Project Description

Interview with

DUXIE FRANKLIN

Interviewer – Dave Bruce

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Have you always wanted to be a musician? When did you start writing music?
Definitely not! I could never have imagined I’d be a performing musician. A tennis player perhaps… or an artist. I started writing seriously when I moved out of home to live in Hobart.

Which music did you grow up listening to? How has it influenced your current style? 
A scattergun array of everything from opera to jazz to grunge: Tchaikovsky, Puccini, Fats Waller, Chuck Berry, Marilyn Manson, Elton John, Judy Garland, Silverchair, Regina Spektor, A Tribe Called Quest, Imogen Heap, Nirvana, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, Groove Armada, Miles Davis… I could go on. It’s hard to really pin-point how all that music has influenced my style now apart from maybe giving me the freedom to express myself in whatever form I need; unconstrained by genre, style or rules.

Tell us about the Frank Zappa reference?
I’ve got a prolific songwriter friend from Hobart who’s seen (and heard!) it all, now writing his twelfth album, Neil Gardner. He has a knack for turn of phrase and dubbed me ‘the musical lovechild of Joni Mitchell and Frank Zappa’. The Joni Mitchell reference I get a lot – my voice, I think, and some of my folkier, finger-picky songs. The Frank Zappa reference I think is because of my expansive musical outlook and maybe just a wee sprinkle of the oddball in me :-p

Your previous single ‘Get A Real Job’ – what was the inspiration for that?
‘Get a Real Job’ was inspired, of course, by my insatiable yearning for a corporate career and all the juicy entrapments that come with it. I salivate for that saucy 9-5 grind and the boundless thrills of the imminent promotion… why hasn’t someone employed me yet?!

You lived in Tassie. Was that a source of inspiration?
Indubitably. The landscape is stunning and the proximity to true wilderness is exhilarating. The ocean is refreshingly cool with the nippy Antarctic currents that come up to Tas but I used to swim as much as I could. It wasn’t uncommon to see dolphins, seals, skates and rays­… a friend even had a killer whale approach him while snorkelling. He got out fairly swiftly. It is humbling and reminds you of your tiny place in this world.

Keith Richards once said the strangest thing that ever happened to him on stage was when he stepped on a Frankfurt sausage in Frankfurt. What’s yours?
Maybe not that strange if you knew me, but while performing violin in a world music ensemble I had a hysterical laughing fit that lasted most of a song. I tried to persuade myself that nobody noticed but again, if you knew me, I suspect people noticed.

How would you describe your sound? 
It varies from song to song, but people always comment on my clear voice and my soaring melodies – I often get comparisons to Kate Bush. The words ‘beguiling’ and ‘enchanting’ have also popped up more than once.

Why do you think people resonate with your music?
Buggered if I know! I guess a lot of people can connect with the themes I sing about – perhaps they also question the career rat-race (‘Get a Real Job’); or have experienced the corruption of their ideals (‘Watch Your Soul Sink’); or are ready to proclaim that the time has come (‘It’s Time’)…

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Your new single has just been released! Describe its origin and evolution. 
‘It’s Time’ was written while living in Hobart at a bit of a turning point moment. I recorded it with my band at the time and it had a quirky, cabaret, circus-pop, oompa-loompa kinda feel. I ended up re-recording it last year with an entirely different sound – darker, moodier and with earthy, gritty textures to convey the sense of menace and foreboding. But it still has some of the cheekier elements I love to include in my music like the 1950s-UFO vibe of the wailing theremin. I am super pleased with how it’s evolved and am super excited about the Australian Gothic themed music video we filmed for it, keep your eyeballs open for that!

Do you have any more new music in the works?
As long as there’s oxygen to breathe, I’ll have more music in the works. My debut EP, ‘Watch Your Soul’ is due out in February, which will give listeners an entrée-sized sample of my current musical tinkerings. After that, I want to write a set of 80s aerobics disco bangers with fluorescent lycra music videos to match. Then I want to do an acoustic folk album of my deepest and most tragic love songs and existential musings with heart-breaking harmonies and a swooning string section to make everyone cry. And probably in the middle of all that I will need to do a record of punk rock revenge songs in a similar vein to ‘Get a Real Job’ in order to let off a little steam.

Do you have any shows/tours coming up? What are you looking forward to, and what can the fans expect?
There are always shows on the cards! I love performing. The EP tour dates are still TBA so stay tuned on socials for updates. The fans can expect everything you get at your typical Duxie Franklin show – sassy banter, vocal loop harmonies, outrageous costumes and flaming ukuleles.

If you could perform with any music artist, Alive or Dead, who would you choose? And why? 
Elton John, because his music, his theatricality and his life story have probably been my greatest inspiration. He is a massive supporter of up-and-coming artists and has a hilarious, whip-sharp bullshit detector. I think we’d get along famously!
I saw him perform at Rod Laver Arena a few years back and was blown away but just how incredible a musician he truly is – they did a 15 minute long space-odyssey version of ‘Rocket Man’; it was a spiritual experience.

What’s next for you in the near future? 
Releasing my debut EP in February is the next big thing. I anticipate I’ll be asked to tour with Metallica after that so that’ll probably occupy most of the year. I have also signed up for knitting lessons at the local community house so I’ll be attending those when I’m not tearing it up on the road.

What are your longer-term aspirations? 
I just want to keep making art. If I can keep producing music that I enjoy, that’s a win. If other people enjoy it too, that’s a bonus. I want to be prolific and I want to make the best art that I can and be the best performer that I can.

What is the best thing about performing to a live audience? 
The best bit is when you win over the entire room. When you’ve got 50,100, however many people eating out of the palm of your hand and you can control the mood and atmosphere of the whole place with what you create on that stage. It’s electrifying.

Finally, a few questions for some quick answers –
FAVOURITE:
Album – I haven’t written it yet
Artist – Gustav Klimt
Movie – The Wizard of Oz
Place to visit – Naturhistorisches Museum Wien – that is, The Natural History Museum in Vienna. What can I say, taxidermied animals do it for me.
Venue to play – my bedroom stage with my devoted audience of koalas and ducks
Food – watermelon cubes topped with a peppermint leaves, creamed goats cheese, cracked pepper and drizzled with olive oil
Drink – chocolate malt milkshake
Person in History –  Frida Kahlo
Tattoo – a heart shape with an arrow through it and a ribbon saying ‘Mom’

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Check out DUXIE FRANKLIN below
Website | Facebook  | Instagram

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DUXIE FRANKLIN
calls
‘It’s Time’
with the smoldering new single
+ forthcoming debut EP

Melbourne’s Duxie Franklin was once described by an audience member as ‘the musical lovechild of Joni Mitchell and Frank Zappa’. Her songs stick in your head like peanut butter to the roof of your mouth. Duxie can genre hop with the greatest of ease which is showcased once again on her latest single ‘It’s Time’ –  taken from her forthcoming debut EP ‘Watch Your Soul’

‘It’s Time’  explores darker sonic territory than her previous two singles – the sparkling ‘Watch Your Soul Sink’ and the boisterous punk-pop ‘Get a Real Job’. As Duxie’s first largely self-produced offering, she draws on her natural affinity with vocal harmony in the swirling chorus, which echoes eerily with her choir of ghostly voices. A pounding kick drum and restless bass line propel the song forward with relentless menace.

Innocence, virtue and patience go out the window in ‘It’s Time’. The song’s protagonist broods with a sense of entitlement and unbridled desire.

“When I wrote this song, I never expected it to grow legs and run the way it has! People seem to really connect with it when I play it live; me and my little guitar. It is exciting to see how it has transformed in the recording studio and how the different arrangements and instrumentation have taken it so far beyond where it started.”  Duxie Franklin

Duxie sharpened her skills when in 2015 she spent a year in the US, studying voice and composition at Towson University in Maryland. ‘It’s Time’ was recorded between several home studios over a number of months. It took Duxie a while to figure out where she  wanted the song to sit in terms of sounds and instruments. It started with the bass line which became the core driver for the song and everything built up from there.

“’It’s Time’ has a darker, moodier feel than my other two singles. I wanted it to be more raw, more exposed and you can hear that with the vocals sitting up close and personal like I’m whispering into your ear. The single has got a deep, earthy sound with several low oscillating synths and gritty textures to convey a sense of gravitas and foreboding. There are also the lighter, cheekier elements that I always love to include in my music like the 1950s-UFO vibe created by a wailing theremin and the ghostly backing vocals in the chorus.” Duxie Franklin.

‘It’s Time’ leads the charge for a remarkably diverse and nuanced debut EP. Duxie’s immense musicality and lyricism is displayed across the board, expressing a spectrum of sentiments from cheeky exuberance to poetic introspection.

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‘It’s Time’ will be digitally released on all platforms 24th Jan 2020 

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AMNPLIFY – DB