Frank Hamilton

Frank Hamilton and #onesongaweek:
Frank Hamilton spent the whole of 2012 writing, recording and releasing one song a week...

Supporters and collaborators include Ed Sheeran, Newton Faulkner, Gary Kemp (Spandau Ballet), Ryan Keen, The Crimea, Lauren Aquilina, Dion Dublin, Mark Grist, Lyracis, Ebony Day and many more…

Most of the songs are recorded on a laptop in OneSongaWeek HQ (Frank's living room) and are released every Friday (accompanied by an frightfully honest and sometimes fractious/humorous blog). In addition to the weekly Bandcamp/blog release the songs were also compiled into monthly EPs for iTunes.

The project is 100% DIY, has cost absolutely nothing (apart from the endless supply of tea-bags) and culminated in the first and last onesongaweek live show at Camden Barfly on December 20th.

Frank Hamilton - A brief history:
- Born in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.
- Given a cat for 8th birthday (Jemima).
- Ranked 8th in England at Table Tennis (U12).
- Bought a guitar and left for Uni to study music.

2007/8:
- Graduated and released first ever single (Two Kids). Edith Bowman played it.
- Released a few more singles (love from Huw Stephens, Steve Lamacq, XFM, Record of the Day, etc).
- Released 'You, Your Cat & Me' EP (cost £800 and sold over 12,000 copies to date).
- Labelled 'the Mike Skinner of folk' by Music Week and a 'cult hero' by the BBC.

2009:
- Spotted playing in Camden by Chris Evans. Got drunk and left guitar in Chris' Bentley.
- 'Christmas in London' became first song since 1978 to be played twice in a row on BBC Drivetime.
- Invited to play O2 Arena alongside Stereophonics, Scouting for Girls & The Proclaimers.

2010/11:
- Sushi on the 7th floor. The world of major labels. Strung along for 7 months. Hated life.
- Took up golf.
- Made a DIY record on a whim. Went to number 3 in the iTunes S/S chart and 102 in the album chart.

2012:
- 2nd Jan. Decided to write, record and release one song a week for the whole of 2012.
- Week 1. 'All or Nothing' released.
- Week 9. Almost quit.
- Week 16. Wrote/recorded in Paul Heaton's (Beautiful South/Housemartins) pub while on tour.
- Week 17. Heard from Gary Kemp (Spandau Ballet). Nice chap.
- Week 21. 'Sing For England'. MSN's official Euro 2012 song (feat Dead Poets, A local Primary Schoool). Radio 5 coverage.
- Week 26. Forgot own mothers birthday while at IOW Fest. Wrote a song about it.
- Week 28. Ed Sheeran mention in Total Guitar Mag interview (totally unprompted).
- Week 34. Collaborated with ex-footballer Dion Dublin (legend) and played Reading/Leeds festival.
- Week 35. Appeared on Match of the Day (childhood dream) and heard from Colin Murray. Nice chap.
- Week 39. Jemima (8th Birthday present) died. Got tonsillitis.
- Week 40. Birthday. Had a 'moderate/severe' allergic reaction to Penicillin.
- Week 42. Collaboration with The Crimea (one of favourite bands).
- Week 44. (Silly political) collaboration with Poet/Teacher/Battle rapper, Mark Grist.
- Week 45. Released 'Flaws & Ceilings', a duet with recent chart-topping, unsigned sensation Lauren Aquilina.
- Week 47. Released 'Wet Shoes', written with Ed Sheeran.
- Week 48. Released 'Miles Apart' feat. Ryan Keen.
- Week 49. Released Best of #OneSongAWeek album & iTunes Single of the Week.
- Week 50. The first and last #onesongaweek live show (feat several of the years collaborators) @ Camden Barfly (sold out).
- Week 51. Christmas single feat. Ebony Day.
- Week 52. Fans song.

The Best of #OneSongAWeek album has now sold well over 4,000 units on a marketing budget of £0. 2013 will see Frank Hamilton getting out and playing live as much as possible...