FRANK
& his SKUNK ALLSTARS
Every once in a while, a so-called "ska" artist comes
along who is effortlessly able to incorporate various styles
of music into the genre resulting in the progressive transition
of ska music to yet another level. Mighty
Mighty Bosstones did it. Sublime
did it. No Doubt did it. Frank
& his Skunk Allstars are doing it right now.
Frank
Lieseners band is called the Skunk Allstars ;
a rotating lineup of veteran musicians and producers. For close
to 10 years, Frank has linked himself with professional and
seasoned forces in the music industry, all of whom have been
a part of the development of the Skunk
Allstars at one point or another. The list of artists
and producers Frank has worked with is respectable: Long
Beach Dub Allstars (Musicians), Eddie
Ashworth (Producer: Sublime ,
Pennywise ), Mad
Professor (a.k.a. Neil Fraser), Z-Man
( Corn Doggy Dog , Skunk
Records ), Troy Fenton (Grammy
winning, managed Men At Work ),
Miles Doughty ( Slightly
Stoopid ), and the legendary Mark
Berry (multi-platinum, award-winning producer for Elton
John , David Bowie ,
Mighty Mighty Bosstones ). The fact that other talented
contemporary artists and producers want to work with Frank Liesener
helps quantify his individual and unique ability to write, record,
and perform music. All of this helped land a deal with EMI
Publishing in the mid 1990s that continues to this day.
But theres more to Frank than just that.
With
a background in competitive skateboarding (EuroCup 1989), Tae-Kwon-Do,
and playing nearly 2,000 live concerts in ten years, Frank Liesener
is schooled in sports, eastern philosophy, and performing live
music. It is without a doubt music that makes up the majority
of Franks life these daysit is his calling. God has blessed
Frank with both an innate music sense and the ability to truly
connect with an audience. Consider the lyrical talent Frank
demonstratesand how it resonates with kids and adults from all
walks of life. Pair that with his natural born, instinctual
songwriting abilityand you have a recipe for nutritious, delicious
music. Franks fans often comment to this effect on the message
board at the MySpace page for Skunk Allstars
( www.myspace.com/skunkallstars ),
which just passed 46,000 "friends" as of February
20th, 2006. Skunk Allstars have
a very devoted fan base on MySpace and have consistently placed
in the Top 10 on the MySpace "Ska" charts for page
views, song plays, and music downloads. Skunk Allstars are also
consistently ranked "..1" by fans on MySpacecheck
the Ska charts on any given day and youre likely to see them
ranked right there on top by the fans.
A
pioneer in the European ska and punk scenes, Frank Liesener
has always taken liberties by peppering his music with multi-genre,
groove-ability. Its what helps mistake Frank who he is. The
new album from Frank & his Skunk Allstars
is called Hatred of a Minute and
its the kind record that defies categorization but demands radio
airplay. The rhythms, hooks, harmonies, layers, and melodies
displayed on Hatred of a Minute
are off the map. There is no blueprint Frank is following as
he irresponsibly but carefully blends reggae with rockabilly,
rocksteady with hip-hop, dub with swing, and punk rock with
jazz. The end result is a sound all its own---a stinky "skunk"
sound of automatic dynamite thrilling your ears with wild, madcap
melodies containing messages of empathy, hope, and resolve.
The intense and vibrantly twisted art and layout for Hatred
of a Minute was designed by Jason
Cooper who has created designs for bands like System
of a Down , The Donnas , and
Henry Rollins . Common themes in
Franks lyrics include perseverance, freedom, and extending a
helping hand to your brothers and sisters in need. Its a serious
symphonious feast for your ears, eyes, and mind on at least
a few levels. The best way to experience all of the above is
to stop and listen. So please take the time to give the brand
new album from Frank and his Skunk Allstars
a good, hard listen. Its called Hatred
of a Minute and it can change your life for the better.
Frank Liesener is currently putting together a 40-piece orchestra
with whom he will tour world wide in support of the release
of Hatred of a Minute through American
indie label Hairball
Records . The new album is scheduled for a street date this
coming Spring of 2006.
Contact Info:
Dane Rudo Roberts
ENIGMATICA ENTERTAINMENT
..250-385-0051
WWW.ENIGMATICA.CA