
Pornography for Cowards
Breaking The Back

Harmony No Harmony - Million Dead

Suggest Tracks:
Living The Dream
After The Rush Hour
Carthego Est Delenda
Harmony No Harmony

Campfire Punkrock - Frank Turner

Suggest Tracks:
Thatcher Fucked The Kids
Casanova's Lament
I Really Don't Care What You Did On Your Gap Year

Links:

Frank Turner (website)
Million Dead (website)
Frank Turner (myspace)
Million Dead (myspace)

Laces Out Dan! · 08-12-2006, 04:03 PM

You also forgot to mention that he is Jesus..

mosesandtherubberducky · 08-12-2006, 07:55 PM

pure

ownage

sleepy jack · 08-20-2006, 03:17 AM

*moves* see original post.

sleepy jack · 08-20-2006, 03:45 AM

http://youtube.com/watch?v=eEowBvFlcvE
Everyone watch now. =D

Sound Devastation · 08-20-2006, 01:45 PM

awesome song writer... and a lovely guy, managed to meet him twice at million dead shows.

right-track · 08-21-2006, 04:27 PM

Having listened to some of Crowquill's recommendations, I can't help drawing obvious comparisons to another singer/songwriter...Billy Bragg.
A brilliant social commentator.

If you've never heard any of his stuff and you like Frank Turner, check out his myspace. http://www.myspace.com/billybragg
If your American, 'Help Save The Youth' is definately worth a listen.

Help Save The Youth

Help save the youth of America
Help save them from themselves
Help save the sun-tanned surfer boys
And the Californian girls
When the lights go out in the rest of the World
What do our cousins say
They're playing in the sun and having fun, fun, fun
Till Daddy takes the gun away
From the Big Church to the Big River
And out to the Shining Sea
This is the Land of Opportunity
And there's a Monkey Trial on TV
A nation with their freezers full
Are dancing in their seats
While outside another nation
Is sleeping in the streets
Don't tell me the old, old story
Tell me the truth this time
Is the Man in the Mask or the Indian
An enemy or a friend of mine
Help save the youth of America
Help save the youth of the world
Help save the boys in uniform
Their mothers and their faithful girls
Listen to the voice of the soldier
Down in the killing zone
Talking about the cost of living
And the price of bringing him home
They're already shipping the body bags
Down by the Rio Grande
But you can fight for democracy at home
And not in some foreign land
And the fate of the great United States
Is entwined in the fate of us all
And the incident at Tschernobyl proves
The world we live in is very small
And the cities of Europe have burned before
And they may yet burn again
And if they do I hope you understand
That Washington will burn with them
Omaha will burn with them
Los Alamos will burn with them

sleepy jack · 08-21-2006, 05:20 PM

He said in an interview Billy Bragg was his influences, i'm listening now. I reallyreallyreally like. Can you up an album?

right-track · 08-21-2006, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crowquill

He said in an interview Billy Bragg was his influences, i'm listening now. I reallyreallyreally like. Can you up an album?

I'll try and get you something.
I have the album with 'Help Save The Youth' on it, but it's vinyl.

08-12-2006, 04:03 PM	#2 (permalink)
Laces Out Dan! I love Puck Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: British Columbia Posts: 4,614	You also forgot to mention that he is Jesus.. __________________ We are entirely smooth, We admit to the truth, We are the best at what we do.

08-12-2006, 07:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
mosesandtherubberducky butt say x Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: so i read the question as "Where YOU live" which was kinda funny instead of "Where you live" Posts: 1,649	pure ownage __________________ Can I have a youtube video for a sig? There's a thing that says "Wrap [YOUTUBE] tags around selected text"

08-20-2006, 01:45 PM	#6 (permalink)
Sound Devastation Music Addict Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 728	awesome song writer... and a lovely guy, managed to meet him twice at million dead shows. __________________ Out soon... AMENRA - Mass III 2xLP [stunning vinyl release of the belgian sludgecore giants epic 06 album] FALL OF EFRAFA - Owsla & Elil CD&LP [British crust/doom/post-metal band Fall of Efrafa deliver part two (Elil) on their dark conceptual trilogy. Part one (Owsla) will also be re-released for the first time in the UK] *** visit... Sound Devastation Records website**

08-21-2006, 04:27 PM	#7 (permalink)
right-track Atchin' Akai Join Date: May 2005 Location: Unamerica Posts: 8,723	Having listened to some of Crowquill's recommendations, I can't help drawing obvious comparisons to another singer/songwriter...Billy Bragg. A brilliant social commentator. If you've never heard any of his stuff and you like Frank Turner, check out his myspace. http://www.myspace.com/billybragg If your American, 'Help Save The Youth' is definately worth a listen. Help Save The Youth Help save the youth of America Help save them from themselves Help save the sun-tanned surfer boys And the Californian girls When the lights go out in the rest of the World What do our cousins say They're playing in the sun and having fun, fun, fun Till Daddy takes the gun away From the Big Church to the Big River And out to the Shining Sea This is the Land of Opportunity And there's a Monkey Trial on TV A nation with their freezers full Are dancing in their seats While outside another nation Is sleeping in the streets Don't tell me the old, old story Tell me the truth this time Is the Man in the Mask or the Indian An enemy or a friend of mine Help save the youth of America Help save the youth of the world Help save the boys in uniform Their mothers and their faithful girls Listen to the voice of the soldier Down in the killing zone Talking about the cost of living And the price of bringing him home They're already shipping the body bags Down by the Rio Grande But you can fight for democracy at home And not in some foreign land And the fate of the great United States Is entwined in the fate of us all And the incident at Tschernobyl proves The world we live in is very small And the cities of Europe have burned before And they may yet burn again And if they do I hope you understand That Washington will burn with them Omaha will burn with them Los Alamos will burn with them