If you haven’t heard of Frame Janko then it is time to sit up and take notice. This three piece is bringing some of the coolest grooves and melodies in South African music. Potchefstroom Herald had a chat with lead voalist and guitarist Levon Lock on their debut  album “Eyes On Fire” their musical style, their goals and much more. Check it out here:

1. Thank you for the interview guys, firstly congratulations on a brilliant debut album. Who is Frame Janko in a nutshell?

Thanks for having us. Frame Janko is a 3-piece made up of Levon Lock on lead vocals and guitar, Bradley Roberts on bass and Gary Wright on the drums.

2.    Can you explain the title of the album, cover artwork and the general direction on the album took?

The title “Eyes on Fire” came about because there is a recurring theme in a few of the songs in the album that talking about having eyes on fire. It just felt like a natural progression to name the album that too. Llewellyn van Eeden, friend and former bandmate of Lev’s, did the artwork: It’s based around a campfire. The lady is staring into the fire,  contemplating a new perspective on something she perhaps hadn’t considered before – That’s my interpretation at least.

3.    I feel you guys have made amazing progress having just been a band for just over a year. You also released a music video for the song “Keep Her.” What was the overall reception to the music video and single?

We’re lucky because every member of the band plays an integral part of the progress of the band. We all do creative things as day jobs, and this helps a lot. In terms of the “Keep Her” music video, we think it’s been received well. We’d obviously love as much attention possible, so time will tell. That being said, we’re also not going to wait around to see what happens but rather get more original content out there – that’s most important as a new band with high hopes.

4.    What do you attribute your success to in your time as a band?

To be honest, we just want to write interesting music that people can relate to and get on board with. If we can achieve that in a big way, then I would see that as success.

5.    I really enjoyed the isolation of various instruments on the album. Every member of the band shines in his own way, whether it is a vocal melody, groovy bass riff or a unique drum fill. The production is brilliantly done. Who was responsible for this?

Thanks so much, we worked really hard on it. Lev the wizard runs a recording studio, so we did it all in-house there.

Here is the sound cloud link to the album: 

6.    Your debut album Eyes on Fire is red-hot in my opinion.  Some really catchy grooves and riffs that make you want to dance and jump along to (“Small Talk” and “Fire In Your Eyes” being some of my favourites.) What was the inspiration behind the lyrics and music?

We always take a very open approach to writing lyrics. We draw inspiration mainly from events that we’ve been part of and people who are going through things. The intention is to write lyrics that could have different impacts on people, and mean many different things depending on the listeners’ personal situations.

7.    Do you feel you guys can be a fresh bit of air in the local indie-rock scene? Do you feel there is still a place for rock and roll in an electronic music dominated era?

We think that live music will never die and that there will always be a place for rock n roll. At the moment, there is an incredible local indie rock n roll scene in SA and it’s the one that resonates with us most. The indie scene inspires us to explore new creative avenues and drives us to pour ourselves into it. We’re confident in our music but can only hope that it’s contagious. So far so good.

8.    Any future singles that you guys are going to release this year?

We’re working on a bunch of stuff, so yes, definitely a few releases this year. From a new music video for a track on the album to music for our next album, it’s all currently in the works.

9.    Awesome! What can fans expect at a Frame Janko show?

An energetic rock n roll performance aimed at getting listeners feeling loose on the dancefloor to  a dynamic and lively set.

10.    Are there any artists who specifically influence you as a band?

Probably too many to mention, but here are a few: Mutemath, The Jungle Giants, Jack White, The Wombats, Muse, Royal Blood, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Arctic Monkeys and Nothing But Thieves

11.    What are your main goals as a band, what legacy do you want to leave behind?

Our main goal is to make music that means a lot to individuals and play it for as many of them as possible.

Watch the official video for Keep Her