One More Disco

This post contains an exclusive track from FrankMusik just for One More Disco, view the full post to hear the tracks.

It’s not everyday that I get to sit in a coffee shop on Kensington High Street, what with living in France n’all, so I was privileged to be sitting there drinking Hot Chocolate with an attractive and yet extremely talented young man, that man of course, is Vincent Frank, the man behind FrankMusik and Apparent Records.
It’s hard to imagine that the man who is quite clearly going to take over the world with his crazy synth-pop music, generally listens to American Hip-Hop music, watches Korean cartoons and is just quite clearly a gangster.
Here I have featured a short but sweet (just like Vincent) interview I did with him on Tuesday 18th March, the day after we met. To set the scene, Vince was complaining about the fact he had ordered an Earl Grey tea, and it appeared to not be an Earl Grey in Costa Coffee at Croydon East train station, the cheek of it. Enjoy.

Tell me about your musical background and when were you first introduced to the music that influences you today?
Urm, basically….urm, sorry I’m still thinking about the fact this is not an Earl Grey *laughs* it’s really annoying me…. yeah I used to listen all my mum’s records like Julia Fordham, she’s amazing, she’s like my favourite female vocalist, all my mum’s 7” singles, that’s pretty much it, I just used to listen to all her stuff and that has a lot of influence in what I do, like pop music just making like 80’s sounding pop records and then I starting listening to, like getting into electronic music when I got a bit older, jungle was actually like the first thing i started listening to which is kind of strange, when I was like 11.

How would you best describe your sound and what do you think about the accusation that you sound like Mika on acid!?
I think that’s an accusation that like simple journalists make, it’s a man who sings high, the production is completely different, the song structures are completely different. I think just because I’m a guy who has a good falsetto voice, doesn’t mean I’m anything like Mika. What was the first question!? How would you best describe your sound? I’d describe it as Blade Runner Pop.

How would you rate your live performance ability?
Well, we’ve only done a couple of shows as a 3-piece band and it’s been going really well, we’ve played Nottingham and Sheffield, that was really good. There’s like 9 keyboards on stage, 2 drum kits and then me doing vocals, it’s quite a packed out stage, there’s a lot of gear on stage so it looks quite impressive.

If I gave you an elephant, where would you hide it!?
IN A CASTLE (it has only just occurred to me why this was funny, at the time I first asked him this question, we were sitting in a pub called “The Elephant and Castle… and I’m supposed to be clever!)

Was “FrankMusik” the alias that you thought of?
The story behind the name FrankMusik is to do with my grandfather who passed away a few years ago, his name was Frank so the name FrankMusik is an ode to him really.

What inspired you to make music?
I’ve been playing the piano since I was like 4 years old anyway, then I started writing songs when I was 15 on the piano, just acoustic which I still do now, that’s pretty much it, I’m was just used to playing music from a really early age.

What are your favourite venues to play? And your worst?
I haven’t played enough yet really…

If it rained music, what would grow?
More annoying journalists, NOT YOU, but there would be more people to write crap about when music grows out of the ground.

The lyrics to “Made Her Smile” are somewhat meaningful to a lot of girls, was it written about anyone in particular?
Yeah it was, yeah it was written about my ex- girlfriend, about her being a complete mess basically, but “it made her smile” *laughs*

What’s the story behind your new records label, “Apparent records”?
Apparent records is a joint venture between me and my friend who lives in Los Angeles, basically to just start producing for artists that we like and try and get them a little release, nothing too major, but I’ve got a couple of acts that I’m working on, Tinchy Stryder and this chick Sisely (former contestant on “The Search For The Next Pussycat Doll”) and it’s going really well.

Is there a European Tour in the pipeline?
See how the UK tour goes first, then I think we’re going to do another UK tour after that and then if the release of the album goes well then I’m sure a European Tour will be the next thing on the cards, which would be nice!
Are you proud to have fans in places such as Australia and America?
Yeah I mean, it’s good, it just annoys me because I want them to see me play live as well, it all rides on how successful you become with getting to play in foreign countries.

What can you tell me about your instruments? Are you signed to a particularly manufacturer or whatever takes your fancy and works for you at the time?
I literally just buy whatever synths I want, to answer the question, I’m not endorsed no, but we’re in talks of getting endorsed by a software company which is quite interesting . Basically, I treat buying synths like buying music, I’ll only buy it if it’s amazing, like I’d buy it for 2 tracks/ 2 sounds, as long as they’re good, it doesn;t matter what else is on the album/ keyboard it’s still worth those 2 tracks or those 2 sounds.

Do you have any groupies?
No, only my alter-ego’s. I’m a rubbish man.

Is there a set rehearsal schedule, or do you just practice and play about with a can of fosters and you’re musical machine whenever?
No, the can of fosters comes in when I’m writing music, but the rehearsals are very scheduled, you’ve got to be in at this time and at this place, but making the music is just my job, on my own and whenever I feel like it.

How has your music evolved since you started writing?
It’s not so hyperactive, it’s not so mad, I miss that though. “Three Little Words” is completely crazy, hyperactive track. I’m going to srat doing it again but I’m one of these people that has to do what they feel, I won’t just do one type of thing but it’s apparently me.

What would you say has been your biggest challenge?
Urm….*really long pause*…self doubt, probably the biggest challenge for anyone, it’s still one of me, it’s a daily challenge.

Does the French electro scene influence you in any way?
It used to, doesn’t any more, it bores the shit out of me now. I’m fed up of people feeling like music is only good because it’s cool, don’t get me wrong the music is generally good, but I think there is a vibe about the French thing, they know they’re cool. The whole Justice thing, like Daft Punk did it well 10 years ago, 2 French guys in a studio, Justice are just doing the same format, it’s nothing new to me, I don’t feel it has progressed at all.

What’s the best album you’ve bought in the last 6 months?
I bought a Prefuse 73 album, which is pretty good. And movie? Probably the Robot Chicken series 2.

Would you rather go on a date with Minnie Mouse or Daisy Duck?
Oh, Minnie Mouse, she’s hot!

Any last words?
I didn’t know I was going to be be-headed at the end….
That interview sounds a lot shorter on tape, and didn’t take long at all, yet put it on paper and it takes a year to read. I have featured below 2 tracks for download, and an exclusive track from FrankMusik, Alphabeat and Leon Jean Marie, a cover of Daft Punk’s “Digital love”. Unfortunately for you, this song is unavailable for download, due to the fact Universal records and EMI would behead me and Vincent, and let’s face it, we’d be pretty stuffed without a head wouldn’t we.

The first track is a cover of Daft Punk’s “Digital Love” (you can only listen to it, we are not allowed to put up a download link) which until released it exclusive to One More Disco! Thanks Vincent! The second track which is available for download, is an album track exclusive called “YOUR FACE”. The song, contrary to Vincent’s words of “not being so hyperactive anymore”, is absolutely off the hook. It sounds like a drunken Atari console having a punch up in the street with an Amiga on pills. IT’S MAD. The third track is a track by Sisely, which is an artist Vincent is producer of.

Daft Punk - Digital Love (FrankMusik cover)


FrankMusik - YOUR FACE

(onemoredisco download link)

Sisely - Stereo World

(onemoredisco download link)

Another quality post from One More Disco, wouldn’t you say? hehe

The moral of today’s post, is don’t got for coffee with FrankMusik, he’s a gangster and will complain about tea, and just generally scare you to death. On a lighter note, the guy is top dollar, and I had a stupid amount of fun with him. PEACE