If you’ve been following Frank Turner’s solo career for the last couple of decades, then this is a real treat and a surefire sign that we’ve all got a little older. Unbelievably, it is the 20th anniversary of Turner’s first solo release after punk band Million Dead split up. His first EP, Campfire Punkrock, is turning twenty years old and, to celebrate, it is being reissued on CD and vinyl. Fans will find two extra songs on the upcoming reissue: The Real Damage and The Ballad Of Me & My Friends, which were both included on the American version of the EP in 2007. Also included is a live set from back in the day. Solo show number 50 in Camden in 2006 must have seemed like a huge milestone at the time, but last year Show 3000 was a major event at Alexandra Palace, and he’s already well on the way to the 4000th show. Turner looks back fondly on that first EP release and says: “Two decades of shows around the world, many more songs and many more people, and yet a big chunk of my heart still lies with that first, tentative venture of my solo career.” Turner will continue the celebrations on a sold-out anniversary UK tour and with a night at Lost Evenings IX.
To mark the occasion, we have a new video of Nashville, Tennessee, which includes live footage from that Camden gig, supplied by Lars Minkkinen, amongst other early, nostalgic images. Turner displays youthful energy as he sings out loud and clear over a fast, bright acoustic strum. His words ring out with tunefulness and humour: “And if I knew anybody who played pedal steel guitar // I would get them in my band and then my band would get real far // But I was raised in Middle England and not in Nashville, Tennessee // And the only person in my band is me.”
Since then, there have been many great albums and a remarkable run of live performances. Indeed, this will certainly stir up a few memories and a little nostalgia for long-time fans. The EP’s title, Campfire Punkrock, remains a pretty accurate description of what Turner delivers through his albums and shows: enjoy if you were lucky enough to get a ticket.
