GREG FRANCO “It all started when my band Ferdinand played with The Clean at the L.A. Knitting Factory back in Sept. 2001. We got a call from the Knitting Factory booker to open up for this band I'd only heard of, called The Clean. What I had heard was that "The Clean" were New Zealand legends… Ferdinand opened the night. Luckily, Hamish Kilgour came out from the dressing rooms and was watching us closely. He took special interest, and because we were the first band that night, The Clean could have easily missed us by staying backstage. I think Hamish either called Bob and David out to listen, or he told them we were cool or something, I can't say, but it turned out to be a nice mutual admiration society kind of thing. After we played, there was another band, and finally The Clean played. As they started, I was like moth to the flame. "Very special" I thought. I loved the shaman-like drumming style of Hamish and the optimistic and aggressive thump of Bob's bass. I also liked David's dark and strange but beautiful guitar, and in addition, David's voice and lyrics express his thoughts and images so well. The Clean's music is organic, mature. Timeless, really I got hooked. To make a long story short, David and I killed a few days here and there in sun-soaked L.A. after he finished the 2002 Lambchop tour. He was exhausted, so we mostly just rested and bummed around, renting movies, eating good dinners, visiting people, and shopping a bit. The Clean toured again in 2003 with Yo La Tengo. It was in San Francisco at the Phoenix Hotel, after a gig at the Fillmore, that I got a chance to play some new songs for them. Back in L.A. a couple of days later, I took them over to the Huntington Gardens and casually popped the question about coming over to NZ to make a recording with them. They liked the idea. I guess New Zealanders are men who are true to their words because in April of 2004, it was all worked out. Schedules were cleared, dates were established, and a studio called "Tin Shed" was hired. Tom Bell runs the studio and it turned out to be the perfect choice. I felt confident enough to come halfway around the world and that the job would get done…”

NEWS: FLASH!!! For Immediate release!!!!!!!!! The Ferdinand CD, "The Memorial Interchange" will finally be released: on Sunday Nov. 23rd, 2008! THIS WILL BE A BIG PARTY ! Greg Franco with his old band FERDINAND WILL PLAY LIVE!! really... i'm not lyin! LIVE!! AT SPACELAND! The CD was in the making since 2002, and This is the first Ferdinand show since 2003. Guests will be Patria Jacobs, and Double Naught Spy Car, with other "special guests!" BE THERE OR BE ....not there, i guess...... but you really should be there. It will be the Sunday right before Thanksgiving.

FERDINAND + PATRIA JACOBS + DOUBLE NAUGHT SPY CAR at Spaceland, Los Angeles, USA. Sunday 23rd November 2008.

"Sorted!"As D.K. would say, and "Good on Ya" for getting it done. Thanks to everyone for making it a perfect NZ family event. It was very generous and supportive of these folks. I'll tell ya.

It all started when my band Ferdinand played with The Clean at the L.A. Knitting Factory back in Sept. 2001. We got a call from the Knitting Factory booker to open up for this band I'd only heard of, called The Clean.

What I had heard was that "The Clean" were New Zealand legends. We heard this from Liz Garo, the club booker, and from our musician friends like Kedron Parker, Eric Frost, Steve Sher, and writer Gwen Garfinkle.

We were playing out a lot those days. Ferdinand had gotten tight, and down to fighting weight, with me, David Guererro and Laura E. Smith as the main members. We also had a host of "floating" drummers. Even so, we were getting better shows all the time.

One week before our show together. The Clean were eyewitnesses to world history. They were in NYC on September 11th 2001, and while touring to support the album "Getaway", so the band saw everything happen. The had a clear view of the World Trade Center.

September 11th also is my birthday, and after such a terrible event, back in L.A. we all needed a good shot of whiskey. We couldn't toast my birthday as much as kill the pain that day. Luckily, it seemed like a nicer celebration and a birthday gift to play with The Clean about one week later.

Ferdinand opened the night. Luckily, Hamish Kilgour came out from the dressing rooms. and was watching us closely. He took special interest, and because we were the first band that night, The Clean could have easily missed us by staying backstage. I think Hamish either called Bob and David out to listen, or he told them we were cool or something, I can't say, but it turned out to be a nice mutual admiration society kind of thing.

After we played, there was another band, and finally The Clean played. As they started, I was like moth to the flame. "Very special" I thought. I loved the shaman-like drumming style of Hamish and the optimistic and aggressive thump of Bob's bass. I also liked David's dark and strange but beautiful guitar, and in addition, David's voice and lyrics express his thoughts and images so well. The Clean's music is organic, mature. Timeless, really I got hooked.

To make a long story short, David and I killed a few days here and there in sun-soaked L.A. after he finished the 2002 Lambchop tour. He was exhausted, so we mostly just rested and bummed around, renting movies, eating good dinners, visiting people, and shopping a bit.

The the Clean toured again in 2003 with Yo La Tengo. It was in San Francisco at the Phoenix Hotel, after a gig at the Fillmore, that I got a chance to play some new songs for them.

Back in L.A. a couple of days later, I took them over to the Huntington Gardens and casually popped the question about coming over to NZ to make a recording with them. They liked the idea. I guess New Zealanders are men who are true to their words because in April of 2004, it was all worked out. Schedules were cleared, dates were established, and a studio called "Tin Shed" was hired. Tom Bell runs the studio and it turned out to be the perfect choice. I felt confident enough to come halfway around the world and that the job would get done. Thanks again to these wonderful people.

I will forever cherish the beautiful sense of kinship I felt with y'all in NZ, from the time I arrived in Auckland, where I was so kindly welcomed by Barbara into the Ward-Knox house, (Thanks for the hook up, DK) to the actual recordings in Dunedin at Tin Shed, thanks to Tom Bell, Kate, Steve, Alan, Tane, and Joanna. It was fun, but hard work too. To R. Scott, David and Hamish K., what an intense focused recording experience! Bob even played through a torn ligament in his leg from work! Production meetings were always good, so was the local brew, food etc....

Greg Franco - vocals and guitars, sometimes accordion and harmonica

David Kilgour: In Studio Producer, Electric Gtr, Acoustic, Keys, Bells, and percussion

Bob Scott: Electric Bass

Tane Tokona: Drums

Mixer and Mastering and Also efx by Richard Bosworth, help from M. Mastopietro playing glockenspiel and guitars for track 9. Kedron Parker, stand up bass and Lorenzo Buehne on fretless, Greg on warbly Trombone and vocal.

Southpawwest was produced by David K, Tom Bell, Richard Bosworth and Greg Franco, in Dunedin NZ at "Tin Shed" mixed and mastered at "Smartso" in Studio City, CA. Artwork by Johanna Tokona.

http://www.heydaymediagroup.com/pages/gregfranco.html

The new Rough Church website is up. www.roughchurch.com

PT078: Various Artists - Bulletholes 3: The Best Is Yet To Come (Compilation Album) 2008

6.Rough Church - Book Junkies

US: $13.95

NZ: 20.00

SGS004: Greg Franco - Thanks For The Pen! (Split Double A-Single with Otis Mace - NZ Tour Single May / June) 2008.

2.Thanks For The Pen!

US: $5.00

NZ: $6.00

PT076: Greg Franco Wandering Bear / Rough Church - The White Dove Of The Desert (Album) 2008

1.The Book Junkies 2.Oriole 3.He Threw Kryptonite 4.Thanks For The Pen! 5.Rebel Waltz 6.Reg 7.Corona 8.You Are a Comet 9.Not Pissed, Not Hurt 10.Absolution Song 11.Message To My Girl 12.Guarantees (Remix) 13.Sparks From The Universe

US: $13.95

NZ: 20.00

PT058:Greg Franco & Wandering Bear - Southpawwest (Album) 2006

1.Southpawest 2.Guarantees 3.Oriole 4.Book junkies (instrumental) 5.Absolution song 6.One bedroom apartment 7.Bumfuk egypt 8.Skipping bull 9.Bali in august (coffee) 10.Tomorrow's highs

US: $13.95

NZ: 20.00

ITUNES