The Frantic Interview

They May Be Young, but are They Chicago's Next Big Thing?

With a foundation cemented in straight up punk and a shell accented with catchy hooks and just enough mainstream flair, The Frantic are sure to be another Chicago-spawned phenomenon. It probably doesn’t hurt that The Frantic have one heck of a marketing push, even a pull out poster in a national music magazine. That should tell us something from the start; people believe in these guys. And why not Vocalist Kyle Dee, guitarist Ian Farnesi, bassist Chris Farnesi and drummer Brett Hartwell have been jamming together since age 9. As of today, two of them aren’t old enough to legally buy cigarettes and none of them can order alcohol in the venues they rock out at. Dee cites their age as one of the band’s biggest hurdles, “Sometimes people don’t take us seriously, especially in the bars or clubs we play in.”

The Frantic story begins at a basement party during their eighth-grade year. Already long time friends, they were just jamming when Hartwell sat behind the drum kit on a whim. “He [is] an incredible drummer,” boasts Dee. From there they knew something special had ignited.

As time went on The Frantic landed an opening slot for the Riverboat Gamblers at the Beat Kitchen in Chicago. According to Dee, a producer known as Murdock (Avenged Sevenfold, Eighteen Visions, Godsmack) was there watching RBG and happened to catch wind of the hell-raising kids in The Frantic. Murdock approached the band and said he wanted to work with them. “Murdock had contact with Kevin Lyman,” explains Dee, “And helped get us three days on Warped Tour.”

The band went into the studio and had an album completed in just three weeks. “We’re thankful to have [Murdock], we’re proud of our record,” says Dee. “It was written over the years of us being punk kids.” Even the track entitled “Heifer” made it on Audio & Murder. It was a song Dee wrote in eighth grade about an overweight girl who used to make fun of him. It’s a typical adolescent lashing out, that Dee says he regrets writing because the two of them have since become friends. “Murdock liked it and made us put it on there,” says Dee.

After shopping for labels to release Audio & Murder, The Frantic finally penned a deal with Sinister Muse Records. “Finding the right label was tough, but it’s a great relationship,” says Dee. “It’s not about the money. They love what The Frantic are doing.”

Dee says that the band’s message is best conveyed live, rather than through the CD. “It’s high energy, we get the crowd into it and interact with our fans,” explains Dee. Luckily for us The Frantic plan on doing nothing but touring for at least the next year. They will be playing alongside bands like Bad Brains and The Casualties at Riot Fest in Chicago in mid November, have appearances slated for South by Southwest Music Festival in March and hope to get on a large national tour soon. “Our short term goals are to see the country, make friends and eventually make another record,” says Dee with excitement.

It’s quite obvious that The Frantic want to live the rock and roll life and will work hard to ensure it happens. “We all have backup plans for college,” explains Dee. “But we plan to tour full time and get as much success, [without] having to get a real job.”

Ultimately, time will determine the fate of The Frantic, but for now they are on the right track. They have surrounded themselves with the right people and come out swinging with an addictive punk-fueled record that flutters with enough pop sensibilities to make people want to listen. Look out world, The Frantic are for real.

By: Adam K. Zakroczymski III - Senior Editor / Founder

Photos: Tori Lynn Photography

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