Frank Page #2

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you just come a-knocking.

Come on, chop chop.

- That's alpine cedar... nice.

- Don!

- Yeah?

- How long are we staying here?

Just as long as it takes

to record the album, Jon.

"Vetno, Ireland.

After several days of what

Frank calls 'fieldwork, '

rehearsals proper

have begun."

"I'm settling in to my new life

and gradually getting to know

my fellow band members."

Wow, this is beautiful.

What do you call it?

Stay away from

my f***ing theremin.

"A few teething problems,

as you would expect.

- But beginning to feel like one of the gang."

- Hey.

Mm-hmm.

"At vetno, there's already

a palpable sense

of free expression,

and I can't wait to dive

into the creative maelstrom."

Okay, everybody, next time

round go to "G" minor,

okay?

One two three four!

F***ing major, major!

"But of course,

I shall have to earn

my place in the band."

- Whoo whoo!

- "At the heart of it all

is Frank."

"How to describe Frank?

Mostly he seems friendly,

though sometimes

a little intense."

- Stop!

- It will be worth it!

"He can hide himself away

for days at a time.

What goes on

inside that head..."

- Jackpot!

- "...Inside that head?"

Yes!

It's like an aviary.

Your birds rock.

You're a cormorant.

Nana...

Moorhen.

Clara, the owl...

Night hunter, silent killer.

What have we got here?

Lay an egg for me,

little ginger bird.

Lay an egg!

"Frank says he must push us

- to our furthest corners..."

- Lay an egg with me.

"...and unlock the great music

that hides there."

- Get down there. Squat!

- Uh...

- Er, okay.

- Go on, lay an egg.

Get that egg out.

Squeeze that egg out.

"It can feel a little

overwhelming at times."

It has no business in there.

"But all in all, I am happy

to be a part of this."

"Just happy."

- I don't wanna be me!

- Go back inside!

- I don't wanna be me!

- Please, come with me back.

- Come on.

- Frank, just let me go!

- Please, don!

- I don't wanna live!

Don't let him get to the lake!

- Uh...

- Don't let him get to the lake!

- I'm free, I'm free!

- Please, don!

I'm free!

Wait wait, don.

- Oh.

- Don, don't get up.

I don't wanna be me.

Did he tell you

about the mannequins?

Yeah.

I met one once.

Caroline Cuntley.

- I'm Frank.

- I'm Jon.

Does he still...?

No.

He has relationships

with real women now.

But it's hard, you know.

He has to convince them

to lie completely still,

so, you know.

Hey, don't tell don I...

I said anything.

- No.

- He might think it a shameful secret.

I say tell everyone everything.

Why cover anything up?

Right?

Can I ask you something?

Sure.

Why do you wear that?

You think it's weird?

- Kinda.

- Normal faces are weird too,

you know,

the way they're smooth,

smooth, smooth...

And then blech!

You know?

All bumpy and holes.

I mean, what are eyes like?

It's like

a science-fiction movie.

Don't get me started on lips.

- Like the edges of a very serious wound.

- That's true!

But your head is still

sort of intimidating.

Well, underneath I'm giving

you a welcoming smile.

Would it help if I said my

facial expressions out loud?

Well, maybe.

Welcoming smile.

Frank?

You've been up all night talking

to the keyboard player?

I'm not just a keyboard player.

I write songs too. You

write your own songs?

Mm-hmm.

I'd love to play some

for you sometime.

I'd really like that.

Big non-threatening grin.

- Delighted look.

- Here, play one now.

- You're funny.

- Play one now.

- Excellent.

- Um, not... not right now.

- Okay?

- No no.

- I'd love to hear one of your songs.

- I would too.

- Go on.

- I... I don't think so, guys.

Please!

Hey, guys, Jon...

He writes his own music.

He's gonna play

some music for us.

I...

Come on.

- Clara.

- Share your music with us, Jon.

- Um...

- Play something!

Okay.

But I haven't

warmed up my hands.

Um, okay, um...

That's just... that's

a warm-up.

Um...

I've got one...

I've got one that's like...

I was walking down

the street one day

Thinking about

the lady I love

When a guy comes down

And says,

"what do you do?"

No, that's not... I haven't

finished that one.

I've got a kind of a rocky one.

LA-LA...

Lady in the red coat,

what you doing with that bag?

I've only... f***, you know when

you've just got so many songs

and then just none of them'll

f***ing come out?

Oh no, I've got one.

I've got one.

There's one which is like, um...

That's yours.

Don!

Hey, buddy.

- Oh, man.

- How are you feeling?

Better.

He's gonna need a chiropractor.

You bummed out?

- Little bit.

- Why?

I don't think I've ever

been able to find my...

Core song-writing themes.

- You know?

- You can write a song about anything.

- Yeah?

- Yeah.

Hey. Like your socks here.

They're pretty original.

Hey, look at this.

This little tuft in the carpet.

I wonder how old he is

in carpet years?

Is it spring? Mmm.

He's the first to wake?

Or... is he old,

but still strong enough

to keep what winter

wants to take?

Lone standing tuft

Defies the foot

Is it luck that

you're still standing?

You've not been

flattened, too

Do you tremble beneath

the gentle breeze

That's displaced

by my shoe?

Lone standing tuft.

- It's silly.

- Frank.

That's amazing.

Flattered grin, followed

by a bashful half-smile.

No, people should

know about you.

You should be famous.

You understand.

- I understand what?

- Understand that there are

people out there

that might like our music.

Sometimes I think Clara

doesn't care if people

like us or not.

- Really?

- It's weird.

It's really weird.

- What is this?

- Potato.

And what is this?

Stew.

You should go home.

Frank picked me, okay?

So it's not up to you.

- Excuse me?

- He said I was cherishable,

and he picked me

to join the band.

You are fingers being told

which keys to push.

- I push my own keys.

- 10 little bits

of bone and skin.

And I'm perfectly capable

of going to my furthest corners

and composing music.

- Your furthest corners?

- My furthest corners.

Someone needs to punch you

in the face.

Lips pursed together

as if to say

"enough frivolity."

Today...

We begin work

on the album in earnest.

"Frank wants us to start

- everything from scratch."

- Note the color-coding.

"He's created an entirely

new musical notation system."

...the entire universe,

like tiny little galaxies...

"We've designed

our own instruments."

"He has initiated

a strict regime

of physical exercise."

Oh, for f***'s sake!

"Fortunately, we have

a safe word for when

- things get too intense."

- Chinchilla, chinchilla!

"Chinchilla."

Chinchilla, chinchilla!

"It's incredible.

Frank finds inspiration

in everything."

- I find this inspiring.

- "How does he do this?

If I'm to grow as an artist,

I must see as he sees."

We could make an entire album

out of this one sound.

"I dedicate myself

to learning his secret

and I will not let anybody

get in my way,

however desperately

they may try."

Somebody's thinking in the

key of "C." Oh, it's me!

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