PREMIERE: Frank&Charlie Explore Classic Emo/Post-Hardcore Sounds with Debut Single ‘Sink’
In the last year alone, we’ve seen new wave of Australian bands bringing back the nostalic sounds of emo/post-hardcore bands of yesteryear and nailing the execution with precision and a smear of eyeliner in the process. First came Adelaide’s Wolf & Chain, followed by Sydney’s Necronata and more recently, Melbourne’s Alera, all of which dropped their own style and sound that took new fans by surprise and encouraged us to take a trip back to our glory scene days.
The next player in the revivalist game comes to us from Newcastle and they’re called Frank&Charlie. Featuring a familiar face, the band is fronted by Frank (aka Stephen Hopkins of Introvert fame), who conceived the band after heading down an emotional rabbithole and writing songs that ended up being a little too left field for that alt-rock vehicle. Not one to let a good song die, he started the band alongside guitarists James Geraeds and Cam Macey and brothers Sam and Liam Bonomini (handling the drum and bass section) and today we’re chuffed to bring you their debut single ‘Sink‘ + find out a bit more about the band, their conception, motivation and future plans from the mouth of Frank himself…
Frank&Charlie – Nice to meet you (in this new band)! Before we get into your killer debut song ‘Sink’, please, tell us how you came to be as a band?
Bloody great to meet you too! My band Introvert is in a writing phase and of the bunch of songs I wrote for that project, a select few came out too emo even for that project. After we toured with bands like AFI and Hellions, along with the ruined return of My Chemical Romance, the 2000’s emo was awakened in me and now everything I produce ends up sounding like the era given to us by the gods.
Nothing like a canned emo tour to bring out the feels! As for ‘Sink’ – it’s creepy, emo, post-hardcore goodness all rolled into one! Were you having a mad My Chem/Panic at the Disco/Placebo binge before recording or what inspired this number?
Dude ay. Its crazy to think My Chem anouncing a tour they would have to cancel can change your life. I’ve been pumping My Chem, Fall Out Boy, The Used, Panic, and I’ve had a big relationship breakdown over the last two years so I have insane amounts ammunition haha.
I can see the guyliner running now hahaha In comparison to your other project Introvert, this one is more so on the heavier/post-hardcore side – do these roots date back deep in your musical career?
You know it! The reason I sing, play drums, and make music at all is because of Aaron Gillespie and Underoath. The influence runs so deep that when I first heard them I set my kit up like him, I sang as best I could like him, and it took wanting to dye my hair orange to realise I might be too obsessed.
I can imagine you share this having Wall Of Sound: Up Against the Wall as your podcast name!
hahaha Yeah not gonna lie, telling Underoath I named my podcast after that song was a surreal full circle moment! This is the start of your next venture and starting a new band can be quite daunting, but what are you doing differently this time around?
I’m definitely crapping my pants more and if venturing out alone isnt scary enough I’m jumping up the front on vocals too. I have a great team onboard though and this wouldnt’ve been possible at all without James, Cam, Sam, Liam, and Liam. Two Liams.
Being a side project though it does free us up to try new things. I’ve always been afraid to really put my whole personality into promotion after so much rejection towards that personality throughout my life haha but Franks is here and he’s going to be splattered all over this.
Nothing like showcasing a bleeding heart to pull in a new crowd. The emo genre has been making a huge comeback over the past two years – why do you think we’re all still ingrained in that part of the scene and eager to hear music from that era?
Great songs are great songs no matter what form they come in. If you go through My Chem and Fall Out Boy’s hits they have rock and blues roots to them. They’re still super emo but when you pair great songwriting with lyrics from hurt/painful experiences, it’s a recipe for us to know someone understands us. That doesn’t age and I really hope I can at least get close to making people feel like they’re understood.
Can we expect more songs with a similar sound to ‘Sink’ or are you keen to cover more ground?
We have a few more ready for you that we’ll share early 2022 and they straight up get more emo. There’ll be highs and lows. I’d love to branch out, but so far I just can’t shake this great genre.
As new fans discover your new band – what’s one thing you’d like them all to know before they hit play?
‘Sink’ is about a time when I knew the person I loved had tapped out. They weren’t going to end it anytime soon and I didn’t have the strength to leave. I’ve seen it happen and it’s happened to me. I get it. Also ‘Sink’ took me so long to write and I had given up on it, but the guys convinced to give it another go so even the song itself understands rejection.
Sorry to hear, but glad you turned that negative into such a postively daring debut. Looking forward to what’s next.
Interview by Paul Browny Brown @brownypaul
Frank&Charlie is Frank (vocals), James Geraeds and Cam Macey (guitars),
Sam and Liam Bonomini (drums & bass)
Follow Frank&Charlie on Facebook | Instagram
Pre-Save ‘Sink‘ ahead of tomorrow’s release here
