The Franklin Electric
Something like a feeling that life is about the now, not tomorrow. In 2011 Jon Matte loses a close friend. The initial shock brings forth some kind of vertigo where he would now have to take risks, play the game, dare to use that vulnerability and concede a part of his pride while writing songs. Even though Jon studied in music, learnt his way around production studios, played in metro stations and accompanied many artists, the urgency never had him in a stranglehold. Music now felt like a sense of duty: “I played for a long time with this friend. For me, music was intimately connected to him. He would constantly tell me that I had all the tools and skillset necessary to launch my career. His death gave me the courage to follow my dreams. Suddenly, it wasn’t something that I would eventually do some day. Writing songs was something I was doing daily.”
The Franklin Electric is formed and in 2012 go on to win a Nashville songwriting competition for the song "Old Piano", amongst 8000 participating bands from around the world. Jon Matte then invites a number of friends and musicians in studio to create, brick by brick, his first album. A simple desire governs these first improvised sessions, to build songs of regret and hope that has the same emotional impact on listeners that it has on him. "This Is How I Let You Down" first appeared independently before being re-launched in May 2014 through the label Indica Records (Half Moon Run, Phantogram) and following some initial adjustments, The Franklin Electric settles on a core of musicians which includes Jon Matte, Martin Desrosby, Kevin Warren and Ken Pressé.