Frankie Miller is a Scottish legend who, over the years, has gained many an accolade but still doesn’t get the recognition he deserves. A top-notch singer, silenced as a result of brain haemorrhage in 1994, Frankie’s been happy to hear his songs delivered by such luminaries as Rod Stewart and NAZARETH, but now there are two special tributes to the man coming in in the near future.
The first one, masterminded by QUIREBOYS’ warbler Spike, Miller’s old friend, and scheduled for September release, is tltled “100% Pure Frankie Miller” and features a stellar line-up which includes, among others, Bonnie Tyler, Meat Loaf’s foil Lorraine Crosby and MOTT THE HOOPLE’s Ian Hunter on vocals, MAGNUM’s keyboardist Mark Stanway, THE ROLLING STONES’ guitarist Ronnie Wood and, for the first time in decades, the FREE rhythm section of Simon Kirke and Andy Fraser, also Frankie’s friend and co-writer. The latter three are featured, according to Andy, on four tracks: “The Brooklyn Bridge,” “Fortune,” “Cocaine” and “Always Special To Me,” although the last one is absent from the tracklisting that looks like this:
100% Pure Frankie Miller
1. The Brooklyn Bridge
2. Cocaine
3. I’m Losing You
4. Intensive Care
5. Fortune
6. Amsterdam Woman
7. Other Side Of Town
8. Cheap Hotel
9. Cold, Cold Nights
10. Did You Ever Wanna Go Home
11. Keepin’ It All For You
12. Bottle Of Whisky
Fraser says,
“Frankie Miller was like a brother to me. He was best man at my wedding, though he got totally drunk the night before at my house, and I had to carry him upstairs to bed, as usual. But he had the good humor next day to say, ‘Och Andie, de ye not think it a wee bit early to be getting married. It’s awful bright mahn…’ Typical Frankie! We had a great working and writing relationship, and along with others like Joe Walsh, Bonnie Tyler etcetera, I’ve done all we can to help since his brain aneurysm years back, which left him paralyzed except for one arm, and a couple other things. One song we wrote together is “Standing At Your Window” which I have always liked. So this album features some of rock’s greatest, in tribute to one of its best writers and singers, and as a means to assist in his ongoing recovery. My role was to add bass, and “Window” is something I put together myself to help.”
But, adds Andy Fraser, there’s another tribute project in the works where he plays on “Going Out Tonight” and “No Beginner At The Blues” that will also have a special guest, Elton John, who’s recorded, for a single, a duet with Frankie’s vocal track. No further details on this project at the moment, yet keep an eye on dmme.net, and stay in the loop.
