... the devil behind the cause.
Frank Makak picked up the guitar when he was 4 years old... and
learned how to play it some 10 years later, but his passion for music
was there from the first time he could actually get to see a guitar or
hold a pair of drum sticks.
While still in elementary school, he fell into punk rock. The
Ramones, The Clash, The Damned and Pistols were common names in his,
ahem, cassette collection.But the two things that would open his mind
even further would be picking up the guitar (for real) and getting his
first copy of The Clash's "London Calling" for Christmas when he was 10
or 11 (this album changed so many lives, you know... Frank's life was
next on the list back then). It was all about having no such thing as
limits, and discovering new territories.
While still in high school, his friend Jeff convinced him to sing
and, later, that he could write songs. Frank's first band, makaks, was
born. It was raw, loud, fast, DIY punk rock with a drum machine
(influenced here by one of the band's biggest influence, french punk
band Bérurier Noir). After the band's demise, Frank recorded an album
of the band's songs, alone, playing all the instruments himself (on a
cassette recorder - ouch - but later transfered and remixed on digital
equipment).Then in college, Frank would team up with Jay, also an Art
student like Frank, and started a darker side-project band called
NightVisioN. Influen …
... the devil behind the cause.
Frank Makak picked up the guitar when he was 4 years old... and
learned how to play it some 10 years later, but his passion for music
was there from the first time he could actually get to see a guitar or
hold a pair of drum sticks.
While still in elementary school, he fell into punk rock. The
Ramones, The Clash, The Damned and Pistols were common names in his,
ahem, cassette collection.But the two things that would open his mind
even further would be picking up the guitar (for real) and getting his
first copy of The Clash's "London Calling" for Christmas when he was 10
or 11 (this album changed so many lives, you know... Frank's life was
next on the list back then). It was all about having no such thing as
limits, and discovering new territories.
While still in high school, his friend Jeff convinced him to sing
and, later, that he could write songs. Frank's first band, makaks, was
born. It was raw, loud, fast, DIY punk rock with a drum machine
(influenced here by one of the band's biggest influence, french punk
band Bérurier Noir). After the band's demise, Frank recorded an album
of the band's songs, alone, playing all the instruments himself (on a
cassette recorder - ouch - but later transfered and remixed on digital
equipment).Then in college, Frank would team up with Jay, also an Art
student like Frank, and started a darker side-project band called
NightVisioN. Influences of the Misfits, Samhain and Danzig were
evident, but lo-fi techno, DIY punk rock, acoustic folk, spoken word
poetry and even reggae music would show through what was going to be
something that would leave a mark on Frank's songwriting.
Eventually, Frank moved out of his hometown (a small town called
Jonquière) and landed in the (subterranean) jungle that is
Montreal.That's where he built his own studio. The SOMEWHERE ELSE IN
THE UNIVERSE studio. New influences were landing in Frank's huge CD
collection. Neko Case, Carolyn Mark, Tom Waits, Woody Guthrie and the
Pogues, just to name a few. But the artist that would influence him the
most to go solo is Billy Bragg. Frank even wrote a song that's a
tribute to Bragg ("Walk Away Leader").
Back in 2007, Frank released a first limited edition ep, a
mini-opera called "frank makak's misery train". Taking part in the
project were Frank's heroes Keith Seifert and Kelly Haigh. The CD was
sold out in less than two days and copies found new homes in Canada,
USA, United Kingdom and New Zealand.With a first full length album
released in 2008, Frank Makak is about to change a life. His own. Be on
the lookout!
... the train could not miss you.
