With a new album out in September and a long UK tour in October, it seemed like a good time to catch up with folk-punk hero Frank Turner to find out about the new record, the recent tour and the possibility of waking up next to a large man named Rámon.
Stereokill: How did you find your recent tour? Did you enjoy touring with The Gaslight Anthem and Polar Bear Club?
FT: It was great, thanks. I got to go to a lot of countries I haven’t visited before and play to awesome crowds. I think it’s really made a dent in the continent for me. Also, both bands on the tour were great to be with, both musically and personally. I think we’re all planning to share stages again.
Stereokill: Last time I spoke to you, you mentioned the Belfast show was a bit mental, care to elaborate?
FT: *laughs* Northern Irish crowds are, in my experience, on the boisterous side. The last Belfast show was great, sold out, and it was noisy and drunk and euphoric. Good times.
Stereokill: Do you find your crowds tend to be somewhat lovably rowdy? Your gigs are the only folk gigs where I’ve seen crowdsurfing and over-excited fans being removed.
FT: I think that there’s a strong punk element within my crowds, and different scenes have different learned behaviours, if you see what I mean. One of the things I pride myself on is having a diverse audience, not being tied exclusively to one scene. At the end of the day, as long as everyone’s having a good time then I’m happy.
Stereokill: Are you looking forward to playing South by Southwest again in March?
FT: Yes, although I think I’ll be totally wiped out by the end of it. I’m flying in from London to rehearse with some guys I haven’t met yet who’ll be backing me up, and then playing three shows the same day. It’s a cool little get-together though, and I’m looking forward to catching up with a lot of old friends.
Stereokill: How are you enjoying your increasing popularity? Do you find that you get recognised more often nowadays?
FT: On occasion, sure, but it’s not like I’m being chased by papparazzi every time I step out of my house *laughs*. It’s gratifying to see things taking off, to see hard work paying off. It’s a bit weird to have your song come on when you’re in Asda or whatever, but it’d be lame of me to
complain about it.
Stereokill: Have you got any plans to play any festivals this year?
FT: Many. Going to hit more European festivals this year, all being well, and we have a pretty tasty line-up for the UK as well. As it goes I’m not entirely sure which ones I am allowed to announce at the moment, so let’s just say I’m playing loads of them (again).
Stereokill: How’s the new album coming along? Anything you can tell us about it? Themes or song titles, for example?
FT: The new album is about 75% written – in the sense that the songs, as skeletons, are done, but this time round I’m rehearsing the material with my band before we record, so I’m sure that some things will change in terms of structure and arrangement as we settle into them. We’re recording the album as a band this time round. I’m really excited about it. The guys I play with are phenomenal musicians, and hopefully this way I’ll be able to close the gap a little between live and studio.
Material-wise I’m really happy about where I am at the moment, though not complacent; there’s a fair amount of pressure for this record, from me more than anyone else. The album is going to be called Poetry Of The Deed.
Stereokill: What made you decide to include the ABBA and Postal Service covers on your recent compilation album The First Three Years?
FT: They’re covers that I’ve played out live a lot in the last three years, so it felt appropriate to include them.
Stereokill: Your music tastes seem quite eclectic; who’d be in your supergroup?
FT: Well, I could sit here and list people I like – Nick Cave, Aphex Twin, Evan Dando or whatever – but I suspect that putting them into a room would result in little more than a fight, or a great big sonic mess (or both). Actually, when Evan Dando did a Lemonheads record with Bill Stephenson, Karl Alvarez and J Mascis, that was pretty close to being my 80s American Indie supergroup anyways, so I was pleased.
Stereokill: Your video “Reasons Not To Be An Idiot” was directed by Jamie Lenman, formerly of Reuben fame. Anymore plans to work with him in the future? Also, how was it working with Reuben when they were still together?
FT: Jamie is a good friend of mine, and I toured with Reuben a few times. It was great, they were an awesome band made up of awesome people. Jamie and I have certainly discussed doing another video together, we’ll see how we go.
Stereokill: Someone once said that writing is sitting over a blank page until your head bleeds. How about you, how do you find the process of songwriting?
FT: I’m not really sure. Let me explain, I often feel like a schizophrenic who wakes up after a killing spree when I finish a song: I can see what I’ve done, and I’m pretty sure that I did it, but the process is obscure to me. I’m writing constantly, so it’s often kind of a background process. I don’t find it overly agonizing, though my band will attest that I can be something of a drill seargent in the rehearsal studio.
Stereokill: Any tips for aspiring singer/songwriters? (since that comprises half of the Stereokill staff at the moment)
FT: Work hard and be your own harshest critic.
Stereokill: We asked you this last time, but its always good to know, what are you listening to at the moment?
FT: Right now actually I’m totally besotted with a Scottish band called Frightened Rabbit. The Polar Bear Club guys turned me onto them, and I can’t stop listening to them. They rule.
Stereokill: And finally, if you really had to choose, would you rather wake up next to Margaret Thatcher or a burly, hairy, beardy man called Rámon?
FT: Um, Christ, that’s a tough one. Probably Rámon.
To read our previous interview with Frank, click here. “Poetry of the Deed” is scheduled for release in September, and Frank heads out on a UK tour in October.
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Campbell Miller is a student at the University of Glasgow, a folk singer-songwriter, and deputy editor of Stereokill. 
