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Biography
Photograph © Eric Wareheim
Originally formed in the Spring of 1992
as Brian Sokel, Greg Giuliano, andRalph Darden
graduated high school Franklin has been developing for a long
time. Originally conceived as a guitar driven rock band Franklin
released several singles and an LP and toured the country. Not until
the addition of bass player Josh Mills in the Spring of 1996,
and graduation soon after, did Franklin become a much more
focused and full time musical interest. Comprised of four very seperate
personalities the influences that Franklin has are too numerous
to count or list. However, as much as the styles of each member
diverges there is one point where all four converge perfectly, the idea
of Rhythm as key.
Like The Clash and The Police, Franklin
found a common interest in the bass heavy focus of Reggae and Dub and
Hip Hop. With Mills inclusion into the band, Franklin
began to refocus their attentions. For several months a sort of
redevelopment of what Franklin was began to happen. The Drums
and Bass began to come more to the front of the music as the guitars,
while still retaining their focus, stepped a bit out of the spotlight.
Attention to challenging vocal melodies
and harmonies and attention to creating music that truly had a beat and
a groove to it. However, it's not completely a drum and bass style,
instead it evenly weighs out between rhythm and melody. After recording
their "Building in A and E" album for a split release
with File 13 and Spectra Sonic Sound with pioneer Dub
producer Hopeton "Scientist" Brown, Franklin
moved to the Tree Label.
The new album, a self titled double
LP/CD finally showcases the slow development that Franklin has been
working on since the beginning. Reaching a point where the band truly
does stand on it's own having found it's own sound. Recorded over the
course of four months Franklin decided to stay in Philadelphia
for the first time to record. Choosing to work at the Deep Space
Studio with rookie engineer Carmine DeGennaro allowed Franklin
the chance to truly invest time into the recording to create (finally)
a fully realized album. A record that sounded like what they had in
their head. With shows throughout the summer and a full US tour planned
for the Fall, Franklin is set to present a new sound.
