FRANK Turner performed a special stripped-back set to launch a new music college.
To watch Frank’s performance visit: https://www.facebook.com/brightonargus/videos/459962201188977/
The punk-rock musician, from Winchester, Hampshire, brought his acoustic guitar to Brighton as he played at the official opening of Waterbear.
Waterbear is the city’s newest education facility, specialising in all things music.
Frank rattled through his song I Still Believe as a homage to how music, and crucially knowledge about music, should be shared throughout generations of artists.
“I started playing in hardcore bands in the late 1990s,” Frank said.
“Back then, knowledge about how to be a musician was this arcane thing that the people who had would keep to themselves.
“In the last two decades there’s been a real change in culture about this and what I think everybody at Waterbeat is doing is amazing, because what we should do is share our knowledge and try and reduce barriers for entry, and try and make sure that anyone who has anything creative to say has the easiest way possible of saying it.”
Frank, who is currently touring his new album, Be More Kind, admits that he would not be where he is without one of Waterbear’s founders.
Mark Clayden is the man who gave Turner’s punk-rock outfit, Million Dead, their first big break.
It is something Frank is hugely grateful for, and part of what has moulded his belief in knowledge being passed down.
“It’s a perfect example of what I was talking about with people in positions of power in the industry trying to use that to hand it on down.
“Being here has also meant repaying my debt to Mark,” he chuckles.
Frank is a patron for Waterbear and will be making some teaching appearances as well, something he is very excited about. Part of the reason I’ve done quite a lot of educational stuff in my time, although this is the biggest. It is because I find it really exciting talking to young people about music.
“Anyone who feels like rock music is dead only needs to spend half an hour in a place like this and you will have that turned on your head.”
Speaking about the project, co-founder Bruce John Dickinson said Brighton is the perfect home for the college.
He said: “It’s got a particular culture; it’s got a culture of acceptance, a culture of open-mindedness and it’s just a great place to be.
“Creativity is celebrated here, rather than frowned upon.
“Brighton is probably the leading exporter of that [creativity].”
Waterbear is set to open its doors to its first set of students, this year.
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