Five Firsts: Frank Novko of Knyghts of Fuzz, Big Frank & the Bargain Bingers

NAME: Frank Novko
BAND AFFILIATION: Big Frank & the Bargain Bingers, Knyghts of Fuzz
INSTRUMENT: Four-string bass, some guitar and various other string instruments

1. THE FIRST ALBUM I EVER BOUGHT WAS … I was given Johnny Cash’s “I Walk the Line” on 45 when I was about six years old. When I had some money from my first job at 14, I picked up three – “Led Zepplin IV,” the Who’s “Who Are You” and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “One More From the Road,” the live album.

2. THE FIRST CONCERT THAT I EVER SAW WAS … Foreigner @ SPAC, the Head Games tour

3. THE FIRST MUSICAL INSTRUMENT I EVER OWNED OR PLAYED WAS … a six-string acoustic no-name. A teacher in school would show us some bluegrass and folk tunes.

4. THE FIRST SONG THAT I EVER PERFORMED IN PUBLIC WAS … It was probably some bad Hendrix cover at a house party – without vocals, as none of us sang at the time.

5. THE FIRST BAND I WAS EVER IN WAS … The name escapes me; too many bands over the years. It was some friends from high school. I had just started playing bass in my senior year. As mentioned above, none of us sang, so it was all instrumental. We even skipped the yodeling part while playing “Hocus Pocus”… by Focus.

Big Frank Novko straps on his bass once again as the Knyghts of Fuzz crank it up for their regular Happy Hour in the Garage show at Valentine’s Music Hall in Albany at 6pm on Friday (September 2). Artie Fredette – formerly of the infamous Lawn Sausages – will join them as this month’s special guest vocalist. Admission is $3.