Survived the first totally acoustic gig in Sheffield on Sunday night and jolly good it was too. A lovely appreciative crowd and we didn't mess up too badly from what I remember. Pete Green, Jam on Bread and Numberdan all did fine sets, even though Pete did leg it when we threatened to sing Happy Birthday to him! A nice (sort of) review here.

So tonight off to London for the second leg of the Totally Acoustic odyssey, I could get used to having no microphone at this rate - although tonight I'm on my own (my faithful band not so faithful for a change!) so there really is no hiding place. And I have no idea what songs to play. I predict a mind-practice on the train.

 
Some gigs coming up very SOON.

Sparklemotion Promotions presents
a 100 per cent acoustic popshow

Frankie Machine + Jam on Bread + Numberdan + Pete Green

Sunday 20 April 2008
The Red Deer, 18 Pitt Street, SHEFFIELD S1 4DD
doors open 7:30, music starts 8:00
£3 on the door

Totally Acoustic presents
Another 100 per cent acoustic popshow

Frankie Machine + MJ Hibbett

Tuesday 22 April
The Lamb, 94 Lamb's Conduit Street, LONDON WC1N 3LZ
Doors open 7:00, music starts 7:30


A Layer Of Chips presents

Phil Wilson (June Brides) + MJ Hibbett & the Validators + Frankie Machine

Thursday 1 May
Lee Rosy's Tea Shop, Broad Street, NOTTINGHAM
Doors 8pm
£4 on the door

 
Had a lovely old time at the Egofest last weekend, saw some great bands that I'd not seen before and some excellent sets by old favourites. Thanks to everyone who came and all those who said nice things about my performance afterwards. The only downer was that my guitar case broke, so I had to walk back with my axe slung over my shoulder like I was Izzy Stradlin (or at the very least - one of his ju-ju hounds)

But enough, the 2008 gig frenzy continues with news of a London gig on April 22nd at The Lamb Totally Acoustic night with MJ Hibbett - and a promise from Mr Pete Green of a gig in Sheffield (there! I wrote it down so he can't back down now..)

 
Through the power of stylesheets the site has now been updated to announce the official release of The Remix EP. A long time in the making I'm amazed this day ever arrived, but it's here and it comes in a hand-stickered limited edition foldout card sleeve with photo insert (the kind of packaging you may recognise if you own a copy of MJ Hibbett's A Million Ukuleles . NB: I'm not ripping him off, I would have been there first but he nipped in while I faffed about moving house and doing DIY)

You can buy a copy here for a smackdown bargain price of £4.00 (postpaid) via the paypal button below or I'll have some for sale at the next couple of gigs

Frankie Machine - The Remix EP

If you want a sneak preview here is a short promo video for the Plans & Apologies remix of Gyproque, done by People's Palace Productions

 
Breaking the law AGAIN.
The original rules of Frankie Town were:

*No drums
*No plectrums
*No sitting down whilst playing (me not the audience - they are obviously too busy dancing to care..)
*No gigs in Derby and especially not at The Vic

So the first three and a half rules have all been long broken, on account of what a rule-breaking hellhound I am - but the final piece of the rebellious jigsaw has been slotted in now as I'm playing The Vic Inn on Feb 10th as part of Egofest.



The last solo gig I did at The Vic was during the proto-Frankie period when I think I was billed as Luke Warmskywater, and as I recall did a cover version of George Michael's "A Different Corner". Rest assured that there will be no surprise reprise of that particular weepy but there will be NEW songs and, no doubt, a lot of mistakes.

The line up is excellent and it's FREE so I hope lots of people come along.

 
something that is simulatneously new, old and REALLY old.

just uploaded on the myspace..i found this demo i did around the time of the first frankie album. a cover of "all her favourite fruit" by Camper Van Beethoven.

I think i intended to re-record it better, but never did - and it sounded better than i remembered when i found the master last week.

eagle-eared listeners might spot where the guitar parts got re-used on the first record.

if you haven't got CVB's 1990 Key Lime Pie album then shame on you..

 
Just been sent the link to a preview of a film about the Derby Music Scene over the last 25 years which uses my track "Sun Clouds" over some footage of the old old Ajanta Theatre (famous for playing host to the penultimate Joy Division gig back in 1980)

Anyway - this isn't the finished thing but looks good for now. Apparently a book is coming out too

 
Fantastic news arrives in the electronic virtual postbag of Frankie Towers in that we've been invited to play at the International German Beard Championship next March in the village of Schoemberg in southern Germany.

Not only will we be performing at the festival but I've been entered in the "Imperial" category for my rather stylish lip beard that I've been sporting for a record 10 years now.

Directions to the gig to follow (but I think it's just turn left at Luxembourg and look for the beards)

 
The more astute amongst you will recall this time last year should have seen the release of the fabled and majestic Remix EP, but I decided to wait until the house move was over and that just never seemed to be OVER, just an ongoing piece of rennovation work.

NOW however, I can say that it's definitely OUT NOW. RIGHT NOW.

And you can order an advance copy by emailing frankie@frankiemachine.com for £5 (p&p inc) and I'll get round to putting a paypal link on the site ASAP.

The tracklisting has changed slightly in that the short remix of Re-Unmelt My Heart is no longer included and has been replaced by another otherwise unreleased song called "My Hair Hell" (remixed by my half-brother Reggie "Gangsta" Machine)

01- Gyproque (Plans & Apologies Frankie Panky Mix)
02- Black Eyes #3 (Tigermilk Finally Mix)
03- Nineteen Seventy Three (Johnny Domino Lean Against The Machine Mix)
04- How I Wish I Was Sophia Loren (Shortwave Dahlia Second Skin Mix)
05- My Hair Hell (Reggie "Gangsta" Machine Mix)
06- Beatings Of My Heart (Lardpony Mix)
07- Why Are You #2 (cARDbOaRD_DEaD_bOY Frankie Machine Is People Mix)
08- 54:07 (The Spunk Bubbles Sticky Ricky Mix)
09- I Invented The Walkwoman (Human A Mix)

Oh and it comes in a numbered, hand-crafted fold out origami dinosaur CD sleeve with a photo insert. Limited edition of 200.

You'd be a fool to blah...zzzzzzzzz

 
It was with great regret that we pulled out of the Nightjars and Poppy & The Jezebels gig the other week, but a number of unfortunate circumstances aligned which made it impossible to perform. We have no other gigs lined up at the moment but that could change. Or it could not. What a crazy world we live in.

 
First gig in a while coming up on 6th September at Susumi in Derby with Poppy & The Jezebels and old friends The Nightjars>



Details here




It's not been a good time - had another PC die on me and the remix album was lost for a while. However Mr Hibbett has located the only remaining test master, so it might still yet see the light of day.

 
Been a while but we're playing again at The Five Lamps, Derby on March 9th

This is
The Feredays album launch gig with support from us and new Reveal Records signing Madam (aka Sukie Smith) who is fab and, all being well, I shall be also be playing some accompaniment for her on the night in addition to our own set.

Also to mention is the remix I did recently for Plans & Apologies is now availble on their website for FREE download by clicking this here link Wires! Dub

 
Been a funny couple of months - I'm trying to move house for a start, which sort of explains the inactivity (and yes, the remix EP is unlikely to actually see the light of day now until I'm moved) - been out on tour with MJ Hibbett & The Validators (in my capacity as jobbing bass player) - then I managed to shred my left hand with an exploding lightbulb (more or less healed now but there is some weird scar tissue on my thumb still) - then last Friday a Steel Haulage lorry shed it's load of sheet metal plates all over my car (I wasn't in it at the time thankfully)

In between all this the only vaguely useful thing I managed to do was a remix of a forthcoming Plans & Apologies track "Wirez, Man!" - which actually ended up more of a dub version than a full dance-floor filling cross-over chart success remix. I think they may put it up for free download via their site, once their CD comes out.

Oh and Steve from Johnny Domino finally egged me on enough to start my mp3 blog FRANKOSONIC (access it via the left hand menu of this site if you like..) where I can post up some of the songs that I love, whilst I'm waiting to move on.

Slightly updated the main site too (well...the discog/lyrics and the gig list).

Speaking of gigs - we're playing at the Soul Cafe in Derby on September 7th (sit down meal and relaxing tunes) and the 5 Lamps in Derby on October 8th (acoustic all-dayer type thing). More details to follow. Probably.

 
Playing the Green Room in Sheffield again on August 2nd with Sergeant Buzfuz and Filthy Pedro. Also because I had a spare song slot on Myspazz I put up the track Shilton's Fingertips from the XMAAS free CD (obviously no longer generally available) and it's sort of World Cup themed...

 
Thanks to those that came down to the Derby gig on Monday night, apologies that the set was so brief - we were expecting a low key support slot but due to illness elsewhere we ended up playing last. Hopefully we'll be returning to The Vaults sometime soon to do some more songs and brighten up those damp arches.

Also I finished compiling the remix EP tonight..at last. Which means it really IS nearly a reality. All that stands in the way now is a small matter of moving house.

Expanded tracklisting & web stuff follows:

Frankie Machine
Blow Me Out In Rings - The Remix EP
AAS055

01- Gyproque (Plans & Apologies Frankie Panky Mix)
Plans & Apologies Web
Plans & Apologies MySpace

02- Black Eyes #3 (Tigermilk Finally Mix)
TigerMilk MySpace

03- Nineteen Seventy Three (Johnny Domino Lean Against The Machine Mix)
Johnny Domino MySpace
Johnny Domino Web

04- How I Wish I Was Sophia Loren (Shortwave Dahlia Second Skin Mix)
Shortwave Dahlia MySpace
Shortwave Dahlia Web

05- Re-Unmelt My Heart (GazThatch Experience (Don't Not) Dis-Reunmelt My Heart Mix)
GazThatch Experience MySpace

06- Beatings Of My Heart (Lardpony Mix)
Lardpony MySpace

07- Why Are You #2 (cARDbOaRD_DEaD_bOY Frankie Machine Is People Mix)
cARDbOaRD_DEaD_bOY MySpace
cARDbOaRD_DEaD_bOY Web

08- 54:07 (The Spunk Bubbles Sticky Ricky Mix)
Spunk Bubbles MySpace

09- I Invented The Walkwoman (Human A Mix)
Human A MySpace
Human A Web

 
Playing at The Vaults in Derby on Monday June 12th with Bohumil Vana. Won't be a solo show (unless something goes horribly wrong) should have The Flamboyant Heterosexuals in full effect alongside me. Now all that remains to do is have a practice..or two

 
Just to say that we have a track featured on Radio Dubster's latest podcast on his John Peel Tape & File Project Website

Check it out cos there is some other good stuff on there.

Oh and despite it being there for like 3 years I just noticed that my RSS feed is here for those who are that way inclined

 
Hello and welcome to the Frankie Machine Spring Sale..um..I need the space and the cash so the first album is on short term special offer at £5.00 (inc. Postage) and the album deals are down to £10 for two and £15 for all three.

So go on - treat yourself - or maybe a friend...they will love you forever.

The remix album is almost upon us and the tracklisting is as follows:

1) Gyproque (Plans & Apologies Franky Panky Mix)
2) Nineteen Seventy Three (Johnny Domino Sexbot Mix)
3) Re-Unmelt My Heart (GazThatch Experience (Don't Not) Dis-Reunmelt My Heart Mix)
4) Beatings Of My Heart (Lardpony Mix)
5) How I Wish I Was Sophia Loren (Jack Alberson Second Skin Mix)
6) I Invented The Walkwoman (Human Recordings Mix)
7) Why Are You #2 (cARDbOaRD_DEaD_bOY Frankie Machine Is People Mix)

Everyone a winner...

 
Much as it pains me to kick with the fray - I have set up the myspace thing
www.myspace.com/francisalbertmachine with a track from each album to listen to. Thankfully I have a few friends now so it doesn't look quite so pathetic. Friend me up baby.

Should be on about 9ish in London on Sunday - the first gig of the year nerves are kicking in now

 
Happy new year and all that. Spent the end of January in New York and came back feeling all inspired (by my standards anyway) and so the news..

The remix album EP thing is nearing completion and is even better than I could have hoped for. There is a version of the Sophia Loren song on there too - so it's not all old stuff - even though that's an old song in the scheme of things I mean to say it was never released, although we played it on a radio session once and it's been played regularly live. Once the tracklisting is confirmed then I'll post it up anyway.

Two gigs to plug this month

Sunday February 19th Buffalo Bar, Highbury LONDON
(with Tilly & The Wall + Emmy The Great)

Wednesday February 22nd The Green Room, SHEFFIELD
(with Dave Smith + Anna Haigh + Natasha Allan)

That's all for now. Message ends.

 
The Artists Against Success XMAS album has arrived.

If you would like one of the FIFTY free copies - please get your emails into head honcho Mr Steve Dresden ASAP. It's first come, first served.

Click here to order

As mentioned it has two exclusive Frankie Machine tracks:

I'm Going To Kill Myself For Christmas & Shilton's Fingertips (first version)

 
Thoroughly enjoyed the Hunting For Teeth gig last week, but woke up the next day feeling like death and had to cancel the Sheffield gig. The curse of man-flu.

Forgot to mention that I didn't win the My Funny Valentine competition but the guy gave me a B+ which was better than he gave Miles Davis - so can't be bad hey?

The Xmas CD's should be here on Tuesday so will be sent out later in the week - and my festive dissatisfaction will be freely available for all.

One last thing - if anyone wants to remix a Frankie track for inclusion on a planned remix CD then get in touch frankie@frankiemachine.com and i'll send you some files so you can play with my parts. You can pick your own song - providing I still have the masters at hand..some of the early singles have disappeared.

 
Newsflash - am playing at the legendary Hunting For Teeth night in Derby on November 29th. Normally on the last Thursday of the month - it has now moved to the last Tuesday. Also playing is Kevin Hewick.

Thanks also to the Puritan Blister blog who heart my Daniel Johnston cover. Good work my friends.

And finally - the AAS Xmas compilation "Kung Fu Santa With A Christmas Punchbag" will be out in a few weeks and feature two brand new Frankie tracks. The very festive "I'm Going To Kill Myself For Christmas" and a demo of the new non-xmas song "Shilton's Fingertips". The CD will be free to anyone who asks (until they run out). Keep checking the AAS Website until they arrive. It also features xmas/non-xmas tracks from MJ Hibbeett, Plans & Apologies, Johnny Domino, Dr Coca-Cola McDomalds & Frightened Prisoners Of The Kraken.

 
The Autumn Acoustic All-dayer at Bar Vida on Sunday was lovely - thanks to all those who came along..I'm actually starting to enjoy playing on my own again - free from the shackles of set-lists and set-to's. There was a first outing for my cover of Johnny Domino's "Solid Ground" and a new one called "Songs Of Murder". Two encores is unprecedented though..a shame that Dave from Plans & Apologies had to ruin it for me by requesting a song I couldn't remember the words to. God bless you Mr Wonder Dog & god bless my truly awful powers of memory.

In other weird news I got an email this week saying that I'd been entered into a competition for the best version EVER of Rodgers/Hart "My Funny Valentine" - can't imagine that I'll win on account of how my version sounds like it was recorded in a dustbin - but it's the taking part that counts. Thanks to whoever nominated me. For the record - my favourite version is by F.S.K.

Details of the competition are here in one of the countless music blogs that seem to be springing up the world over
http://www.saidthegramophone.com/#001814

 
Hi to anyone visiting the site via the Songs:Illinois mp3 blog. They have an exclusive mp3 up on that site and it's been generating a fair bit of traffic for me. Thank you!



Gig on Sunday at Vida in Derby

 
Firstly a special thanks to Seth & Jessie for playing my stuff on their regular Podcasts - WHYME out of Philadelphia. In recent weeks they've played 'Empty 00:00', 'Not Even If You Mean It' & 'Freckles' - amongst loads of other good tunes.

Gig last night at Cafe B was cool - a lovely evening with good sound, well organised and an an appreciative (and quiet!) crowd. I did two sets of three songs including The Only Ones 'Happy Pilgrim' and a new one called 'Shilton's Fingertips' Lardpony also played and was aces too!

Sheffield gig is confirmed for November 30th at The Green Room - this time I know what to expect...

 
I noticed a few hits coming from Spain recently - looks like I have been blogged in an mp3 stylee here. A quick trip to www.freetranslation.com tells me that:

Frankie Machine, one of the members of Airport Girl, has been dedicated almost silently to publish beautiful disks and singles of acoustic pop music. Their introspective songs, that are capable of touching the nerve of the most painted one, they are simply of the best than I have listened in this style in a lot of time. In the last disk of the band, "Re-unmelt My Heart ", we find again these beautiful melodies that court, that inspire and that can give us spirits to look at the day otherwise. Since already I am recommended them.

Yeah - couldn't agree more senor!

 
2005 has been a quiet year for gigs - but hopefully this will change in the next couple of months. Playing a couple of songs on Thursday at the Cafe B acoustic night and then a set at the Autumn Acoustic Alldayer at Bar Vida on October 23rd

Cafe B, Derby - Thursday 29th September
Bar Vida, Derby - Sunday 23rd October

Hopefully another gig up in Sheffield and maybe even further afield..

 

Frankie at The Sands Aug 2005

Yeah - Weston-Super-Mare not Las Vegas...

Have just recorded a session of new stuff for the Marcelle Van Hoof "Another Nice Mess" radio show out of Amsterdam, should be broadcast sometime in the next couple of months I guess. Also spent a great week in the quiet of North Cornwall recording with MJ Hibbett & The Validators..wrote one brand new song..er...about death...and finished the lyrics to another one...er..about death. No actually I'm kidding - the second one is sickeningly positive. I disgust myself sometimes..ha

 
things are quiet..i can't work out if i'm in semi-retirement or not..one day i wake up and decide to give it up..then another day i pick up the guitar and realise how much i love playing music..there is a slow build-up of new songs being recorded that could make up the next record but naturally i want it to be better than anything i've done before..and that involves not being a miserable bastard..hmm

 
We're no longer playing on May 29th in Nottingham - as, despite the promoter initially having to talk me into doing it, I'm now told that we've dropped off the bill as the event has taken an "electro" vibe. Bit of a releif as I'm not sure I could have stomached a whole day of haircut Nottingham losers. SO in it's place there should be a Leicester gig coming up and maybe another show in Derby. Will confirm when I know better.

The very great Marcelle Van Hoof played "Why Are You #2" from the album on her excellent "Another Nice Mess" radio show out of Amsterdam last week. Well worth a listen

 
Well, hello..it's nearly a month since the Sheffield gig and only now can i start to talk about it. Actually it wasn't THAT bad - but it was in a wine bar, what can I say? I ended up breaking out the plectrums to try and achieve some sort of volume, and I was sitting down - two firsts for a Frankie gig I think. Did a couple of new songs and three, yes THREE cover versions. I don't think anyone noticed, so I got away with it.

On a brighter note, I've got the new recording stuff set-up at home now so I can actually start making some noises again...be afraid

 
Obscure radio play of the month - well actually from November but I only just got sent the tracklisting from Joe Shooman's PMS show on BBC Radio Liverpool - he played two tracks on his November 1st show "Why Don't You Want Me Frankie?" and "Funny Looking Clever" - weirdly two of the least radio-friendly songs on the album..nice one la etc

 
A good review of the new album in Splendid Ezine

 
The Sheffield Green Room gig is now on Wednesday March 23rd not February 23rd - had to cancel at the last minute due to a bout of broken limbs

 
Unpredictable Same Fanzine have named "Re-unmelt My Heart" as their joint favourite album of 2004 along with The Crimea and Arcade Fire

 
Another review of the new album here

I also got a copy of the new album by The Chemistry Experiment a couple of days ago - I play a trumpet solo on the opening track "Starlite Ballroom". The whole album is lovely & beautiful thing and people should buy it in their droves.

 
thanks to those that came along to the Derby gig a couple of weeks back. It was good to play some of the stuff from 're-unmelt my heart' as god intended..with drums and the new line-up it felt a lot more relaxed and a lot more proper than things have done for a long time. we have another gig in Nottingham on 29th May but that feels an age away..

i'm not sure where things are going to end up musically now, the whole frankie thing came from being down and sad about girls, my attempt to cheer myself up by slipping dick jokes in amongst the melancholia..

these days i feel pretty contented..still writing music but not really getting anywhere lyrically..so maybe the next album will be completely instrumental..we shall see. whatever it ends up like it will be recorded with a smile on my face

 
2005 here we go - the new year starts with a couple of good reviews..one of the new album at Indieville and one of the US compilation album at Friends Of The Heroes

The finished mp3 of the Broadband Aid version of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" is online now at Kooba Radio - not very festive now, but still better than the crap re-recorded version that BandAid 20 did. I do Paul Young's line(s) I think. The latest Kooba Radio show also plays tracks from all those that contributed, so there was another play for "54th & 3rd". Rah for Kooba!

Finally - news of a couple of tentative gigs:

Monday 24th January - Derby Bar Vida
Wednesday 23rd February - Sheffield Green Rooms

 
A lovely new review of the album from Friends Of The Heroes webzine here

Kooba Radio played "Black Eyes #3" on their recent AAS special and Mr Hibbett says a few..um..kind words about me. Am also supposed to be recording a line or two for their Broadband Aid version of "Do They Know It's Christmas"

Also got some airplay on the Legendary Lord Litter show in Germany - he also played "Black Eyes #3" - so i've stuck that track up in the mp3 section here

 
Some more reviews have arrived and some radio play for the new album from discerning and sexy radio stations

"Self Made Man" on BBC Radio Wales

"Re-unmelt My Heart" on Kooba Radio - you can also listen online - they do "Five Facts About Frankie Machine" that was a bit frighteningly showbiz.

"Self Made Man" on Bristol Uncovered STAR FM

Tasty Fanzine Review

Vanity Project Issue 12 Review

 
Both of the November gigs have now been cancelled - to be re-arranged some time soon.

Two reviews of the new album came in today - one good from Between Planets and one not so good from small London-based club/clique You're So Old Street

John Peel RIP
I'm all out of words to express how much your voice will be missed.

 
Two gigs confirmed:

Tue 17th November - Bishop Blaize, Derby
Wed 18th November - Green Room, Sheffield

More details as and when hey?

 
A couple of new reviews of the US singles compilation album to post while i think about it...

Indieville webzine liked it...

Indiepages webzine weren't so keen (page down to find the review) but said we sounded like Lovejoy. So obviously from now on we will be sticking to Antiques dealing...

Copies of the new album are in Reveal Records, Derby if anyone local wants to pick up a copy in advance of the next gig..date TBC

 
Thanks to everyone who came along to the gigs last week - we had a fun time in the circumstances.. sold a few CD's, made some new friends and made it back in one piece.

Hopefully we will do a hometown gig soon to launch the album properly and there is also rumours afoot regarding a split 7" with Johnny Domino covering a Frankie song and us doing one of their spunky little numbers..believe it when you see it..

 
The new album has arrived and is available to buy right now from this very webpage..
There are a couple of sample mp3's posted on the music page also..

Meanwhile a new review of the US singles comp in the Splendid Ezine here

and a late review of the first album on the hip and happening You're So Old Street Ezine here

Oh and the Sheffield gig on the 1st September was cancelled at the last minute due to the venue being refurbished - but it should be open in time for the September 22nd gig

 
OK - so you should be seeing the new look website - all it took was a lick of brown paint and a couple of late nights.

Dunno if I was missed at the Summer Picnic today but I didn't make it for one reason or another. Bad timing and me etc

There is now a separate page for gig listings - and if you look you will see that there are dates coming up in Glasgow, Hull, Sheffield (twice) and London.

Oh and I fixed all the mp3's too - and added TWO new ones - the very first EVER FM demo of "The Clue Is In The Question" and a live track as promised ages ago from the Blaize gig in May - "Not Even If You Mean It" which appears in proper form on the new album out in mid-september (did I mention that?).

 
Two new reviews of the US Singles compilation online now at
Wide Open Road
and
Zeitgeist

The website will be overhauled soon to match collar & cuffs with the new album "Re-Unmelt My Heart" which should be out in mid-September.

 
Another review of the US Singles Comp here:

Vanity Project Fanzine

Plus gigs confirmed:

August 14th - The Summer Picnic, The Mist Derby 2pm-2am
September 23rd - 12 Bar, London

Possibly another gig in Derby in September and Hull? Maybe?

 
Two good reviews of the US singles compilation here..

Indigo Flow webzine

Erasing Clouds webzine

London gig at the 12 Bar on September 23rd looks more likely..

 
Thanks to all who came last night - it was a lovely gig, much enjoyed. We recorded the set so I might put up some highlights on the mp3 page if anything passes quality control…

Other forthcoming gigs? Hopefully the Summer Picnic at the Mist in Derby and a gig at the 12 Bar if Mr Hibbett can pull those London strings..

 
Derby gig confirmed - this time with full Team Frankie reunited at last.

Tuesday 25th May, Bishop Blaise Friargate
support from SALO and ALEX BOWEN
free admission

 
Had an email from Sean at Org - he says the Radio promo CD will be out next week after nearly two years of problems and setbacks...watch this space

Started the mastering process of the new album proper tonight - which means I cut a CD - listen to it for a week and then change loads of stuff..and repeat until my precious gene implodes

 
Oh Org..where art thou? Hmmm...

Anyway - I've added Paypal BUY buttons to all the records on the RECORDS page of this site (well..all those that are still for sale) most importantly the US Singles Compilation on Chocolate Hearts...

Mr Choco is knocking them out to Non-US customers for $11 (postage included) - which is pretty damn cheap by my reckoning cos of the puny dollar vs our mighty pound - works out about £6.20. And it will be shipped to you by a genuine AMERICAN and have stamps with George W Bush smiling at you. Go buy!

 
The single compilation is now available to purchase from Chocolate Hearts - big thanks to Gabe for doing a great job over there.

Sheffield gig was fun..albeit a bit weird cos of the rotating singer-songwriter wheel of death system, but at least people listened and (seemingly) enjoyed - unlike some places we could mention. No more gigs confirmed yet but we'll be back out there soon with the full FM combo back together for a summer of love..i've got some albums to sell!

 
Just had an email from the head honcho at Chocolate Hearts to say that the Singles Compilation has arrived so it will be up for sale very soon on their website www.chocohearts.com and I'll hopefully get some copies sent over the Atlantic to sell at gigs and the like.

Gig in Sheffield on Thursday 1st April is still on at The Grapes - all acoustic night so I'm hoping it will be better than the Nottingham debacle.

Still no Org Radio Promo CD in sight...

 
Thanks to all those who came to the Derby & Nottingham gigs on Sunday. The Derby gig was a beautiful thing and the only downside was that we couldn't stay to hear the other bands and partake of THE BUFFET - cos we had to get to Nottingham for the evening engagement. Quite frankly I wish we hadn't bothered. The promoter's band managed to pack the place with mates from work (most of whom seemed to have never even BEEN to a gig before) so I was completely drowned out by the noise of them talking at the bar..I gave up after 4 songs cos I couldn't even hear my guitar. It was on a par with the Sheffield University gig of yesteryear for the "pointless gig of the millenium award". The Liberty Ship fared better cos they were LOUD and also GOOD. Then the promoter's band went on and played for well over an hour - even their hordes of mates were starting to tire of them by this point - then they all went home, seemingly oblivious that MJ Hibbett & The Validators were still to play. To add insult to injury - when it was all over the promoter claimed that there was "no money" for the other bands - despite the fact there must have been pushing 100 people there and the door price was £5. I guess it's ruthless morons like this that get on in the music business, good luck to him. Mr Hibbett's account of the "festivities" can be read in his blog at www.mjhibbett.com

Anyway - in more positive news - the album is FINISHED and now I just have to master it and get it released. The US Singles compilation is at the manufacturers as we speak. There will also be a new track on the next Colchester Recordings Compilation album and the "one minute" track "Funny Looking Clever" has been accepted for the 60x60 Compilation on Where It's At Is Where You Are Records.

Still no sign of the Org Radio Promo!

Rock on brothers and sisters

 
Derby gig is now BACK ON...i do not question the vagaries of Moo..

Sunday March 14th
The Mist (formerly Raffles) Derby
Acoustic all-dayer (on in the afternoon at some point)
Dr Coca Cola McDonalds
The last of real hard man..
Frankie Machine
Three man xylophone quintet
Debbie and the sea of fire
Dave PandA

 
The Derby gig has been cancelled to be rescheduled soon - meanwhile a new date is confirmed for the Sheffield Gig

Thursday April 1st
Sheffield The Grapes

Still no sign of the Org Radio CD but the artwork for the US singles compilation is all but complete, so it should be going to press very soon indeed right Gabe?

 
No change on the Org Radio CD front - still says January even though it is now close to Mid-February.

Gigs at last - and two arrive on the same day:

Sunday March 14th
The Mist (formerly Raffles) Derby
Acoustic all-dayer (on about 1pm)

Sunday March 14th
The Social Nottingham
with MJ Hibbett, The Liberty Ship and the Insanity Radiators (or something)
(on at about 8pm i think)

So I will be leading a conga up the A52 - playing bass for MJ Hibbett too, so it will be a record three gigs in one day. Both the Frankie sets are most likely to be just me - Team Frankie are in abeyance.

I was also offered a gig in Sheffield on 4th March but it was double-booked with a Validators recording session, so that will hopefully be re-arranged when the promoter gets back to me.

 
Wow! A change on the Org Radio CD page - it no longer says Jan 6th as the release date - it has changed to just "January" and something about it being late back from the manufacturers...ah well...we've waited this long etc.

 
happy new year - the web page tidying up has begun - album was nearly finished before the end of december but there is too much wrong with it - so it is going back under the knife. any sign of the Org Radio CD? Quelle surprise...non.

 
Oh yeah - and the webpage is going to get an overhaul once the album recording is done. Lots of photos & obscure unreleased mp3's to upload and I want to improve the piss-poor navigation that I apparently thought was good enough when I first designed the site.

 
No updates for a while - i've actually been busy doing stuff rather than talking about it - the album is all but finished - there is just one song left to record, and a lot of stuff is being left on the cutting room floor as I'm keen to keep it under 40 minutes again. I've found there is only so much Frankie that people can take in one sitting.

The Organ Radio Promo CD is now "scheduled" for release in January 6th 2004 - the URL is here if you want to keep checking back to see what a joke this has become.

The Colchester Recordings compilation album, on the other hand, came out pretty much on time and has been getting plenty of reviews - good work James. Almost all the reviews so far have mentioned the Frankie Machine track click here if yr interested

No fresh news on the Singles Compilation - although I did do some artwork recently which may or may not get used, dependent on whether the label come up with anything better!

Happy xmas if I don't post any fresh news before then..

 
A good gig in Leicester on Monday night - most enjoyable once we got past the satanic acoustics of the room. Thanks to The Lucksmiths and Anthony Atkinson who were both lovely and also super. Album sessions continue apace - new songs completed include "Wrist Curfew", "Why Are You #2" & "Japanese Sigh".

Still no sign of the Organ Radio Promo CD - and the morons are ignoring my emails.

The Singles Compilation should be out soon-ish too - Chocolate Hearts head honcho is pressing on with artwork and all the stuff that goes with it..Although it will be a US release I should have some copies available for sale over here in the UK.

 
Two things to report today
1) Monday's Yom Kippur session was a resounding success - Stevie D added some piano and korg magic to the track "I'm Not Really A Doctor" and then we embarked on a dark journey to the heart of klezmerville...it could well become the most irritating track on the next album. But in a good way - i hope.

2) The Colchester Recordings compilation album arrived today - with exclusive Frankie track "The Smoking Gun". If anyone wants one, drop me an email or hassle me at gigs. Not listened to all the other artists yet but what I have heard sounds good.

Also thanks to those who showed up to the Inner City Crawl and those that wrote nice reviews on derbyMusic.com - we had a good day, even though we were under-rehearsed and sans keyboard player (Joanne double-booked the gig with a shopping trip to Edinburgh...)

 
Another gig confirmed today:

Monday November 3rd LEICESTER Lamplighters
with The Lucksmiths & Anthony Atkinson

Plus watch out for news of the klezmatronic Yom Kippur sessions happening next monday - oh album #2 how you get closer each day

 
Date for the Derby Inner City Crawl is now Sunday October 5th. We're playing the middle leg at Bar Vida - on at 4:40pm apparently....there is a preview on the Radio Derby website HERE

Still no news on the Organ Radio CD, but the Colchester Recordings compilation is being pressed as we speak and should be out very soon

he walked me to the deli then
we sat on the roof where it all began
I looked into your big eyes and
said to myself, We coulda had twins

 
Wow maaan - it's just SO retro round here - it's all gone kind of LAST YEAR.

First up - the Organ Radio CD that was meant to come out last year as a nice promo for the album is supposedly now due for release on August 28th 2003 (yes I know that was 3 weeks ago...) according to the www.organart.com web page. If it ever does happen it will have the video mix of "54th & 3rd" on it - amongst some other bands who have probably been waiting just as long as me for something to actually *happen*.

Then secondly I got a copy of "Beat Sketching" fanzine which contains a belated review of the album - belated and nice.
As it is proper hardcore PAPER fanzine I can't point you at an electronic version but the guy's webpage is here and a scan of the review looks like this

 
Been a while since I updated - London gig was fun, crowd were...chatty...There is a picture here courtesy of DaZ AliBI. Thanks to everyone who came along.

Got the remix of "Beatings Of My Heart" from Mr Tom Lardpony it's lovely and all sparkly - I'll probably put the mp3 up soon when I sort out the songs page - sample his other grate work here

Also there is a new and exclusive track called "The Smoking Gun" coming out IMMINENTLY on a Colchester Recordings compilation called "Yeah, it's Supposed to Sound Like That...". The song was originally recorded for the 2nd DerbyMusic.com compilation that never happened, so I've re-undonated to someone else. It will also be on the American Singles Compilation when that finally gets released.

No more gigs planned just yet - but maybe playing the Derby Inner City Crawl again in November.

Meanwhile just downloading 1970's Genesis albums for my amusement...

 
Quick reviews - Beer festival gig was pretty terrible (except that we got special magic beer credit cards to spend at the festival - Gary took a shine to something called "suicider") - the Hall was massive, the PA too quiet, the audience were too loud and we dropped a couple of songs and I ended up playing My Funny Valentine all alone somewhere under the racket. I also wore a hat for the duration.

Raffles gig the next day was altogether more lovely. Just me doing a mix of obscure album tracks, cover versions and new stuff - someone put a photo up here

Two Frankie remixes are in the pipeline too - lardpony has finished a mix of "Beatings Of My Heart" which I have yet to hear and The Beatsneaks are doing "Gyproque" somehow...oh the anticipation.

 
Updated gigs for the summer...

Wednesday 9th July - Derby Beer Festival, Assembly Rooms
(with My Alibi and Komakino)

Thursday 10th July - Twee On The Lawn, Raffles Derby
(with Plans & Apologies and Fallout40)

Thursday 14th August - AAS 5th Birthday Party London Leg, Brixton Windmill
(with Plans & Apologies, Johnny Domino & MJ Hibbett)

 
Hmmm...the Jackson 5 song link still wasn't working - the file mysteriously disappeared off the server - putting it back now so it should work again very soon indeed.
Found a nice review of the album on Splendid Ezine that's been there a couple of months, but I never knew. Impressed that they actually went to the trouble of getting the multimedia bit working and mentioned it a few times in the review. Not quite so sure as to how they can't tell what I'm singing...maybe i need elocution lessons after all?

 
Fixed the broken link to the new file in the Music section.Sorry about that children.
Added a small review from the Rough Trade catalog in the Albums Reviews section.
Recorded 3 news songs at The Hive the other week for the next album..
"How I Wish I Was Sophia Loren"
"Re-Unmelt My Heart"
"The Self-Made Man"
If Uncle Stevie Domino ever gets his elusive eighth track finished then I'll be recording something with him soon too.

Um..GIG NEWS!

Wednesday July 9th 2003 - Derby Assembly Rooms, Darwin Suite

Determined to get some Slayer tunes into this live set.
Also - getting ever closer is the Singles Compilation album hopefully out on Chocolate Heart Records of Philadelphia USA - tentatively entitled
"I Love You & I Don't Want You To Die"
Been listening to a lot of early Marillion. Don't fear the prog man..

 
Four new pictures up in the PICS section - from the Inner City Crawl gig back in November. Thanks to Chris My-Alibi for taking them and sending them on. Also a new song in the MUSIC section - a very un-frankie cover version of the classic Jackson 5 song. In the studio on Tuesday recording stuff for the next record and also maybe recording something new with Uncle Steve Domino from the mighty Johnny Domino band. If he lets me.

 
Just found a rogue review of the Inner City Crawl gig we did back in November find it here - I'd almost forgotten about it..

A new song is written for the "Walkman...Don't Talk man" compilation due out later in the year on Moo's KOBAYAYSHI MARU RECORDING SYNDICATE label. It's called "I Invented The Walkwoman"

 
Happy New Year and all that...got broadband now, so maybe some new mp3's will appear soon. Or maybe not.
Just Like Honey on-line Radio station in New York feature "First Born Jesus" from the album on their January show - playlist is here
Is there anything else to report? In a word...no.

 
Nottingham gig this coming Saturday 21st December - we're on stage at 4pm.

Bad news on the "I'm With Cupid" Valentines Day compilation - our version of My Funny Valentine has been pulled by the American label due to licensing problems. Apparently Richard Rodgers lawyers are big fans of obscure indie nonsense, so it wasn't deemed worth the risk...a real shame because I had promised to do a set of Frank Sinatra covers at the launch gig - which is unlikely to happen now we're not on the album. I'm sure it will be a great record - just slightly LESS great than it could have been...

 
A gig for Christmas has magically appeared out of the blue -

Saturday 21st December The Social, Nottingham
With The Liberty Ship
This is an AFTERNOON gig - don't be fooled!

Then recording the second album starts in earnest. Oh yes.

 
Congratulations to Luke Murray, Hel Murray, Aaron Gow, Potter Tait and Andy Malt who all won copies of the Frankie album in the competition on Popex recently - only one of them is related to someone Pauly knows, so don't let it be said he fixes these things...Anyway - go buy loads of shares in ME on Popex now.

Trumpet gig with Airport Girl went OK last weekend - Sean has asked me to contribute another song to their new album (the track I gave them "When You Fall" will be on their forthcoming single on Matinee). The idea is to let Airport Girl do an up-tempo boogie version of one of the tracks from the next Frankie album in a sort of Byrds/Dylan song swap stylee.

 
Inner City Crawl gig was a good one - we played a new song called "Re-Unmelt My Heart" and there was temporary and impromptu possession by the spirit of Billy Joel at some point in the proceedings. At least one photo on the web HERE thanks to Chris MyAlibi...

There are reasons both historical and practical as to why i cut my own hair - i should just learn not to attempt it when i'm in a hurry to be somewhere. Currently sporting Will Smith style cross-hatching...unintentionally.

Listening to a Best Of Motorhead compilation in the car today. Have ever a band made a career out of one song?
I'm not impressed.

No gigs in the pipeline but back on trumpet duty with Airport Girl this weekend at the Strange Fruit festival at the Spitz.

 
Some new reviews of the album added to the reviews page

HERE

and very nice they are too...

 
There is a track from the album on PlayLouder streaming radio thing - it's The French Guy pts I&II, some other good stuff on there as well.

Inner City Crawl gig is DEFINITELY
Sunday 3rd November The Saracen's Head, Derby
We're on at 6:45pm - also playing are The Understudy's - then the whole crawl moves to The Institute and Leon will be playing (with our Keyboard player in tow - hopefully not too drunk for them)

There is a free CD being given away to people on the Crawl - we've got a new exclusive track on there called "Either Or The Both Of Us"

Oh and you can now order copies of the 3 vinyl EPs from the AAS shop HERE
Click on "singles" - but get them quick as they are nearly sold out.

 
You can now buy the album on-line from the AAS shop - here: SHOP SHOP SHOP and there is a nice review of the album on Drowned in Sound here: POW POW POW

Inner City Crawl gig in Derby is the first Sunday in November I think.

 
The BBC Radio session went out last saturday - two tracks - a new one called "How I Wish I Were Sophia Loren" and an old one "Don't Be A Robot" - there was also an interview which was um...interesting, very interesting. But cheers to Dean Jackson for putting us on...what a guy.

Gig last night with The Butterflies Of Love in Leicester went really well, played a few songs, sold a few records, made a few friends.

Looks like the long-awaited home-town gig in Derby could be happening at the end of October as part of the Sumo Construction Inner City Crawl - more details when the date is confirmed.

 
On the way back from seeing Derby crush the mighty Stoke City - Dean Jackson rang me to ask if we would like to record a session for BBC Radio East Midlands - so yeah - we'll be doing that with pleasure probably the same night we go to Nottingham to see Mudhoney (9th September) - more details of broadcast date when I get them...

 
Albums will be in the shops from Mid-September - and hopefully via Amazon and other on-line emporiums. If you're struggling to get hold of a copy, drop us an email and we'll do old-fashioned mano a mano mail order.

Meanwhile one gig to confirm -
Thursday 19th September The Lamplighters, Leicester
with The Butterflies Of Love and The Chemistry Experiment

Should be a good night - come on down...

 
New web page....to celebrate the new album - which is finally HERE and in my hands. If you want a copy pronto then email me and we'll sort it out. Other news? Hopefully a track on the WIAIWYA / Stereoriffic Valentines Day CD next February - more than likely the cover of "My Funny Valentine" unless I can write something more beautiful in the meantime. Yeah right...

 
So much for regular blogging - ah well. The Welsh tour was a good thing, we made a lot of friends - learned a lot of new stuff to do with the Welsh national dish of coleslaw, "worming up" and "crab ladders". Teflon Monkey didn't play but instead we got those Mountain Men Anonymous fellas again - which was a lovely reunion. Oh yeah and we also drank lots of BIG cans of Danish Lager. Ju played a blinder and did us proud on his first outing as part of the Machine, although who knows what the line-up will be for the next batch of gigs when the ALBUM comes out. Speaking of which - yes, it is nearly here. Delivery is expected any day now, complete with groovy multimedia videos (now with some extra live video footage), lyrics, photos & other shit - for those who want to put the CD in their computer.
Over & Out

 
Details of the other bands at next week's Swansea gig have been confirmed:

Sunday June 9th The Monkey Bar, Swansea
with Teflon Monkey and Roostar

Looking forward to it - Teflon Monkey had a split single with Mountain Men Anonymous, with whom we played at the Garage last year...cor...small world innit?

Let's ROCK

 
Video is finished (more or less), extra guitarist recruited for the upcoming Swansea/Leicester gigs, 54th & 3rd to appear on the next Organ Radio Promo CD, it's what we call a busy news week.

 
Curses - the girl we wanted for the video is unavailable, so we've gone with the second choice (who is also someone Kay knows....hmmm), but I reckon it'll be OK. I had a trademark change of heart the other day about releasing the singles collection as a bonus with the new album. I might save it until the NEXT album, seeing as the next album is pretty much written and ready to record.

Other news comes in the shape of GIGS! Oh yes - be afraid, we are venturing outside of England for the first time. Frankie Machine goes international - we've got a gig Wales.

Sunday June 9th The Monkey Bar, Swansea
(other bands to be confirmed)
Monday June 10th Lamplighters, Leicester
(with MJ Hibbett)
More details as and when

 
Agreed on casting for the video last night, turned out that Kay knew the guy we picked and she was secretly hoping we'd go for him, and after much running around we found a contact number for the female lead. So all is well and on schedule. Just got to finish the damn artwork for the CD now...oh yeah Zoe and Kay have written my cameo out of the video altogether, which is probably just as well as I had some very odd ideas about the bible that I was thinking of doing. They have saved me from myself and for that I thanks them.

 
Got back from Prague today - the city where both the prices and the interior decor are stuck in the 1970's, but they have a great public transport system (trams AND underground railway) - hey that's communism for you. We saw a U2 tribute band (for saying I generally hate U2 - they were quite entertaining and the czech kidz went crazy for it. I also shook Bonoski's hand for some reason) and I wrote a 35 minute plainsong called "Beautiful Czech Girl" which will probably only ever be heard by the select few Frankie associates who accompanied me. And they are already pretty sick of it.

 
First meeting to talk shit about the video went well and now we're casting for the two main parts, looks like I'll only be in it briefly as some kind of cameo, but that's fine with me. Apparently the main part is written with Paddy Considine in mind but somehow I think he might be busy. I gave Zoe and Kay a couple of singles and they looked at them and said "do they still *make* 7"s??"

 
OK - so I'm trying out this automatic blogging site to make the news updates. Just trying to give myself an incentive to make slightly more effort than I have done recently. We shall see how it works out....you can check out all the old stylee news HERE

Things are going ahead nicely with the album now - aiming for an August release which gives plenty of time to sort gigs and the promotion stuff. I'm meeting with the video people later to discuss ideas for including the video of 54th & 3rd as a bonus on the CD itself. Check them out HERE