Frank Agnew
Frank Agnew | |
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Birth name | Francis Thomas Agnew |
Born | August 18, 1964 |
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Years active | 1980–present |
Labels | Frontier |
Francis Thomas "Frank" Agnew (born August 18, 1964)[1] is an American guitarist and songwriter, best known for being a member of punk rock band the Adolescents. Frank's brothers Rikk Agnew and Alfie Agnew, as well as his son Frank Agnew Jr., are also former Adolescents guitarists.
Early years
Frank Agnew was born into a musical family, half Irish and half Mexican-American. In 1972, his parents moved from La Puente to Fullerton, California.[2] He began playing guitar professionally at an early age, and his brother Rikk sometimes had to sneak him in through the back door of 18 plus or 21 plus venues.[3]
Agnew dropped out of high school, but later pursued a liberal arts degree at Fullerton College.[4] After finishing his studies, he went to work in the computer industry.[5]
Music career
Over the years, Agnew has played with a number of bands, including 45 Grave, the Tribe, Adolescents, Der Stab, Legal Weapon, PinUps, Social Distortion, and T.S.O.L.[6]
Agnew joined The Adolescents in 1980 after leaving Social Distortion.[7] When the Adolescents broke up in the summer of 1981, Agnew joined Legal Weapon with fellow Adolescent Steve Soto, and then played as a touring guitarist with T.S.O.L. to promote their Dance With Me album. Agnew reunited with the "Blue Album" line-up of the Adolescents in 1986, but left along with drummer Casey Royer before the recording of the 1987 Brats in Battalions album. Agnew returned to play guitar for two tracks on the Adolescents' 1988 Balboa Fun*Zone album, but he did not permanently rejoin the band. Agnew took part in another Adolescents reunion in 2004 and was the sole guitarist on the resulting O.C. Confidential album.
In 2010, Agnew joined 45 Grave, proceeding to take part in the recording of the band's 2012 Pick Your Poison album, released on Frontier Records. In 2014, he began a collaboration with The Voice's Bree Fondacaro in a band called the Fatalists.[8]
Agnew is credited as songwriter on a number of film soundtracks and also occasionally appears as an actor.[1]
Personal life
Agnew has two older siblings, Rikk and Toni (sister), and younger brother Alfie. He also has a half-brother Jim and a half-sister Beverly that are older than Rikk.[3] He has a son, Frank Agnew Jr.
References
- ^ a b "Frank Agnew". Retrieved 8 Jan 2016.
- ^ Proctor, Susan (7 Aug 2014). "Crash Kills Four Interview". Retrieved 6 Jan 2016.
- ^ a b "Alfie Agnew Speaks". Retrieved 8 Jan 2016.
- ^ Lewis, Randy (16 October 1987). "Ex-adolescent Now 'Grandpa' Of The Tribe". Retrieved 8 Jan 2016.
- ^ Jackson, Nate (19 June 2014). "Rikk Agnew: Adolescent no more". Retrieved 8 Jan 2016.
- ^ "Frank Agnew". Retrieved 8 Jan 2016.
- ^ "Social Distortion History". Retrieved 8 Jan 2016.
- ^ "The Voice's Bree Fondacaro & Frank Agnew talk w Eric Blair 2014". Retrieved 8 Jan 2016.