Interviews : Frankenbok (Dan McDougall) – 08/07/2008

Frankenbok are about to embark on their most extensive Australian Tour yet, presented by Prime Cuts & Soundworks Touring, promoting both the new album “The last Ditch Redemption” and last years release “Murder of Songs”. A band which has proven themselves ever so popular to the Aussie metal fanbase, playing festivals such as Metal 4 The Brain, Overcranked, Big Day Out and gaining the support slots some of the greatest bands in metal history such as Slayer, Fear Factory, Machine Head, Soilwork and Devolved to name a few.

Many thanks to Fogz of Assidian Records/Chaos ACT Metalfest who has thrown a few Q&A’s at Dan vocalist for Frankenbok, in discussion of the promotion of the new tour, album and general thoughts of metal in nature.

FOGZ – Frankenbok are about to embark across Australia with a brand new album up their sleeves, what can the Australian metal fans expect from the tour and new album ‘The Last Ditch Redemption’?
DAN – You can expect one of Australia’s longest running metal bands tearing each and every stage a new corn chute – armed with 2 new releases, and a fired up new line up. Our objective is to destroy anyones expectations of what people expect Frankenbok to be – and make sure people understand that we are and always have been a bone crushing metal band and that we wont be going away anytime soon!

FOGZ – Frankenbok’s cover of Madison Avenue’s ‘Don’t Call Me Baby’ got some great hype accross the world a few years back, do you think the song jump started Frankenbok’s success early on and does the Bok still play this song live?
DAN – As the new guy in the band I would have to say as an outsider at the time that that is exactly what happened. Let me tell you what I know about WHY Frankenbok covered this song. It is my understanding that when the guys were recording the Loopholes EP Madison Avenue were recording ‘dont call me baby’ in the next studio over. The guys decided to cover it and record it to show it to them, and they loved it. Of course Roadrunner being Roadrunner saw the great potential for commercial success with such a song and decided to pump it like hell. I can tell you that it was in no way decided that they would record it for this purpose [to gain more mainstream exposure I mean] but more as a joke. I would say that it has very much been a double edged sword for Frankenbok, it did help them gain a name for themselves, but it’s also given a lot of people the impression that Frankenbok is a joke band. This has never been true, and the new line-up is out to totally destroy this perception of the band. And in regards to playing it live – come and see us play and you’ll find out!

FOGZ – I listen to predominately death metal, but dont mind putting on a track by Tori Amos every now and then, what kind of suss material do some of the guys listen too that normally wouldnt like to admit?
DAN – Ha! I have really gotten back into metal in a big way this year – and its all im listening to at the moment, but I do have a killer 80’s pop record collection – I’m not gonna name names cos it will no doubt have me kicked out of the metal fraternity for the rest of my life – but it sure is good fun breaking ‘em out at parties!

FOGZ – Whilst on tour you guys are stopping in at places such as Canberra, Wagga Wagga and Orange which have unfortunately been overlooked over the last few years, is there any hidden reasons for the extended tour or you guys just love being on the road?
DAN – Frankenbok has always made sure that their tours were rather extensive, and this time around we are making no exceptions. I wanna play in as many places as possible – I don’t care if there are 5 or 500 people – we will always put on a killer show for anyone who cares to listen. Our plan is to go to all of these places and then do it all again. And again. And again! It’s the only way to build a fan base in this country if you’re a metal band. I am also from a country town and I remember how farkin cool it was when bands from Melbourne would come down and play. And plus we are soo spoilt in Melbourne and the crowds can be, well, a tad boring to play in front of. So far the places out of the way have had the best crowds, and I cant wait to play them all.

FOGZ – What crowds around oz are you most pumped to play to again? Or are theyre places of curiosity that youve never ventured?
DAN – Perth this weekend just gone was awesome. They really have their shit together. I cant wait to do them all. But I hope we can get to organize some shows in the Northern Territory, like Alice Springs and Darwin. I’ve never been there are would love to go with the band.

FOGZ – Whilst not working on the Frankenbok, what other projects or companies have the Bok’s members been involved with over time?
DAN – Well I am pretty sure that the only other band that Tim and Aaron have been in before Frankenbok was a punk band called Lobotomy Scars, that was a long time ago. Mick I’m not sure about, and Yeti has been in a few bands – Embodied, Headmess, 4arm and a few others. I have been in a few bands over the years – Repugnance, Block and a side project with my bro Ando from Dreadnaught called The McDougall Brothers. I also have my own business printing band shirts and other merch.

FOGZ – You guys have supported some of the biggest names in metal such as Slayer, Fear Factory and Machine Head, what is the most memorable experience had whilst on tour with some of the bigger international acts?
DAN – Ahh, I cant answer that one mate, but from what I have heard I reckon that the Slayer tour was rather memorable. The guys raided their dressing room after they had left and managed to get a hold of their pot, some fucked up drawings that Kerry King had done and I believe Mick has a tub of Peanut Butter they had there in his pool room!

FOGZ – The Last Ditch Redemtion which has just been released by Prime Cuts, is Frankenboks 5th album in the bag, with so much material behind you guys are their any songs from the early days which you just cant stand to play anymore?
DAN – No there is not. Not for me anyway. There are soo many songs to choose from, we are actually playing tracks from every release this tour, and will probably do so for many tours to come. We are just about ready to chuck a few new old ones in there I reckon.

FOGZ – Whats the worst thing about being on tour in the Frankenbok camp? Are there ever any pranks played on fellow members such as spraying your guitarist’s or bass players axe ‘pink’, moments before hopping on stage?
DAN – The worst thing I reckon at this point is putting up with each others stinky ass holes in the van! Yeti is clearly the worst in terms of consistency, but both me and Timmy have had some memorable goes our self. Do yas know what ‘van-gut’ is? Well spend 12 hours in a van and eat nothing but junk food and youll soon know what its like! Hungry Jacks is definitely the skank food of choice!

FOGZ – Will this tour be the accomplishment of what Frankenbok has aimed to achieve over the years, or is there much more to be planned for Frankenbok fans to stay tuned for?
DAN – Well, personally and I am sure the other guys will agree, the new line up is definitely the best one so far, and we are getting told that where ever we play. I think the band now finally has the right frame of mind and the right personell to really make a go of it. Every one is pumped as hell to really get the Frankenbok name out there as much as possible, and back up that name with killer tunes. So yeah I think you are gonna see a band that has a lot of experience doing what they do best, and doing it the best its ever been done. In regards to releases though, I think you will see what this line up has to offer shine through when we record our next proper full length release. The Last ditch Redemption is not an album, its an EP – so when we get a chance to record a proper full length you are really going to see the full potential of this band come to light.

FOGZ – Finally, what words of wisdom do you have for your inspiring musicians to be picking up an instrument for the first time?
DAN – The point I would like to get accross to young metal heads is to not just listen to what is going on now, but look back through the entire history of metal. To truly understand something you must know all of it, not just some. I think a lot of the younger bands coming out today – while being phenominal at their craft – are losing sight of some of the fundamentals that make good metal. I feel that a lot of young bands have lost respect for ‘the riff’. Riffage to me is vital to a farkin good metal tune – any tune! So yeah i’d say to any young musicians, raid your old mans collection and seek out the originators, then move on through to the present day. And never fucking give up no matter how hard it gets! If you truly love metal it will infect every part of your being and it will NEVER leave. No fucking compromise!

Upcoming Frankenbok gigs (18+ unless specified):

18 Jul – Shadows Nightclub – Mt Gambier, SA
19 Jul – The Crown And Anchor – Adelaide, SA
2 Aug – The Brisbane Hotel – Hobart, TAS [All Ages, 3pm]
2 Aug – The Brisbane Hotel – Hobart, TAS
8 Aug – Club Blink [Agincourt Hotel] – Sydney, NSW
9 Aug – The Grand Junction Hotel – Maitland, NSW
22 Aug – The Greenroom – Canberra, ACT
23 Aug – Cambridge Hotel – Newcastle, NSW [All Ages, 12pm]
23 Aug – Cambridge Hotel – Newcastle, NSW
30 Aug – The Tote – Collingwood, VIC
4 Sep – Brannigans – Gold Coast, QLD
5 Sep – Rosies Live – Brisbane, QLD
18 Sep – Sodens – Albury, NSW
19 Sep – TBA – Wagga Wagga, NSW
20 Sep – Victoria Hotel – Orange, NSW
27 Nov – O’Dowds Irish Pub – Rockhampton, QLD
28 Nov – Bombay Rock – Townsville, QLD
29 Nov – Meteors Sports Club – Gladstone, QLD