In 1997, I moved in to a house with a man named Frank Tate. You may recognize his name as belonging to the man who founded and ran 5 Minute Walk records (FIF, The W’s, Dimestore Prophets, Black Eyed Sceva, Model Engine etc…). I lived with Frank for roughly eighteen months and, during that time, two significant things happened:
1. I, along with some overanxious and Craigslist-unaware friends, accidentally sold his armoire.
2. With Frank’s guidance, I began a career in the arts.
Similarly, two significant things have happened since 2002 when Frank left his position as founder / president of 5MW Records and I broke out independently:
1. He and I have become good friends.
2. Frank started a pizza joint.
On July 10th, all of that history collides in one of the fullest full-circle moments in the history of both fullness and circles. Next Friday, at Super Frank’s (the name of Frank’s pizza place) I will play songs and tell stories from over the past 16 years; a stretch of time that would not have been possible without Frank Tate and 5MW records.
There are places we get to in life that we only get to if we travel together; if we give to and receive from one another in equal parts humility and generosity. I don’t get a career in the arts without Frank and I simply have to believe that the sheer volume of pizza boxes my roommates and I left on the dining room counter factored in the development of Frank’s restaurant vision.