Happy at home .. angry in songs
FRANK Turner has laughed off the suggestion that getting married may have tamed his inner punk.
The 40-year-old was singer in post-hardcore band Million Dead before becoming a solo artist. In 2019 he married fellow musician Jessica Guise.
“People assume that marriage is some sort of surrender,” he laughed, “but actually I’m enjoying the fact that I’ve put out my angriest, noisiest, most raucous record ever.”
Said album is FTHC, which stands for Frank Turner Hardcore. After being known for his acoustic singer/ songwriter tunes, Frank has gone back to his punk beginnings.
Fans have lapped it up and his ninth solo album could be his first UK No1, beating his two No2s, Tape Deck Heart in 2013 and Positive Songs for Negative People in 2015.
His new wife has certainly been a positive influence. In new song Untainted Love he charts his years of substance abuse.
Frank admitted: “I think about cocaine once an hour, every single day, even though I don’t do it any more.”
Six months into their relationship she gave him the “me or the drugs” moment.
The singer revealed: “Initially, I chose the drugs and we broke up for a minute.
“Instantly I recognised that I had chosen the wrong button.” They have now been together for six years, moving from London to Mersea Island on the Essex coast.
He added: “I thought I was happy with the sex, drugs and rock and roll lifestyle, but the thing I didn’t account for was that moment of proper connection with another person.”
The new album is red raw detailing childhood trauma, mental health issues, grief – and on Miranda he reveals his recent reconciliation with his father following her transition from male to female.
Frank said: “Miranda’s quite a nice person, but my dad was a s **** person, a bitter and angry and resentful person who had a gigantic temper. Miranda’s not a completely new person, but she’s certainly a new version of a person – and a much better version.”
One of the most poignant songs is A Wave Across The Bay, a tribute to his friend Scott Hutchison from Frightened Rabbit, who took his own life in 2018.
The song has also been released on vinyl, via Frank’s website, with all proceeds going to the Tiny Changes charity which aims to improve mental health.
Frank said: “It’s a tribute to him, a very loving tribute and I miss that motherf***r every day.” ● FTHC is out now. frank-turner.com