Frank Turner is more than a musician; he’s a self-proclaimed "devastatingly tedious history nerd" with a deep pride in his Wessex roots. In an exclusive interview, he talks about his passion for the past, the inspiration behind his song "An English Curse," and his philosophical views on being a songwriter and a contrarian.
Finding the Folk in England
Frank's initial musical influences were American folk artists like Neil Young and Bob Dylan. However, after facing pushback from purists in the traditional music community, he set out to find England’s own folk heritage. He discovered that English folk music, often overshadowed by its Scottish and Irish counterparts, is full of historical storytelling. He delved into the archives of Cecil Sharphouse and listened to artists like Martin and Liza Carthy, realizing there was a way to fuse his love for history with his love for music.
This research led him to write "An English Curse," an a cappella track inspired by the traditional field songs of England. He recalls an amusing incident at the Cambridge Folk Festival, where a group of "aging hipsters" with notepads demanded to know the song’s "provenance." They were "horrified" to learn it was an original composition, an act of subversion he greatly enjoyed.
The Story Behind the Song
The song’s inspiration came from a local folk tale, a version of the death of King William II that Frank found in the book Folk Tales of Hampshire. While academic history points to a plausible assassination by his brother, the folk tale centers on a curse placed on William the Conqueror by a blacksmith named John, whose land was stolen by the Normans.
For Frank, the value of folklore isn't in its historical accuracy but in what it reveals about the people who tell the stories. He believes folklore is a "tiny little fissure through which the other voices can escape," representing the grievances and anti-authoritarian spirit of the common people. He also loves that traditional folk heroes, like the original Robin Hood or Reynard the Fox, were not the sanitized, morally upright figures we know today. They were chaotic "bastards," a character type he finds more interesting and authentic.
An Exercise in Humility
Frank sees the study of history as an "exercise in humility." He finds it strange that not everyone is curious about how the world came to be the way it is. For him, understanding history is a way to recognize the limitations of our own knowledge and to appreciate the lives of those who came before us. He confesses to waking up at night in a panic that he will never read all the books he wants to.
He argues that history is not a moral exercise, and we shouldn't read it just to find people to be angry with. It is an opportunity to learn and to understand that the ethical codes of the past were contingent, just as ours are today.
Music and Activism
While many would label him a "protest singer," Frank is cautious about the title. He views music as an "end in itself," not a means to an end. He writes songs about heartbreak, whiskey, or imposter syndrome just as often as he writes about politics. However, he does believe in using his platform to support causes. He is a patron of Able2UK, a charity that works on disabled access to music venues, and supports Safe Gigs For Women, which tackles sexual harassment at shows. Ultimately, for Frank, the joy of writing songs comes first, and if his work encourages people to think about the world, that is its greatest reward.