Episode 13: Frank Carter & Dean Richardson – Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes

For the majority of the last 20 years, one of the most explosive performers on the music scene has been Frank Carter. Unassuming with his short stature and red hair, Frank burst onto the scene as a member of Gallows back in 2005, blowing away everyone with his intense stage presence and mesmerisingly powerful voice.

After six years with Gallows, Frank left to form Pure Love, an alternative rock band that slightly eased off the pedal of intensity that we’d previously seen. After a few years there, Frank partnered with Heights guitarist Dean Richardson to form yet another new band, this time called Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes.

From the release of their first album, Blossom, in 2015, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes have been dishing out some truly amazing music. Whether it's pushing into those hardcore roots, easing into different areas, or just trying new things, there's no denying that the creative flame burns bright for both Frank and Dean on and off the stage.

This year, they released the album Dark Rainbow, and it’s certainly one you should spend some time with. In fact, that’s what a lot of fans did when Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes visited Australia back in April for a long-awaited local tour.

It’s now that I lift the veil on the world of podcasting and tell you that this week’s episode was recorded back in April, the day before the band kicked off their first Aussie tour in four years.

I’d actually chatted to Frank back in 2019, but this was the first time I’d spoken to him in person, and the first time I’d spoken to Dean, so it was a lovely chance to get up close and personal with them both for an hour.

At the time, I was also entirely unaware that Frank was not too far off announcing a special set of gigs effectively fronting the Sex Pistols when he performs ‘Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols’ with Paul Cook, Glen Matlock, and Steve Jones this August. Had I known that, I might have thrown in a few more questions about English punk of the ‘70s. And by ‘more’, I mean ‘some’.