Several years back on the old blog I wrote about my first experience listening to Joe Frank.
Joe, like millions of others who never met him, I feel like I can call him "Joe" died this morning after continuing and compounding health issues.
We are fortunate that he created the work he did, and we can revisit his singular voice anytime through www.joefrank.com
More still, his impact on radio broadcasting played no small part in the tone of the podcast boom where personal narrative and exploratory fiction have become dominant forms.
His work was famously "borrowed" to form the basis of Martin Scorsese's "After Hours". Other than a few bit parts and cameos, it's a disappointment that his involvement in cinema will largely be remember for that film he "didn't write".
The great Chel White made a few pieces with Joe's scripts, including "Magda".
I've never really understood when musicians or artists say they're "influenced" by another's work. What does that mean? How does it look? What are the results?
With Joe, I think I get it. His approach to form, to narrative, and most of all to emotional honesty is truly something I think about almost constantly in work we do. I've never met him, but he's been between my ears. There's probably no other artist who "influenced" me greater.
Here's a thing that is almost embarrassingly close to showing that influence.