Frank the Baptist is an American alternative rock band founded in San Diego, California, by frontman Frank Vollmann.
Frank the Baptist | |
|---|---|
 Frank the Baptist performing in 2020 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | San Diego, California, U.S. |
| Labels | Dark Dimensions |
| Members | Frank Vollmann Fez Wrecker Ralf Huenefeld Stevie Nixx Matteo Forgione |
| Website | frankthebaptist |
History
editStrobelight Records was founded to release their first album, Different Degrees of Empty, in 2003. In 2004, the band toured Europe for the first time to support their second album, Beggars Would Ride. The band played at the Wave-Gotik-Treffen music festival in May 2005.
Frank Vollmann relocated to Berlin in 2006, joining long-time comrades Fez Wrecker (Bonniwell Music Machine, The Fuzztones) and Benn Ra (Hatesex, ex-Diva Destruction), both of whom had coincidentally played in early incarnations of Frank the Baptist in San Diego in 1997–1998. East Berliner Phantomas joined on drums, and the new line-up of the Berlin Chapter debuted at The Villa in Leipzig on Friday 13, 2006.
In November 2006, the band went into Studio Wong in Berlin-Kreuzberg and recorded the band's 3rd album, The New Colossus.
From 2006-2009, the band maintained a headquarters of sorts at a bar run by Frank and Fez, called "The Speakeasy Berlin".
From 2009-2014, the band went through various periods of touring and festival appearances, mixed with periods of inactivity and lineup changes. In 2015, they self-released their 4th album As the Camp Burns as the long awaited follow up to the critically successful New Colossus. 2019 saw the group join Dark Dinensions label, and released their 5th album Road Omen.
Current members
edit- Frank Vollmann – vocals
- Fez Wrecker – guitars
- Stevie Nixx – bass
- Ralf Huenefeld – guitars
- Matteo Forgione - drums
- Past members
- Gerrit Hassler – guitars
- Salo Bosse – drums
- Julio Cardador - bass
- Benn Ra – bass
- Thomas Fietz – drums
- Justin Stephens – bass
- Mario Usai (Clan of Xymox) – bass
- Carsten Klatte (Project Pitchfork, Peter Hepner)
- Ilija Gavrilenko – bass
- Scot "The Hoople" Evans – guitar
- Barry "The Dead" Perzan – bass
- Eric "E-train" Schlosser – bass
- "Camp" Dave Hamersma – drums
- Thomas Fuhr – guitar
- Rob Podzunas – bass
- Wood – bass
- Anthony De La Cruz – keyboards
Discography
edit- Different Degrees of Empty (2003)
- Beggars Would Ride (2004)
- The New Colossus (2007)
- As the Camp Burns (2015)
- Road Omen (2019)