Last autumn Eugene Francis Jnr’s single “Poor Me” caught my attention – a lyrically clever, folk influenced little ditty. I wrote a snippet about it on my personal blog, but was surprised at the time that there was so little information out there about the artist. The lack of information in this, the information age, piqued my interest. I wanted to know more about Eugene Francis Jnr. I heard through the grape vine that his debut long player was due this spring and thought that this would be a perfect opportunity to get to know more about the mysterious Welshman and his band of merry men. He was kind enough to join A Free Man on the virtual couch for a bit of psychic exploration.

AFM: Your debut LP, “The Golden Beatle” is out at the end of April. I really dug your single from last year “Poor Me”. How does the record differ from this single?

EFJ: The Golden Beatle is a summary of life, the peaks and troughs of this great ride which we all find ourselves on. If the album was the skyline of NYC – “Poor Me” could be seen as The Empire State (the ethereal peak) which represents recovery and limitless horizons. but there are quite a few troughs on there ….. that feeling of loss and despair …. I guess these could be seen as the darkest, lowest parts of the New York subway.

Like anything golden in life though _ to truly experience it and value the encounter, you have to of endured some crap …. in the words of Jason Lee – you need the sweet and the sour, my friend.

AFM: Your music has been described as “Folktronica”. I certainly hear echoes of 60’s folk-rock, The Beats and the like. There’s a lot of artists around right now that seem to be channeling that kind of thing – Bright Eyes, Sufjan Stevens, Devendra Banhart and others in the States, Frank Turner and some others in the UK? Is there a new folk revival happening right now? If so, are you a part of it?

‘Folktronica’ is now a fairly broad term, I heard it a while ago via my friend in San Fran. and hey its just a word _ my last band was tagged as ‘Blunktry’…. so as long as I can get people formulating new words and expanding their vocabulary …. I am a content human. Folk is a very convenient means of creating music, hence new scenes in this genre crop up anywhere and everywhere. I feel a connection to what Devendra and Sufjan are doing and what Conor has done and it is an honour to be mentioned alongside them. However, I believe (and I believe it an essence) for all artists to strive for something new, to aim to differ from anything out there being done or been done. Good music isnt a perfectly paid musical note on an overpriced instrument _ good music is an imperfect note, played honestly on a loved instrument x

AFM: Listening to some of the tracks from the new record that you’re streaming on the Legion site, I think its a bit short sighted to put you in that nu-folk box. In fact from the four tracks that are up, there’s quite a range of styles. Musicians hate to be pigeonholed, but if you were forced to – say Dick Cheney’s got a waterboard just for you – how would you describe the new record?

EFJ: Has Dick really got a waterboard for me? I hope not :-) the record is many genres, many BPMS, a few varied time signatures, and as many instruments as I could lay my hands on over the period of a year. Lets pigeon-hole it as ‘world folk americana with the right hand in blues and the left hand in independent poprock’

AFM: You put together a band of Welshmen for “The Golden Beatle”. Can you
introduce us to the Juniors and tell us who’s playing what?

EFJ: The juniors are 7 people (boys and girls). From different parts of the UK. Residing in Cardiff. they all have their own projects – both Solo and bands _ but who offered to help me with all live aspects in our attempt for world domination.

Who or what is The Golden Beatle?

EFJ: Many different reasons for naming the album this. But lets just leave it at_ Gold is the colour for which we all strife _ thru unsavoury reasons such as greed. What so many are blind to see, is that gold is the colour we will all ultimately achieve, once we finally put together the puzzle of lifes great mystery. but _ until that moment of universal enlightenment _ we will coexist and survive here…. under the water, not in our true form. But as armour-clad beatles _ yearning for the light of what lies beyond the surface x

AFM: You’ve spent a bit of time touring in the States. What’s been your reception there? Where do you think the new album will hit hardest?

EFJ: I have played a few shows solo in the US. but not enough _ I am hoping the record gets a US release and I hope to tour more extensively there in 2008. Until then I do so hope people find out about this record, by the truest form of marketing known to mankind …. and that is the time-forgotten method of ‘word of mouth’ x

AFM: I don’t know much about the music scene in Wales. Who else should the pundits be paying attention to?

EFJ: Future of The Left, Attack + Defend and The Victorian English Gentlemens Club. And of course Gareth Bonello. And if you like your pop pancakes served up in a Pamela Anderson guise with Dusty Springfield vocals – check out Duffy.

AFM: I’ve listened to some of the tracks from the new record and the production is great – gives the tracks I’ve heard a real spontaneous almost live sound. Who’s turning the knobs for you on “The Golden Beatle”?

EFJ: One of the juniors called Llion Robertson had ultimate say in the ‘engineering’ of the record. I dropped off to him all the parts I had recorded over the last year across different parts of the globe _ and he put them on steroids, invited some other musicians to guest, played some instruments himself. And the next thing we had this record that sounded, well, just honest.

AFM: What track are you most proud of on the new album?

EFJ: “Sometimes the good” If it all ended tommorrow _ I’d be glad that I had shared that ….

AFM: Fantasy time: “The Golden Beatle” has made you a star on the scope of a Gallagher, Williams or Ciccone? You’ve been booked to headline a homecoming show at Millenium Stadium – what four bands or artists (living or dead) do you book to support you?

EFJ: The Carter Family. REM. Dylan and headlining Magic Slim and The Teardrops (with percussion duties falling on Cobain and Lennon)……Eugene Francis Jnr will just be the roadie and refreshment kid x

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Thanks to Eugene Francis Jnr for shedding some light on his back pages. Eugene Francis Jnr and The Juniors’ “The Golden Beatle” is out on April 28. It will be available for download worldwide and on CD in Europe. Check out some of the tracks from the new one here and pre-order here.

MP3: Eugene Francis Jnr – “Poor Me”

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