Frankie & The Heartstrings
Encyclopedia
Frankie & The Heartstrings are a Sunderland
-based indie rock
band that formed in 2008. The band's debut album, Hunger
was released on 21 February 2011, and debuted at #32 on the UK albums chart.
night in a pub the singer was running at the time in Sunderland
and formed the band in December 2008. Singer Francis had intended to play bass in the band, but Harper said that "He was the worst bassist ever". The band made their live debut in Christmas 2008 after friend Steve Dennis joined on bass. Former Kenickie
drummer, Jonny X, now known by his real name Pete Gofton
joined as a keyboardist.Pete Gofton has since left in 2010 and was replaced with Soundtracks For A B-Movie and Minotaurs guitarist Mick Ross. It has been said that Mick "adds steel, bite and panache to their musicianship". The band were almost called Pop Sex, and The New Groomers but settled on Frankie & The Heartstrings.
The band's debut release was a 10" 7 track live EP 12.09.09, released on their own Pop Sex Ltd records in a limited edition of 500 in November 2009. The following month they followed it up with a double A side 7" single Hunger/Fragile released on Rough Trade
. That month they played their first major tour supporting Florence & The Machine.
In April 2010, the band released their second single Tender/I Want You Back, recorded with James Ford
of Simian Mobile Disco
.
Further gigging continued throughout 2010 including slots at the Glastonbury Festival
, Summer Sundae
and Latitude Festival
, overseas shows in Europe, New York and Tokyo and support slots across the UK supporting The Futureheads
and Edwyn Collins
.
The band released their third single Ungrateful in October 2010.
Collins also produced the band’s debut album in the late summer and early Autumn at his West Heath Studios in London. Titled “Hunger”, the record was released in the UK on 21 February 2011, and charted at #32 on the UK albums chart.
The band have drawn comparisons to Orange Juice
and Dexy's Midnight Runners.
City of Sunderland
The City of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough...
-based indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band that formed in 2008. The band's debut album, Hunger
Hunger (Frankie & The Heartstrings)
Hunger is the first album to be released by Sunderland indie band Frankie & The Heartstrings. It was released on 21 February 2011 on the bands own label, Pop Sex Ltd., a subsiduary of Wichita Recordings. A live version of the album was available to redeem online when bought from HMV...
was released on 21 February 2011, and debuted at #32 on the UK albums chart.
History
Singer Frankie Francis and guitarist Michael McKnight were at college together. Drummer Dave Harper and McKnight had played in local bands for years. McKnight and Harper met Francis at a calypsoCalypso music
Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago from African and European roots. The roots of the genre lay in the arrival of enslaved Africans, who, not being allowed to speak with each other, communicated through song...
night in a pub the singer was running at the time in Sunderland
City of Sunderland
The City of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough...
and formed the band in December 2008. Singer Francis had intended to play bass in the band, but Harper said that "He was the worst bassist ever". The band made their live debut in Christmas 2008 after friend Steve Dennis joined on bass. Former Kenickie
Kenickie
Kenickie were a four-piece rock band from Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England. The band were formed in 1994 and consisted of lead vocalist, guitarist and lyricist Lauren Laverne , drummer Johnny X , lead guitarist and occasional vocalist Marie du Santiago and bass guitarist Emmy-Kate Montrose...
drummer, Jonny X, now known by his real name Pete Gofton
Pete Gofton
Pete Gofton is a Sunderland-based musician and producer. Well known on the North East music scene, and has been involved with many artists either playing with them or producing.-History:...
joined as a keyboardist.Pete Gofton has since left in 2010 and was replaced with Soundtracks For A B-Movie and Minotaurs guitarist Mick Ross. It has been said that Mick "adds steel, bite and panache to their musicianship". The band were almost called Pop Sex, and The New Groomers but settled on Frankie & The Heartstrings.
The band's debut release was a 10" 7 track live EP 12.09.09, released on their own Pop Sex Ltd records in a limited edition of 500 in November 2009. The following month they followed it up with a double A side 7" single Hunger/Fragile released on Rough Trade
Rough Trade
Rough Trade may refer to:*Rough Trade Records, a record label*Rough Trade , linked but independent London record stores*Rough Trade , a Canadian new wave rock band*Rough Trade , an episode of American Dad!...
. That month they played their first major tour supporting Florence & The Machine.
In April 2010, the band released their second single Tender/I Want You Back, recorded with James Ford
James Ford
James Ford may refer to:*James A. Ford, American archaeologist*James Ford , benefactor of the Ford Lectures at Oxford University*James Ford , cricketer*James Ford , American newsreader and journalist for WPIX...
of Simian Mobile Disco
Simian Mobile Disco
Simian Mobile Disco are a United Kingdom-based production and remix team formed in 2005 by James Ford and Jas Shaw of the band Simian. Musically, they are known for their analogue production...
.
Further gigging continued throughout 2010 including slots at the Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
, Summer Sundae
Summer Sundae
Summer Sundae is an annual music festival held in Leicester, England which focuses on indie, alternative, and local music...
and Latitude Festival
Latitude Festival
The Latitude Festival is an annual music festival that takes place in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk, England. It was first held in July 2006....
, overseas shows in Europe, New York and Tokyo and support slots across the UK supporting The Futureheads
The Futureheads
The Futureheads are an English post-punk band from Sunderland. consisting of Ross Millard , Barry Hyde and David "Jaff" Craig...
and Edwyn Collins
Edwyn Collins
Edwyn Stephen Collins is an Ivor Novello Award winning Scottish musician, playing mostly electric guitar-driven pop. Collins formed the musical group Nu-Sonics in 1976, which later became Orange Juice...
.
The band released their third single Ungrateful in October 2010.
Collins also produced the band’s debut album in the late summer and early Autumn at his West Heath Studios in London. Titled “Hunger”, the record was released in the UK on 21 February 2011, and charted at #32 on the UK albums chart.
The band have drawn comparisons to Orange Juice
Orange Juice
Orange Juice was a Scottish post-punk band founded in the middle class Glasgow suburb of Bearsden as the Nu-Sonics in 1976. Edwyn Collins formed the Nu-Sonics with his school-mate Alan Duncan and was subsequently joined by James Kirk and Steven Daly, who left a band called The Machetes. The band...
and Dexy's Midnight Runners.
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
||
| 2011 | Hunger Hunger (Frankie & The Heartstrings) Hunger is the first album to be released by Sunderland indie band Frankie & The Heartstrings. It was released on 21 February 2011 on the bands own label, Pop Sex Ltd., a subsiduary of Wichita Recordings. A live version of the album was available to redeem online when bought from HMV...
|
32 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | "12.09.09" | – | |
| "Hunger/Fragile" | Hunger | ||
| 2010 | "Tender/I Want You Back" | ||
| "Ungrateful" | |||