The story so far could be an ancient myth passed down around moonlit campfires—or an acid-washed, psychedelic adaptation of The Jungle Book. A Brooklyn-born boy spends summers in a Greek village of less than 100 gypsies, develops respect for wild beasts, learns to survive by pickpocketing and fending for himself, listens to mandolin under the stars, and even chases a live white cobra through the village (earning the nickname “Gypsy Cobra” from his grandmother). Globetrotting over the years, he goes on to tattoo professionally and musically alchemize post-punk, electronic dance music, and alternative into a sound that’s as fascinating as his journey. This is Frankie Viral.
Under the influence of The Cure, Depeche Mode, and Siouxsie and the Banshees, Frankie fronted various local bands from South Florida to Los Angeles, sharing the stage with everyone from The Smashing Pumpkins and The Roots to Misfits and Iggy Pop in the process. He picked up tattooing. Adventures followed in Indonesia, the jungles of Barbados, and on the waves surfing in Mexico. Along the way, he serendipitously met mega-producer Bob Marlette [Black Sabbath, Rob Zombie], and the two started to collaborate in 2020. Frankie holed up in his famous Blue Room Studios in Southern California. They shocked a signature sound to life as he wrote 25 songs for what would become FRANKIE VIRAL: The Gypsy Cobra for his own label imprint GYPSY COBRA.
The iconoclastic sonic insurgent introduces himself with the single “You. Frankie explains: “Everyone has a “YOU” in some form…The shapeshifting Angel or Devil Messiah that decides to enlighten, or haunt your energy in life. Who is the YOU in your existence?” “You” is more like a gust. Dreamy synths wrap around the heavenly piano as the beat simmers in the background. A rapturous hook uplifted by his deep drone rings out over a wave of distorted guitar, hinting at the scope of his sound. “It’s a love song,” he observes. “I was tripping on the fact how only a few times in your life someone comes along who wants absolutely nothing from you, but your friendship, your time, or your love.
Some people unfortunately never experience it ever. I can only count a few times where I’ve had that in my life. So, I wanted to write a song about it.”
In the end, the legend of Frankie Viral is just beginning to unfold with more to come, but it’s bound to be unfuckingforgettable…
Look out for his forthcoming debut album, FRANKIE VIRAL: The Gypsy Cobra, dropping in 2022.