Fat Frances is the alter ego of multi-instrumentalist, Rory Johnson. Born and bred in Todmorden, Rory is in many ways the epitome of his regional roots: creative, free-thinking and prolific.
Rory has been busy making music since the late noughties, forging his way in a bunch of bands, most notably Attic Dogs, before branching out on his own. Or almost on his own. His drummer and cousin from those early days, Jason Walters, remains very much a part of the Fat Frances set-up, particularly the live show. (Rory also has plans to bolster the line-up further in the future with the recruitment of a bassist on the cards.)
It was during lockdown that Rory really accelerated his output under the ‘Fat Frances’ monicker. Left somewhat frustrated by many of the recordings he’d made with others, Rory took it upon himself to build a home studio.
The learning curve was steep but also rewarding. As well as a clutch of EPs and single tracks, Rory has released three albums in quick succession: Breakfast For Losers and Black Broth in 2021 and Oyster in 2023. The latter is a warmly melodious collection of lo-fi narratives, drawing on influences as far ranging as the bluesy rock of The White Stripes and DIY ethos of Fugazi, alongside the nostalgic pop-rock of 60s bands like The Animals and modern-day ambient folk acts, Angel Olsen and Andy Shauf.
Rory: “Starting out, I just wanted to be The White Stripes, basically. And it just kind of went from there. After a while, I moved to a more keys-led sound.”
Most recently, at the start of 2024, Rory worked with Gordon Raphael, producer of The Strokes’ first two albums. The resulting single, It’s Not Rock’n’Roll, is a swaggering gem that quite possibly indicates another style shift for the ever-restless, highly talented Rory Johnson.
Support the artist
Listen to tracks on bandcamp and follow Fat Frances on Instagram.