Written during the pandemic while taking a songwriting class with Buck Meek of Big Thief through School of Song. From the forthcoming debut album American Royal (release date TBD).

lyrics:
In the stone citadel, in the four seasons
Amidst the fanfare of seven paraphrased centuries
We make ourselves finely crafted souvenirs
In the stillness following an abandoned year

He made it way too hard, the first time
The helmet helped but I didn't come to for some time
I'm sorry man, work took over my life
From 2:15 until 12:45

We know the situation, the end of days of envisioned salvation
Designers watch their creations
A seat of power, a tabard emblazoned

He made it way too hard, the first time
The helmet helped but I didn't come to for some time
I'm sorry man, work took over my life
From 2:15 until 12:45

On the brink of staying home forever
Through the door on the table, 16th century frescoes rendered
Many moons at the stove, staring at solemn suitcases
After the resurrection, I walk with a proclamation

We have discovered a new history
(The designers watch their creations)
(And these days go on forever)

credits:
released May 6, 2022
All instruments performed by and recorded by Greg Franklin.
Mixed and mastered by David Gaume/DRG Audio.
Produced by Greg Franklin and David Gaume.
Artwork by Greg Franklin/Kentucky Chrome Industries.

Endless and most heartfelt thanks to David Gaume for all sonic and spiritual consultations and guidance, to Marie, Henry and Chloe Franklin for their endless love, patience and support, to Buck Meek and School of Song for inspiring this, to John Cobb for the choruses and for being a brother forever, to Zach Norton for tech support and always listening to everything, and to you for being here now. Thank you for listening.

Please follow the album process along over at www.instagram.com/theroyalfirecrackers

Dark Age

I went down to Portland, OR for a few days of hang time with Greg Welker (aka Sunday Grip). The heat was oppressive and ridiculous for those few days, so we took that sad lethargy and wrote a song for those hot summer days where you're happy to be alive, even if the sun is steamrolling you. Still working on some overdubs on this one, so take this as a work in progress. 

"Summer Bummer 2k14" (Royal Firecrackers vs. Sunday Grip)

-Collaboration with Mike Walker (Doris Henson, Moustachedotorg, all around incredible person and hilarious dude) in Kansas City.
-Originally done on GarageBand.
-I've since lost the original files or else I would remix the holy hell out of this to fade it out a little earlier and make those drums a little bit less compressed and high in the mix.
-I played drums, guitar, and sang backup vox on this little ditty. I hope I can collab a bit more with Mr. Walker in the future, because I think he's a pretty brilliant guy.


Moustachedotorg Vs. The Moons - "Rock & Roll Jerks"

-Recorded with GarageBand in my old attic in Kansas City.
-Tracked in an afternoon, mixed the following evening.
-One of my favorite Pavement songs from the "Watery, Domestic" EP.
-Aside from the crappy cymbals and the "too boom-y" kick drum sound, I'm pretty happy with this mix.


The Royal Firecrackers--"Shoot The Singer" (Pavement cover)

-Collaboration with Greg Welker/Sunday Grip
-Recorded in Greg's basement in Portland, OR
-I played smooth jazz guitar and weird fuzz tones. Mr. Welker is responsible for the rest of the cacophony.
-I still get goosebumps every time I hear this jam. 

Collaboration with Sunday Grip--"Fold"

There aren't many records in the world that I've enjoyed listening to and playing guitar along with quite as much as Pavement's 1995 classic, Wowee Zowee. In particular, "Grounded" has been one of those songs that just continues to get better with age. That story in those lyrics, with so much to read into between the lines, and that slow, burnt out beat that builds into a mini-detonation at the end. That woozy haze reminds me of scorching Kansas summers, dreaming of the poolside life in California, and wondering about the secret lives of medical professionals when they hung up their scrubs. 

I had no idea what I wanted to do with this song when I started working on the cover, other than add some pretty harmonies to it and deconstruct it/rebuild it in my own way. I didn't intend for it to be some giant shoegaze anthem when I started, but that's kinda where it ended up. I'm pretty happy that it pays tribute to the tone of the original but hopefully goes off into it's own world, especially at the end. 

100% recorded in my basement in Seattle on GarageBand, with at least 45% of it recorded a floor below a sleeping baby. This was the first thing I've recorded since the birth of our son, Henry (11 weeks old as of this writing), and I'm amazed at how hard it is to find the time to work on projects like this with a baby. At the same time, it's even more rewarding to put a period at the end of the sentence and call it good. On a completely personal note, I'm thrilled with the drum sounds I managed to get out of my meager setup. 

Please to enjoy.

Grounded (Pavement Cover)

Cover of one of my favorite Car Seat Headrest songs for a compilation of a bunch of other folks doing CSHR covers. Recorded/mixed/wrapped in a week, which was probably the fastest I've ever worked on something of this scope before. My first foray into mixing with Logic, and the first recorded appearance of my new C&C snare drum. All in all, I'm pretty happy with where it went and how it turned out.

Thanks for listening.

Strangers (Car Seat Headrest cover)

Quick and dirty mix of a collab that I did with Greg Welker (aka Sunday Grip) down in Portland, OR. I played guitar, Welker did all of the good things compositionally that make this worth listening to. Best part about this? The bass sound is just my Telecaster run through an octave pedal. Filthy. 


Collaboration with Sunday Grip "Theme For Pants"

A cover of the Wire classic "Outdoor Miner". The album version of the original unfortunately misses out on that incredible piano part that made it onto the single. I got Zach Curd to fly in some fantastic piano parts from Detroit, Michigan and make it sound sparkly and awesome. All the rest of the parts and pieces are me, recorded at The Royal Basement in Seattle, WA. Available for purchase on iTunes if you're interested in that sort of thing. More songs brewing, so please stay tuned. Thank you for listening.

Outdoor Miner

The Royal Firecrackers consist of a man from Kansas City who currently lives in Seattle, WA and works as a graphic designer and writer and dad. Debut LP "American Royal" currently being mixed in Bloomington, Indiana by Mike Bridavsky at Russian Recording and released sometime in 2024. These songs sound good on headphones or old speakers with big ol' woofers. Tell your friends about this music.  

CURRENT MUSICAL PROJECTS:
THE ROYAL FIRECRACKERS--You're listening to it now. All songs written and recorded by Greg Franklin in a basement in Seattle, WA with the engineering/mixing/instrumentation help of David Gaume, Robert Cheek, Eric Padgett, Michael Stover and Chris Littlefield. 

Playing guitar in the psych/pop band BLACK WHALES. New album dropping in 2024: https://blackwhales.bandcamp.com

Drums/Guitar/Bass in the most haunted band in Seattle that isn't Candlebox, the mighty PARTY DUNGEON: https://partydungeonusa.bandcamp.com

And working with my dear friend Greg Welker (aka SUNDAY GRIP, aka ISH THE FIST) on some sweet, sweet jams that may see the light of day sometime. There are some demos of that stuff here. 

PAST ROCK RESUME:
GHOST PAINS * SONNY VOTOLATO * LIGHTFEET * THE SYNTHONY * JACKIE CAROL * JETENDERPAUL * THE BELIEVE IT OR NOTS * EWOK GRINDER * LADYFRIEND * THE HILLARY STEP *

Photography by Morgan Miller.

The Royal Firecrackers

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