#ArtistAtHome is a series of portraits and profiles of local artists by Christopher Edmonstone. Read all about it and see the archive HERE.
I was glad to get together with Clayton Frank from Head of the Herd for this #ArtistAtHome session. I have photographed his band performing live a few times and they are really energetic performers as anyone who has seen their show can attest to.
His story is somewhat unique in that he was a relative latecomer to music, with Head of the Herd being the first band he ever played in. With their second album By This Time Tomorrow, Clayton and the band found national success. The title track was used by the NHL & Hockey Night in Canada for a playoff montage, and it also hit #1 on the national rock charts. The singles that followed, "Ain't My Day" & "We Could Get Together" both went Top 20 nationally, and the latter was used several times during the 2014 NHL playoffs. In 2014 they won a Canadian Radio Music Award for Best New Rock Group. Their blues-influenced alternative rock sound found them touring with the likes of Guns n' Roses, Alice in Chains, Theory of a Deadman and more.
Clayton Frank rocking on the couch.
During my visit we talked about his musical influences and his recent woodworking masterpieces. Clayton is a carpenter by trade, and had just completed crafting some fine cabinets and a table for his apartment. Interestingly, the wood he had used had been salvaged from his girlfriend's parents property on Vancouver Island, and while being stored was actually stolen and later recovered by the RCMP and returned. The history of the wood imbues the pieces with a little extra character.
Clayton is a gracious host, and we washed down a few glasses of Jameson Whiskey between the storytelling and photo taking. Since our meet up, The Head of the Herd released their third album Birds On A Roof, which was recorded in southern Georgia, USA, the UK and here in Vancouver. As happens sometimes though the band has sadly decided to stop making music. Over social media they thanked their fans for their support and closed with the message ''Play it loud and it's like we haven't gone anywhere."
Many thanks to Clayton for having me over.
