Frank’s Dad - biography
Perhaps the reason for Alien Matter’s inactivity stemmed from Cumi’s involvement with Frank’s Dad, who had a similar attitude when it came to playing live, i.e.; they rarely did, although they would rehearse religiously every week.
Once Cumi realised that the 4Q truck had failed its MOT and was resigned to the scrap yard he set his sights on learning the drums, getting lessons off Richard Pond. Frank’s Dad were formed in 1991 around the excellent, yet unique fret work qualities of ex-4Q guitarist Gumption Liquid (pic below). The rest of the original line up had Drew on vocals, who Cumi knew from the Glan Conwy band Total Mind Fuck and Dum Darren on bass, named so because he couldn’t play the instrument and the only sound he made on it was dum-dum-dum-dum. Drew and Cumi fell out over the direction the band was taking and they didn’t speak for years and of Darren’s departure Cumi said, ‘He couldn’t handle all the smoking and had regular whiteys [collapsing] and left to become a religious person. Probably on account of us!’
Nick Williams (brother of ex-4Q drummer, Matt Vinyl) was soon recruited on the bass and his mate Ads who had moved up from Southampton provided vocals.
The gigs were so far and few between that the band almost had a new set each time they played. Frank’s Dad did however make a vinyl appearance on Neil Crud’s Secrets of Sound label, when they submitted a track for the 7” EP called (unwittingly) ‘Secrets of Sound’ released 27.01.1994.
The song Sack It received very mixed reviews, mainly because the SOS outlets were far more punk orientated and Frank’s Dad leant heavily on rock and blues. The EP did reach No.7 in the German Underground charts but more on account of it featuring the Sons of Selina and Magic Moments At Twilight Time rather than any effort by Frank’s Dad. The punk press weren’t too taken by the track and the more politically correct publications took exception to the opening lines of:
“I’ve got a hot wet sticky woman.” And even the normally restrained Rhyl Journal through Steve Rastin said, 'It's encouraging that idiosyncrasy is alive & kicking in the metropolis of Llysfaen but on the down side Sack It has some seriously naff lyrics.’
At the same time as this recording, they also put a few more
tracks at Simon Gardner’s Rockcliffe Studio in Llandudno and Cumi mustered up
the cash to put out a properly produced cassette album called ‘Walkin’ The
Dog.’
The name Frank’s Dad came from an associate of the band
called Frank Heath. His father, Chris lived as a tramp in Colwyn Bay and was a
frequent figure seen pacing the streets of the town. It caused a little local
controversy at the time with the press picking up on it and Frank himself
quoted as being upset his dad had been depicted in such a way, upset enough to
try and sue them. The cassette sleeve had Frank’s dad pictured on the seafront
with a dog.
With Cumi also playing drums for Sons of Selina by 1994 it
meant him spending more time with his old sparring partner Neil Crud. Neil was
constantly haranguing Cumi to get rid of Ads, saying he was the weakest link in
Frank’s Dad.
‘They had some excellent songs that were wrecked by a shit
voice, the guy just wasn’t suited for what they were doing.’ Said Neil.
Ads (or Adams) was eventually ousted after failing to turn
up for rehearsals.
Enter Bramah (pic above), a London based dread locked hippy with a voice
like liquid gold. The band had spotted him busking in Llandudno while
travelling around the UK and immediately approached him to sing for them. He
transformed Frank’s Dad’s sound into the finished article, the missing piece in
the jigsaw. Of course the quota of gigs never changed, with the occasional
appearance at the Cayley Arms in Rhos-on-Sea being all there was to offer
usually large crowds.
The band went back to Rockcliffe to record more tracks
resulting with the superb By My Side, Give The Man a Gun, and Emptiness amongst others. One track also
included Cumi’s sister, Vicky Matthews who was fast becoming a highly regarded
cellist in British classical circles.
Of the demise of the band Cumi said,
‘Nick Ronnie Biggs had to leave the country very quickly and
we kind of fizzled out. Bramah was a very elusive character, none of the band
knew where his head was at.’
That was basically the end of Frank’s Dad. Gumpsh eventually
joined Old Colwyn indie band Wild
Mornings, Nick, as Cumi explained disappeared with North Wales police in
pursuit, Cumi also fell out with him when his PA equipment also disappeared and
Bramah returned to London. Cumi of went onto Sons of Selina, Alien Matter and
Sympathetic Affliction.
(Isaac Hunt)