The show last night w/ Aaron Godwater went great. Check back in the next few days for video.

Free Show - Saturday 8/8 at 6/|Pacific Bay Coffee Co./|Walnut Creek, CA/|w/Aaron Godwater

Hello Internet,

I’ve neglected you, but I promise to show you more love. I know you probably don’t believe me because I promised you 12 solo albums last year and only delivered 6. I feel like I let you down. My band (The Federalists) got signed to Talking house and I had to focus on writing/recording a Federalists record and you and my solo recordings got put on hold. I’ll never let that happen again. I decided to give you everything I am and that’s why you can now follow me in more places than ever before.

http://www.myspace.com/lukefranks
http://www.facebook.com/lukefranks

http://www.twitter.com/lukefranks

http://ioverheardalittlebird.tumblr.com

I’m not going to get complacent. I will continue expanding our universe my dearest internet. I’m even working on a new solo album that will hopefully make up for last years broken promises.

Please Forgive Me,
Luke Franks

Nov 11 2009 7:00P
The Tree House Arcata, California

Nov 12 2009 8:00P
The Red Room Portland, Oregon

Nov 14 2009 8:00P
Central Saloon Seattle, Washington

Nov 17 20098:00P
Shot In The Dark Cafe Tucson, Arizona

Nov 19 2009 8:00P
Bohemeo’s Houston, Texas

Nov 20 2009 8:00P
Flamingo Cantina Austin, Texas

Nov 21 2009 3:15P
Bill’s Records Dallas, Texas

Nov 21 2009 8:00P
Crooked Tree Coffeehouse Dallas, Texas

Nov 23 2009 8:00P
The Lost Leaf Phoenix, Arizona

Nov 28 2009 8:00P
Rickshaw Stop w/Dizzy Balloon - OUR CD RELEASE SHOW San Francisco, California

I’ve been writing songs for as long as I can remember. When people ask how long I’ve been playing I always tell ‘em, “The first time I remember being good enough to play for a girl was in 4th grade.”  I started my first band in 5th grade. It was a Christian pop-punk-trio called “Flash.” After a few years we changed our name to “Vernon”, which was the name of the street that we practiced on. We recorded two Ep’s under that name and I hope you never come across one. They are painful to listen to, but I know it was part of the process. “Vernon” had to break up when I moved to California in 2001.

When I arrived in California I had the inspiration to write sappy ballads about missing my friends from Illinois. I scrounged up a cheap recording program that no ones heard of (N-Track Studio) and one of those long skinny white computer mics that look like they belong on The Price Is Right. I soon started work on what would become my first solo album entitled, “Journal of a Moving Man.” Having only one mic, I wasn’t’t able to record drums so I had to find other ways of filling out arrangements. I would use shakers, choirs of background vocals, pots and pans, or anything else I could find to create the illusion of production. Being forced to be inventive because of my lack of resources ended up being good training for my future recordings.

On my first day at my new school I became fast friends with a guy by the name of Clark Abbott. Our friendship was formed out of our mutual love of “Radiohead” and “At The Drive In.” We got a bassist and a drummer and started a band called “Yours Truly.” Playing in that band taught me a lot about what not to do. There were multiple leaders which inherently caused tension and creative disputes. The fact that I was young, blunt, and a perfectionist who hadn’t yet learned the concept of positive reinforcement didn’t help the situation. We lasted through high school and made some good music and some bad music.

After YT ended I talked a few of my childhood friends (Sam Swinson and Zak Kruz) in to moving from IL to CA and we started a band called “radio, radio”. Zak only stayed for a few months but me and Sam kept writing and recording. After about a year we still weren’t getting much traction and Sam decided to move back as well. I continued working on what we’d started and it became the album “Soft Enough To Hit”

When I finished the album I began looking for guys to help me perform the songs live. I ended up being joined by Brandt Walker on bass, Jason Roysdon on guitar, and Dustin Smith on drums. These guys brought so much to the songs that it was obvious that it had become a band. We named ourselves The Federalists and have been playing for the past 4 years or so. We’ve signed with Talking House Records, released 2 albums and gone through many changes both sonically and in reguards to personel. Our third album “The Way We Ran” is mixed and mastered and should be coming out in the next few months.

Although my focus shifted from solo to the band, I’ve still been writing, recording, and playing solo music that you can download here for free.