Buddy Franklin: He’s Doing It His Way

J. P. Hunter Savannah News-Press, Sunday, July 31, 1983

So you think you’d like to be in a rock ‘n’ roll band?  Many of us entertain fantasies from time to time of just quitting it all – risking everything – to seek fame and fortune.  But the number who actually go for it is small in comparison to the number who about taking such a plunge.  I met somebody this week who is serious about making his dream come true and he’s doing it his own way.

Most musicians who start their own bands begin by rounding up other band members.  That seems only logical.  They get together and start learning their material – either their own songs, or if they’re a copy band, the songs that other groups have made popular.  When they feel confident and comfortable with their presentation, they start playing in clubs. 

They may play clubs forever or they may even get on a club circuit and do some traveling.  If things work out, they’re able to get some studio time to record some of their material.  And if things really go well, the right person will hear their presentation and they’ll wind up with a recording contract. 

Mind you, this is a vast oversimplification.  Some bands never make it out of the garage they’re practicing in.  Others play the small clubs forever and never get lucky at all. 

So when I meet someone who knows all this, yet still believes enough in himself and his abilities to take a chance, I can’t help but be impressed. 

Buddy Franklin is such a character.  Here’s a guy with a degree in mechanical engineering who has given up a good job and steady salary because he’d rather pursue something he feels would make him happier.  Buddy has started his own band, and not in the usual fashion.

Because he had been in other bands he had sound equipment of his own, including an eight-channel recorder.  So he fixed up a room in his house as a studio and began recording some of the songs he had written.  Using programmable drums, a synthesizer, guitar and bass, Buddy recorded his songs bit by bit until he had a good idea of the sound he wanted.  Then he started rounding up other musicians.

He had met guitarist Ken Sailer while attending Georgia Tech.  Sailer befriended bassist Phil McDonald, who in turn introduced drummer Danny Williby.  McDonald had performed as one of the later Detroit Wheels with Mitch Ryder and Williby had been a Pharoah with a past-the-prime Sam the Sham.  Franklin admits to being fed up with bands and inherent conflicts.  He gives credit to Ken Sailer for rounding up the other guys.  And so the four connected and formed “Genetic Fix”.  The others liked Buddy’s material and eagerly offered ideas to improve upon the tracks Buddy had laid down.

I’m not trying to make these guys sound like the next Fab Four.  They have just begun performing as a group onstage and they’re not the smoothest band you’ll ever see.  But they’re friendly and funny and I can imagine them quickly getting a local following.  They certainly serve as an inspiration to others who’d like to start a band from scratch.

Buddy Franklin credits Scott Alexander and Tim Coy of Night Flight – Alexander for fine-tuning the technical aspects of their sound and Coy for the good words he’s put in for the band at other clubs that might hire Genetic Fix.

The band is receiving limited air play in Atlanta for Franklin’s tune “Let’s Go To Moscow”.  That tune, like all of Genetic Fix’s material, is a very new music sound, conjuring up images of Thomas Dolby.  In fact, Franklin wore a lab coat onstage this week and looked very much the mad scientist turned rocker.

Genetic Fix has no manager.  Franklin says they’re not that big yet.  Besides, he likes being able to pull his own strings.  He’s very happy with the band for being so enthusiastic about playing his material.  And as for as being onstage and having people like his stuff, Buddy says it’s like a “dream come true”.                 

Check out these related links:

Music | The Future of the World (bandcamp.com)

I Partied at The Night Flight in Savannah | Facebook

20 Questions: Bassist Phil McDonald (savannahnow.com)

JoJa Band - Savannah Originals - History

Escrow Tomato Songs (soundcloud.com)