The most lovable douche bags around
Frankie McQueen grabs attention & doesn’t let go
Frankie McQueen's brand of psychedelia isn't contained by generic titles or, as it turns out, set lists, either.
Primed
to celebrate its fourth anniversary as a band, the local rockers behind
Frankie McQueen represent the latest wave of Calgary musicians to take
up the torch of reverb and rebellion. Its status as an up-and-comer to
watch was cemented in 2009, when Frankie captured the “Rockstar” crown
at a radio-sponsored battle of the bands and walked away $200,000
richer. There was a catch, however — these grand prize winnings are
earmarked for recording studio expenses. But still, it’s a hell of an
allocated shot in the arm for a group of greenhorns that cut their teeth
on the Wednesday wing-night pub scene.
“Connor
(Muth, drummer) and Kelly (O’Keefe, bassist) started the band back in
high school,” reports vocalist-guitarist Scotty Charles. “They had been
jamming and trying out singers for a while and knew about my singing and
playing abilities from seeing me perform in various talent shows and
with my band Fang. They were heavily influenced by the old Calgary indie
and garage bands (such as) Telly; at the time, and Rob Eight from Telly
was a youth pastor who got all those boys playing together.”
“We
all loved Telly’s song ‘Frankie McQueen,’” he continues. “And we asked
if we could use it as our name. They gave us the thumbs-up and by the
end of our first gig together the crowd, at the Nova music showcase, was
chanting ‘Frankie! Frankie!’ In that moment, we knew we had something
worth pursuing.”
Continuing
to build Frankie McQueen’s momentum and character along with founding
members O’Keefe and Muth, Charles helped to bring guitarist Scott Giffin
to the fold during the recording of its debut EP. A late-night
brainstorming session that precipitated music lessons and a fast
friendship, the addition of Giffin strengthened the band’s sound as well
as its sense of purpose.
“Scott
and I hit it off right from the get-go,” explains Charles. “We just
started jamming and the hard rockin’ ideas haven’t stopped coming since.
Even though we have rather different musical tastes and backgrounds, we
all mesh together very well onstage. As guitarists, Scott and I tend to
go back and forth a lot, whether we’re working on a sexy ballad, a big
bluesy number or a ripping-fast metal song, eventually one of us will
ignite out of a jam and create something that becomes a song. There’s
really no designated driver in Frankie McQueen — too many assholes
trying to backseat drive. I’ve found the best thing you can do in that
situation is get them to drink more beer and then let ’em steer the ship
for a while.”
With
a second EP in the works, it appears Frankie McQueen’s ship is indeed
due to come in again. Parlaying their new take on an old sound into
indie gold, the organic psych-rock foursome is eager to immortalize the
evolution of the Frankie McQueen sound — now with the aid of esteemed
producer Graham Sharkey.
Prone
to performing with his eyes shut — only to open them and find himself
halfway through a set — Charles relishes the otherworldly experience of
sharing his audio art in a live setting. In fact, the group is known to
perform without a formal “set list,” opting to go with the flow,
sometimes recording the order of songs after the fact to be presented in
their “natural” order the next time. This talent may well be Frankie
McQueen’s greatest asset, as it allows the intuitive quartet to present a
moment while remaining present in the moment.
“When
we’re onstage we know that it’s our time to shine,” Charles explains of
his band’s alter ego. “Frankie McQueen is the kinda guy who rolls into a
joint and immediately captures everyone’s attention and completely
takes over. He’s a leader, not a follower. He’s a total badass. When I’m
talking about Frankie McQueen the man, I’m talking about the most
lovable douche bag on the planet.”by Christine Leonard
Originally published December 16, 2010 in Fast Forward Magazine.
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