Peter Frampton had a monster hit with his 1976 album, “Frampton Comes Alive!” PHOTO BY MICHAEL ZAGARIS BY PHOTO A Frampton Family Affair Peter Frampton and son Julian show us the way. BY MELONIE MAGRUDER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEY CARMAN hat do you do when you’re known for record- “Acoustic Classics,” and the 40 years between this effort and his ing the (at one point) best-selling album of 1976 monster hit, “Frampton Comes Alive!” seems to sit easily. all time, for playing with the most respected In this new venture, perennial favorites like “Do You Feel Like musicians on the planet, for having a poster of We Do,” “Lines On My Face” and “Sail Away” are reheard with your face plastered on millions of teenage girls’ an intimacy so immediate, it sounds like you invited Frampton Wwalls across the nation and for a decades-long history of sold- and a couple of his friends to play for you in your living room. out tours with audiences bopping to your signature hit electro- Frampton’s only obstacle to producing another hit album might rock riffs from 40 years ago? have been in deciding which songs out of his long, historical You strip it all down and record an acoustic album. canon he should include. Peter Frampton has been touring to promote his 18th album, “We decided it should just be things I personally wanted,” FALL 2016 | 39 Julian Frampton, who is on tour with his dad, Peter, said playing guitar is “part of his DNA.” Frampton told MTM. “Obviously, you want the most popular songs, but maybe something that hasn’t been heard in awhile.” His rich vocals have not lost a whisper of a note. “Acoustic Classics” is like running into an old flame at a coffee shop and discovering that his radical old student ideas have matured into thoughtful and positive philosophy. rampton grew up in the Bromley borough of London Fand started his life in music at the age of seven when he discovered a banjolele (a hybrid banjo and ukulele) in his grandmother’s attic. Early influences were “a whole bunch of rock-‘n’-rollers” like Buddy Holly and Elvis. By the time he was 12, he was playing guitar in a band and opening for a group led by another of his hometown class- mates, David Bowie. An early band was managed by Rolling Stones’ bassist Bill Wyman, and by the time he started playing with the band Humble Pie, he was a kid star. His guitar virtuosity at this point led him into session recordings with the likes of Harry Nilsson, Jerry Lee Lewis and George Harrison. In 1972, Frampton released his own debut album, helped out by guest artists Ringo Starr and Billy Preston. His first few solo albums saw a certain amount of success; but then came 1976’s “Frampton Comes Alive!” that jumped to the top of the charts and sold its way through six times certified platinum. Frampton’s sexy Scavullo portrait graced the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in 1976 and he was a certified teen idol. But the success came with a caveat. “‘Frampton Comes Alive!’ was a double-edged sword,” Frampton said. “The teeny-boppers took over and the musician was forgotten.” Frampton yearned to return to his origi- nal artistry. He reestablished his guitarist cred when Bowie asked him to play on his Glass Spider Tour, which Bowie began in 1987. Then, in 2006, Frampton won a Grammy for best pop instrumental album with “Fingerprints.” “It was the thrill of a lifetime,” Frampton said. “To me, it was like my peers were saying, ‘We know.’ It was a great moment for me.” Of course, with the advent of MP3s, YouTube and internet streaming, the VENUE: THOUSAND OAKS CIVIC ARTS PLAZA AND THE music business has changed dramati- FRED KAVLI THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, THOUSAND OAKS, CALIF.; CIVICARTSPLAZA.COM cally. He looks back on his early success as WITH VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO: if it were pre-Industrial. KAREN “RODSKEE” CARMAN AT JOEY CARMAN PHOTOGRAPHY AND CAMI OPERE AT SACKS & CO “There is no music business like [it was] before anymore,” Frampton said. “In order for an artist to make 40 | MALIBU TIMES MAGAZINE | #MALIBUTIMESMAG “It was a thrill of a lifetime. To me, it was like my peers were saying, ‘We know.’ It was a great moment for me,” Frampton said of winning a Grammy in 2006. Frampton and son, Julian, played at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, where MTM had exclusive access. Frampton, who was playing guitar at age 12 with David Bowie, is on tour for his 18th album, “Acoustic Classics,” complete with the favorites of “Baby I Love Your Way” and “Show Me the Way.” the same amount of money as back then, you have to generate hough Julian was given a guitar by his dad early on, he said 180 million streams just to equal the sale of one song.” Tit didn’t really take. The challenge of following in such big However, Frampton has continued to tour, including his footsteps was more than a little intimidating and he leaned recent tour to launch “Acoustic Classics,” with son Julian toward drums as being “the coolest thing ever.” He dabbled in opening for him. multiple instruments, and even experimented with musical “Julian wrote songs with me since he was little and we’ve theater. But guitar was part of his DNA and once he got to been playing together since 2010,” Frampton said. “The idea college, he decided he wanted to concentrate on song writing. to go on tour was my manager’s. He found one of Julian’s demo “I wrote my first song on a vomit bag on a plane back to LA,” tracks and thought it was great.” he said. Though Frampton “never thought in a million years” that Frampton will head out on another leg of the “Acoustic he would be touring with his son, it was a successful venture Classics” tour in the fall (he toured with Greg Allman’s band last spring, with sold-out houses of audiences vibing on what he over summer). Julian is looking forward to another extended characterized as pretty long shows, with “storytelling unpacked.” tutorial because, as he said, “Dad has so many great stories.” For his part, Julian described the experience of opening for “My manager thought it should be a family affair,” Frampton his father as a dream come true. said with pride. n “It was great playing in an acoustic setting,” Julian said. “It really reels you in. The best take-away of the whole experience Instagram: @mrpeterframpton, @julianframpton; is that it’s on-the-job training. You can play in your room all day Twitter: @peterframpton, @julianframpton; but it doesn’t compare to having an audience.” Facebook: @PeterFrampton, @JulianFramptonMusic FALL 2016 | 41 .