Frognot leaving mark in music
by Carl Hoover
Tribune-Herald entertainment Editor
As the Web page for the Dallas alternative rock band Frognot informs the reader, all that's left of Frognot, Texas, is a weathered metal sign.
Frognot, the band, on the other hand, is marking a trail through the thicket of Dallas rock that's becoming easier and easier to follow.
Formed in 1996 from former Denton and Dallas bands by co-founders April Samuels and Dennis Leonard, Frognot has captured the ear of Dallas club-goers with a fresh rock sound that's accented by such curious instrumental touches as a conga drum and violin.
It's a product, says band guitarist Kenneth Allen, of members' collective creativity. "We all do piece it together," he said in a recent phone interview.
But, less stated, it's also a product of the band's trained musicality, with drummer Samuels and her brother Todd, the band's bassist, boasting music degrees from the University of North Texas. Rounding out the group is Leonard, a jack-of-all-trades on guitar, congas and violin.
The band recently released its first CD, the 11-song Welcome to Frognot, which has won favorable reviews and airplay across the state. Almost as gratifying is the fact that the band's take at the door has paid off the loan the group took out to produce the CD.
Welcome to Frognot is the calling card in Frognot's strategy to expand its audiences from its Dallas base to beyond. With gigs like tonight's show in Waco at Scruffy Murphy's, Frognot hopes that what has impressed the Dallas band scene will work in smaller cities across the state.
"Our plan is trying to get a good fan base regionally," explained April, who handles much of the band's booking and business details. "It's been going pretty well."
Within a year, members hope to achieve their next goal, signing with an independent record label. Until then, it's a matter of introducing new fans to their sound.
Samuels characterizes the band's live performance as "more of a dancing, lively, fun show," regardless of whether the audience is a familiar one or a newcomer to the Frognot experience. "Everything seems to turn out like when we've played everywhere else," Allen said.
Any surprises so far for the band? The sister-brother spats between Samuels and Todd, said Allen. "There's a lot of bickering," he said. "They're like an old married couple."
Samuels adds her two cents, "Now I think they laugh it off."