frank

Scott Porter has been playing in bands in NYC since the 7th grade. Starting in New York’s famed music buildings in the west 30’s, in past bands he’s shared the stage with the Goo Goo Dolls, Live, and God Street Wine, although he likes to think they shared the stage with him.

In January 2001, Porter got the tingle to start anew – no old material allowed. Teaming up with longtime friend and drummer Ray Crespo, himself a veteran NYC musician, the moniker-less band began rehearsing “Life By the Hour”, which was the first of many songs to feature Scott and Ray’s ever-present, oft haunting, and always powerful harmonizing.

Enter bassist Billy Ziff, fresh from playing in the jam band scene, who added a fresh progressive breath to Scott and Ray’s disparate rock influences. Billy and Ray immediately locked into the rhythm engine that fuels the bands booming grooves, heard in songs like “Let It Go”, “Sit Down” and “Need Some Help”.

frank was born, and with fervor the group began an intense creative process that continues to this day, constantly writing, reconsidering and refining their music. The band’s inaugural show was at NYC’s humble stepping stone, Desmond’s Tavern, which was a big crowded sweaty success and pioneered the path to fierce performances at some of NYC’s premier clubs like the Mercury Lounge and Wetlands (RIP), as well as mainstays such as Lion’s Den and Elbow Room.

The ball was rolling for the band, but there was one thing missing - the recording. frank had been using self-produced demos to secure gigs, but the homespun efforts fell short of capturing both the depth of their compositions and the immediacy and “x factor” of their live performance. That is, until April 2003 when the band hooked up with veteran producer Adam Lasus (PJ Harvey, J. Mascis, Joan Jett, Madder Rose, Ween, Juliana Hatfield) at his Fireproof Recordings studio in Brooklyn. The result is “Life By The Hour” - the full-length record, which completes the picture. Check it out.