Frank Lenz

For the bicyclist and adventurer, see Frank Lenz (cyclist).

Frank Lenz (born 18 June 1967 in San Leandro, California) is a drummer from Southern California who has done work for many bands and artists, including Richard Swift, The Weepies, Everest, Pedro The Lion, Starflyer 59, Lassie Foundation, Duraluxe, Map, Charity Empressa, and his own solo work.

Biography

Frank Lenz started taking drum lessons when he was eight years old. A natural, he was soon working as a session musician. After playing with several indie bands, Lenz developed his original work as a solo musician, mixing the pop of Burt Bacharach with power rock like Steely Dan, jazz fusion, and Stevie Wonder-style R&B. "Playing drums is all I ever wanted to do," Lenz has said, and by the age of 13, he began his career as studio drummer. He has since played on too many records to list, and toured / played / recorded with an extremely long list of bands. Most recently he's taken to creating film soundtracks, and focusing on his own music. He wrote and recorded the soundtrack for the film 'Holy Rollers', which gathered a lot of press, including a feature at This American Life, as well as segments on The Colbert Report, Huffington Post, NY Times, etc.

Discography

Full Length Albums

• The Hot Stuff (2001, Northern Records)
• The Last Temptation of Frank Lenz (2003, Independent)
• Conquest Slaughter (2004, Velvet Blue Music)
• VileLenz & Thieves (2006, Hidden Agenda/Parasol Records)
• Strictly Background : Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2009, Velvet Blue Music)
• Holy Rollers : Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2012, Velvet Blue Music)
• Water Tiger (2013, Velvet Blue Music)

EPs

• Vacation (2012, Velvet Blue Music)

Singles

• Brothers Who Are Breathing (2005, ABC DOCUMENTATION)
• Summer's Coming Soon (2014, Velvet Blue Music)

Bands

• Fold Zandura
• Lassie Foundation, The
• Starflyer 59
• Pony Express
• Headphones
• Shepherd (with Ronnie Martin of Joy Electric)
• Mortal
• Cush
• Charity Empressa

Album contributions

• Calico Sunset - Deep, Deep Paranoia
• Calicoes, The - Custom Acceleration
• Jared Colinger - Favourite Hallucination EP
• Cooper, Amy - Mirrors
• Charity Empressa - Charity Empressa, The Skin of Whippets
• CUSH - Cush/New Sound, Cush EP
• Daniel Amos - Mr. Buechner's Dream (additional keyboards & percussion)
• Duraluxe - The Suitcase
• Everett, Wayne - KingsQueens
• Fold Zandura - Re:turn, Ultraforever
• Headphones - Headphones (drums)
• Kat Jones - Building EP, La Rosa, La Calavera
• Lassie Foundation, The - Pacifico, El Dorado (engineer), I Duel Sioux And The Ale Of Saturn
• Lewis, Crystal - Holy, Holy, Holy, More
• MAP - Secrets By the Highway, Think Like an Owner
• Max, Kevin - The Imposter
• Nelson, Holly - Leaving the Yard
• O.C. Supertones - Chase the Sun(drums),Loud and Clear (drums)
• Plankeye - Relocation
• Pony Express - Becoming What You Hate, Fraud EP, "Odd Balls"
• Roper - Brace Yourself for the Mediocre (drums)
• Shepherd - Committing To Tape (drums)
• Starflyer 59 - Leave Here a Stranger (additionals), Old (drums, bg vocals), I Am the Portuguese Blues (drums), The Last Laurel (drum kit), Talking Voice vs. Singing Voice (drum kit, string arrangements)
• Swift, Richard - Walking Without Effort, The Novelist
• The Weepies - Hideaway, Be My Thrill
• The Dingees - Sundown to Midnight and The Crucial Conspiracy

External links

• [1] Velvet Blue Music
• [2] - Velvet Blue Music Press Page on Frank
• The Cosmic Door - Frank Lenz interview (2006)
• Decemberhotel - Frank Lenz interview (2005)
• Somewhere Cold - Frank Lenz interview (2003)
• MySpace: Frank Lenz, accessed 12 October 2006
• Frank Lenz discography at MusicBrainz