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Hi Franki, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?
Hi! I’m thrilled to be here with you today. I have been ab fab! Thank you for asking. I’m writing to you from the heavenly Malibu Beach Inn where I am celebrating my 45th birthday set to the backdrop of the crashing Pacific. The last six weeks, since the roll-out and drop of my first single, “Fuck It Man!” has been a surreal whirlwind. I have never felt more vibrant and excited for what’s to come.
Can you talk to us more about your latest single “Fuck It, Man!”?
FIM! is an anti-establishment, punk-pop anthem, intentionally released (11/15) on the heels of the U.S. presidential election, to gracefully underscore the last chaotic months of 2020 with a musical message of motivation to let go of people-pleasing and live life fearlessly in the face of these uncertain ‘cancel culture’ times. FIM! was born of sheer frustration, turned to freedom. A departure from my previous catalog, it’s the P.S. to the long, handwritten letter that has been my musical journey. I wrote the song originally as a self-reminder to curb my chronic seeking of validation, especially through music, and to honor my authentic artistic spirt. The FIM! philosophy is taking on a life of its own and I sincerely hope it encourages individual freedom in others.
Did any event in particular inspire you to write this song?
Yes! I wrote and produced the original demo solo, in my studio, on Logic. In the moment, I was pissed at the world because I wasn’t getting a quick enough text response from a producer regarding a pending collaboration. This frustration was an old, tired story I was sick of retelling. I cared enormously about my music and I wanted to be taken seriously. Ironically, it turns out I had been taking myself too seriously. Caught up in worrying about how others responded to me, I was obstructing my art from free flowing, and depleting my power. I opened a Logic session and decided then and there to let it out, unfiltered, not for validation, but because my soul was calling out to share my frustration, and eventual freedom; to inspire myself and (hopefully) others. I was still scared, but I was ready to face my fear, which the lyric reflects: “I don’t know if they’re gonna understand / I’m just doin’ it ‘cause fuck it man…” The track was flowing when my partner in crime, Nataraj Tribino (who has produced extensively for Nile Rodgers and was the musical director for P.M. Dawn), walked in and lost his shit over what I was creating. On impact, he heard a hit and voiced his intention to develop the song and produce the definitive track.
Nataraj works slowly and precisely when given the time. Fortunately, albeit impatiently, I didn’t enforce a deadline, but for once allowed the universe to unfold according to its plan, not mine. We went into the studio on my 44th birthday (December 19th, 2019) to record FIM!, with no clue what the f**k was coming. In January 2020, we found out Apple Inc had opposed my ‘Franki Pineapple’ trademark; so, I was being roped into a lawsuit to fight for my good name. In February, we heard the first whisperings of a global pandemic. By March we were in lockdown.
Nataraj and I are “truth seekers” (by our definition); “conspiracy theorists” (by the definition of those who are not). At first, “F**k It Man!” mainly addressed my personal yearnings to express my truth, let my metaphoric freak flag fly, and combat my chronic seeking of validation. Nataraj begged me to write a second verse so he’d have more space to develop the track musically; and to address Apple Inc’s stomping on my entrepreneurial spirit, along with the devastation of large corporations snuffing out the American Dream. Above all else, Nataraj implored me to address what we were (increasingly) perceiving as the overall overreach of government into our individual rights and God-given freedom of spirit. As the Covid-19 global pandemic hit and lockdowns were enforced, we were in the studio writing: we don’t know what is coming / we don’t know their master plan / we don’t know when this gets out of hand / we’re just living life like F**k It Man! / We don’t need their permission / We don’t need to sit or stand ….
How was the recording and writing process?
Recording with Nataraj is a dream; he is one of the people around whom I feel most artistically uninhibited. He encouraged me to take the lyric to the limit in terms of attitude and an ‘in your face’ vibe. Over months, the synth, bass, rhythm guitar and beat became less safe, more punk. I voiced hesitation repeatedly that he was “taking it too far” but he was definite and defiant—we had to hit them over the head with Franki Pineapple’s debut single. When he added the epic choral background vocals, I surrendered and allowed him to create without restraint. It was Nataraj’s arranging/composing prowess that convinced me to repeat “F**k It Man!” over and over again in the hook (hence the f-word 36 times). I was concerned I was being “unladylike.” He encouraged me to drop that fear. Fuck It Man! How many guitar solos did Nataraj turn out before settling on what is one of my favorite, badass guitar solos of all time? I lost count after twenty. The guy is incorrigible when it comes to manifesting his sonic vision.
Any plans to release any sort of video for the track?
We released a Fuck It Man! (lyric video) with the track. We are considering filming a legitimate music video, especially if the demand for it continues to build.
What role does Hollywood play in your music?
I love this question. The short answer is: Hollywood plays a lead role in my music; which often reflects themes of addiction and desire. The entertainment industry has been my biggest addiction to date; and there have been many. In fact, “F**k It Man!” is (somewhat) an ode to my addiction to seeking validation from Hollywood.
Here’s the long answer:
I was born in, and into, Hollywood. The Hollywood Sign loomed over my consciousness from my earliest memories, shaping me as an artist and a dreamer. My mom’s side of the family worked three generations deep in film and television. I graduated from Pepperdine University with a BA in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Creative Writing; and promptly landed my first job out of college as a clown performing at children’s birthday parties. I wanted to be in showbiz in the worst way. I had been writing and acting since childhood and had big dreams of stardom. I thought I was a shoo-in. My next job was that of personal assistant, working in the home of legendary film producer Mike Medavoy (Silence of The Lambs, The Godfather, Apocalypse Now) and his wife, Irena. Working for the Medavoys opened my eyes to a glittering world that had no ceiling in terms of possibility and how high one could fly in the realization of creative visions. In their world, I learned to aim high. I will never forget scrolling through their rolodex for the first time and drooling over the contacts of heavy-hitters in their network. I had big shining stars in my eyes and I was convinced Mr. Medavoy would cast me in his next blockbuster; that didn’t happen. Twenty years working as an executive assistant to myriad Hollywood types ensued, instead. I worked extensively at Paramount Pictures, Showtime, CBS, Lionsgate, Concord Music Group, DreamWorks, etc. I could go on ad nauseum about my experiences working in Hollywood, a slave to my dreams. For much of it, I was miserable, embittered, desperate to “break-out,” and, often, drunk, not just on alcohol, but on my own delusions of grandeur. Surrounded by Hollywood power players, I focused on what dreams were not coming true for me, opposed to what dreams may come. During those years, I learned on the fly how to efficiently and effectively execute what was being demanded of me at all costs. I was highly respected and requested as an assistant because I had developed this skill of “making it happen” for my bosses. It didn’t occur to me that one day I would put this skill into effect for my own business; which is what I am doing now. Furthermore, nothing inspires an artist like being surrounded by powerful creatives bringing their ideas to fruition on the big screen, the small screen, on the radio or in the arena. I wrote my first song in the music department at Paramount Pictures, where I learned tons about music in film. I wrote much of my novel, Father F*cker!, at Paramount. I developed TV pilots while I worked at Showtime, CBS and DreamWorks Television. In fact, I was working (in Hollywood) as a songwriter’s assistant, transcribing the lyrics of renowned songwriter John David Souther, when I found out I was a songwriter. JD encouraged me to put my words to music and thanked me (then Stephanie Carlisi) on his album If the World Was You for “rendering lyric clarity from chaos.” Hollywood has been an immense source of inspiration for my music and the fire that fuels it.
How would you say your background as a screenwriter influenced your writing?
Screenwriting is about paring words and story elements down to the essential, especially in television, and especially when writing dialogue. Each scene should move the story forward emotionally or plotwise, or foreshadow an unfolding plot point to come. Each word of dialogue should move the scene forward or inform the characters. I approach songwriting in a similar fashion. I interpret songs as unfolding stories. We have so few words available in a three-and-a-half-minute song to convey the overall emotional story arc. I like to create my verses as emotional set-ups for the payoff of the chorus/hook. As well, I view the song itself much like the three-act structure of a film script, just in different housing: verse, b-section, hook, post, bridge, etc. … these are the acts to my storytelling in song.
Does the new single mean we can expect a new material – how’s that coming along?
Certainly! I am always writing and creating; that part is as natural as a rushing river—it never pauses to rest. I have five more tracks recorded and ready for release now. Once I’ve let these birds out of their cages to fly, I’ll focus on recording more. In terms of collaborating with Nataraj Tribino, we are toying with the idea of developing my demo “I Wanna Get F**ked Up” to stylistically follow-up “F**k It Man!” I love the f-word.
Any tentative release date or title in mind?
My next single “Evil Love” is currently available for pre-sale and will be released January 15, 2021, along with an extended remix and a radio remix. Evil Love is a self-empowerment anthem I wrote in 2008 and finally got the opportunity to record professionally in 2019. The definitive folk-rock track echoes haunting Stevie Nicks/Fleetwood Mac vibes; produced by Chris Seefried (The Kooks, Fitz and The Tantrums, Andra Day, Lana Del Rey); mixed by Chris Lord Alge; drums by Jimmy Paxson (Stevie Nicks, Beyonce, Sheryl Crow).
Philip Larsen (Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Demi Lovato, B-52’s) remixed the song in November 2020, bridging the rock n roll tones with an EDM beat that makes me dance like a maniac. Here are (pre-sale links):
Evil Love, Evil Love (Philip Larsen remix), Evil Love (Philip Larsen radio edit)
What else is happening next in Franki Pineapple’s world?
I have been developing my novel, Father F*cker!, for 17 years. That sounds crazy, but we hear stories about scripts that bounced around the industry for a decade before finally being greenlit and becoming a hit. So much of it is about timing, right? The manuscript, hidden safely behind the guise of fiction, was inspired by my journey into the world of music, when I was twenty-seven and hired by a legendary songwriter to transcribe his lyric journals. Working with this talented artist’s words awoke the latent songwriter in me and opened a jar of butterflies. Once that jar was opened, there was no way to corral my butterfly-words back into my pen, they were flying toward the music without ever looking back. Thematically, the novel addresses love addiction and daddy issues (hence the tongue and cheek title); for which music has been my deepest healer.
As of late, I’ve been (slowly but surely) releasing my novel as an Apple Podcast, with my original songs as the soundtrack. Here is a link:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/father-f-cker/id1530879936
Thank you so much for this inspiring interview!
