Frank the Baptist began in the late 90s in San Diego, California by eponymous frontman Frank Vollmann. Through various line-up changes, FTB built a loyal following through their atmospheric music and Frank’s unmistakable, powerful voice in live performances around the southwest US, Chicago and New York.
On the strength of copies of early demo CDs which found their way over to Europe, independent Austrian label Strobelight Records was formed and quickly released “Different Degrees of Empty” (STROB 001) in 2003. The CD was a critical success, a dancefloor favorite, and has since become an underground classic in the Gothic-Deathrock-Wave circles.
In 2004, the second CD “Beggars Would Ride” (STROB 005) was released by Strobelight, and FTB toured Europe for the first time to enthusiastic audiences. After headlining the Wave Gothic Treffen in May 2005 at the Parkbühne in Leipzig to a full ecstatic crowd, it became increasingly obvious that their success in Europe was outshining their success back in the States.
Frank Vollmann relocated to Berlin in 2006, joining long-time comrades Fez Wrecker (Bonniwell Music Machine, Fuzztones) and Benn Ra (Hatesex, ex-Diva Destruction), both of whom had coincidentally played in early incarnations of FTB in San Diego circa 1997-8. East Berliner Phantomas joined on drums, and the new line-up debuted at The Villa in Leipzig on Friday the 13th, 2006.
In November 2006, FTB went into Studio Wong in Berlin-Kreuzberg and recorded in three days what would become the group’s new charter and manifesto, “The New Colossus” (STROB 026).
When the band isn’t storming into cities like Paris, Frankfurt or Vilnius to enchant international audiences, they can likely be found plotting their next adventures from FTB headquarters, a little out-of-the-way bar run by Frank and Fez called The Speakeasy Berlin.
By the way: they're not Baptists.
Line-Up:
Frank The Baptist - Vocals & Guitars
Benn Ra - Bass
Fez Wrecker - Guitars
Phantomas - Drums