Does this man never rest? Frank Turner has released ‘The Graveyard Of The Outcast Dead’, the latest new track to arrive from his forthcoming eighth album, ‘No Man's Land’ which, is out on 16th August via Xtra Mile Recordings/Polydor Records.
The album is produced by Catherine Marks and featuring an all-female cast of musicians. The new song is released alongside the third episode in Frank’s 13 part podcast series, ‘Tales From No Man’s Land’.
There also follows a 9 date UK headline tour - including two dates at London’s Alexandra Palace Theatre on 30th November and 3rd December, 2019. The tour will see Frank put a new twist on his formidable live set up, featuring a solo set followed by an unplugged band performance in seated venues.
‘No Man’s Land’ is dedicated to the vital stories of women from history whose lives have all too often been overlooked by dint of their gender. This week, ‘The Graveyard Of The Outcast Dead’ & its attendant podcast episode honour those buried in Southwark’s Cross Bones Graveyard, the final resting place of those marginalised from society, predominantly women who had worked in the area’s brothels during the medieval period. At the end of their typically short, unbearable lives, these women had been buried in unconsecrated ground in a mass grave. Their remains were later rediscovered in the 19th century, and finally in the late 20th century, the site was restored into a memorial garden in recognition of the ‘outcast dead’.
The women featured on ‘No Man’s Land’ come from across wide geographical and historical lines. They also include Byzantine princess Kassiani (The Hymn of Kassiani), Egyptian feminist activist Huda Sha'arawi (The Lioness), and Resusci Anne (Rescue Annie) an apocryphal drowned virgin whose face was used as the model for the medical CPR mannequin across the world. There’s the serial killer from the Deep South who plucked her victims from lonely hearts pages (Nannie Doss), the jazz-obsessed heiress who fought for the Free French (Nica Rothschild) and a rowdy coach house landlady from 17th century Camden Town accused of witchcraft (Jinny Bingham).
“It’s bringing together my two main interests in life, which have always been separate from each other - history and songwriting,” explains Frank, who can be found seeking out long-forgotten historical sites on self-guided psychogeographical strolls when he’s not packing out arenas or headlining festivals.
The ‘Tales From No Man’s Land’ podcast is available from Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Acast and all other podcast platforms.
UK HEADLINE TOUR
22 November DUMFERMLINE Alhambra Theatre
24 November CARDIFF St David’s Hall
25 November SOUTHAMPTON O2 Guildhall
26 November MANCHESTER Opera House
27 November NEWCASTLE O2 City Hall
29 November BEXHILL De La Warr Pavilion
30 November LONDON Alexandra Palace Theatre
1 December BIRMINGHAM Symphony Hall
3 December LONDON Alexandra Palace Theatre
Frank Turner will also be performing in the UK throughout the summer:
AUGUST
3rd Wickham Festival, Fareham
4th Tunes in the Castle, Exeter
9th Cropredy Festival, Cropredy
22nd Cottingham Folk Festival (Solo Show)
25th Greenbelt Festival, Kettering
