Francis Edward Turner known professionally as Frank Turner, is an English punk and folk singer-songwriter from Meonstoke, Hampshire. Turner began his career as the vocalist of post-hardcore band Million Dead, with whom he recorded two studio albums. Following the band's split in 2005, he embarked upon a solo career. He has released six studio albums, all with independent record label Xtra Mile Recordings. The first four of these were released under Turner's birth name.
The fifth album, Tape Deck Heart, was released under the name Frank Turner on 18 April 2013. He has also played more than 2,000 live shows across 42 countries. Turner's style of music combines influences from folk music and punk rock, his lyrics mostly deal with topics such as history and social commentary.
Turner was born in Meonstoke, Hampshire, to Pamela Rosalind (née Piper) and Roger Turner. As a child, he was educated at Solent Middle School and Barton Peveril College. After having worked in a number of office jobs, he attended the University of Winchester where he studied History and Archaeology. During his time at university, Turner listened to a lot of punk rock and American folk music. He particularly liked The Smiths, The Pogues, and The Men They Couldn't Hang.
After graduating from Winchester in 2001 with first-class honours, Turner worked for a short time as an archaeologist, before moving to London to pursue a career in music. He initially worked as a tea boy at Raw Power Management, before becoming the tour manager for Jamie T's band. In 2005, he started his own record label, Xtra Mile Recordings, through which he released his first two solo albums.
Turner's first album, Campfire Punkrock, was recorded and released in early 2006; it was self-financed and produced by Turner and Gavin Monaghan. The album's title refers to the DIY ethic of the punk rock scene, as well as to Turner's status as an "outsider" in the music industry.
In 2007, Turner released his second album, Love, Ire & Song. The album was once again self-produced, and was recorded in just two weeks. Like its predecessor, the album was distributed by Xtra Mile Recordings.
The lead single from the album, "Photosynthesis", became Turner's first top 40 single, peaking at number 37 on the UK Singles Chart. Turner also undertook his first headlining tour of the UK and Ireland in support of the album.
In 2008, Turner released his third album, Fine Lines. The album was again self-produced, and was recorded in just four days. It peaked at number 32 on the UK Albums Chart.
The lead single from the album, "The Road", was Turner's second top 40 single, peaking at number 32 on the UK Singles Chart. The album was supported by a headlining tour of the UK and Ireland, as well as a number of festival appearances.
In 2009, Turner released his fourth album, Poetry of the Deed. The album was produced by Rich Costey, and was the first of Turner's albums to be released on a major label, Epitaph Records. It peaked at number 18 on the UK Albums Chart.
The lead single from the album, "Isles of Wonder", was used as the official song of the 2012 Summer Olympics. The album was supported by a headlining tour of the UK, Ireland, and Europe.
In 2009, Turner formed a backing band called The Sleeping Souls, consisting of Ben Lloyd (guitar, mandolin, keyboards), Matt Nasir (piano, guitar), Tarrant Anderson (bass guitar), and Nigel Powell (drums, percussion). The band has since toured with Turner across the world, and have appeared on all of his studio albums.
In 2010, Turner released his fifth album, England Keep My Bones. The album was once again produced by Rich Costey, and peaked at number four on the UK Albums Chart.
The lead single from the album, "Peggy Sang the Blues", was Turner's third top 40 single, peaking at number 35 on the UK Singles Chart. The album was supported by a headlining tour of the UK, Ireland, Europe, and Australia.
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