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

sleepy jack · 08-12-2006, 02:49 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)