Frank Turner: Don't Mention The E Word

Frank Turner and his Sleeping Souls perform as part of JUE Festival this year. We shot some questions at him and he very kindly replied. We thought he'd be up for raking the dirt on what it was like schooling with Prince Billy and playing soggy biscuit with the rugby boys at Eton, but it seems he doesn't like talking about where he schooled. It's a pity, really, as most of our questions were about just that.

Tickets for his show at MAO Livehouse on March 22 are available now on Yoopay at RMB 120 for the early bird.

If you could have performed a live soundtrack for any of the events at the London Olympics, which would you have chosen?
I'd say the 100m final, but it only lasts a few seconds. Beach volleyball?

Are your parents pleased that their Eton-educated son ended up a musician?
They were worried for a long time about what I was doing with my life, and I appreciate their concern. These days they're a lot more comfortable with where I am.

How do you relate to grass roots folk musicians?
By calling them up and sharing a beer with them when I'm in town.

What does Prince William think of your music? What about any other of your former schoolmates?
I have absolutely no idea. I'm not really in touch with any of them.

Do you have any tips for Chinese parents wanting to send their children to private school in England?
No.

What was your favorite subject at school?
History.

Which folk traditions are you in lineage of, both British and abroad?
I'd say my music is influenced by English folk traditions, and the sound of Americana generally, but I'd hesitate to say I was directly part of any tradition myself, I write original songs.

Do you consider your music as part of a longstanding English narrative tradition?
That would be a nice compliment, for sure.

What is your favorite book or movie on the Eton experience?
I don't have one.

What is the biggest myth about Eton that couldn’t be further from the truth?
That I want to answer questions about it. I'm 31. I don't think or care about school.

How do you think the London Olympic opening ceremony stood up to the Beijing one?
They were very different. I think they both reflected their home cultures, in their own way. The London one had a slightly subversive sense of humour to it, which I really enjoyed. I don't think Danny Boyle was trying to compete with the spectacle of Beijing, which I think was a wise decision.

What are the worst/most wrong assumptions that people have made about you?
I don't really spend much time thinking about other people's assumptions about me.

What’s the biggest lie that has ever been printed about you?
That I was politically conservative. That pissed me off.

Did you ever think that you’d be signed to Epitaph? How has the label helped you musically?
I day-dreamed about it as a kid. Most all of the bands I was in love with as a teenager were on the label at some point, so I feel very privileged to work with them. They've helped my career a whole lot, particularly outside the UK.

Is your Wikipedia entry accurate?
I haven't read it. Why would I?

Photo: Tom_spray.com