Andy Franks had a short musical career as a bass guitarist, playing for a couple of years whilst slogging around the German military bases in the early ’70s. He had his 15 mins with the band The Wild Beasts – who achieved Bristol legendary status in the late 70’s early 80’s and also getting one of their singles championed on the John Peel show. Shortly after that, in 1981, he moved off the main stage, becoming a monitor engineer with a company from Bristol – Showtec.

He has worked his way through every backstage role in the live music industry, from monitor engineer, stage manager, production manager, production director, tour manager and tour director, working for over 17 years with Depeche Mode alone. Andy worked for seven years each with Coldplay and Robbie Williams. More recently he has worked with the likes of the Rolling Stones, Madness, New Kids on the Block, Leona Lewis, The Stone Roses and Roger Waters.

He was Tour Manager for the three nights of Robbie Williams Knebworth Concerts with 135,000 people attending per night (the biggest shows in UK history) and also the 150,000 people who saw Robbie play in one night in Phoenix Park, Dublin. Another record.

He has travelled to over 60 countries around the world and lived at the top end of the music business with a life of 5-star luxury and private planes – a long way from travelling around in those early days, driving the truck and loading in and out the PA system.

He is a multi-award-winning Tour Manager, having won “Tour Manager of the Year” no less than four times at the TPI awards, and also “Plumber of the Year” at the prestigious ILMC Arthur Awards on three occasions. In 2024 he was delighted to win the 'People's Champion' award at the Arthurs for this work with Music Support, sharing his accolade with the wider charity team.

In 2016, he helped found Music Support, with three other music industry stalwarts. The charity has grown into the success it is today and helped hundreds of people from all over the music industry get help and support for addiction and mental health issues.

Franksy currently says he is slowing down his workload, but runs the artist liaison operation at Hyde Park every year for the AEG British Summertime shows with the likes of the Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Taylor Swift, Neil Young, The Libertines, Tom Jones, Black Sabbath, Paul Weller, Elvis Costello, Motorhead, Lionel Richie, The Who, Stevie Wonder, Massive Attack, Mumford & Sons, Carol King and Take That, to name a few, but also many many more of the World’s top artists.

He currently lives in Brighton and has two grown-up daughters and a small angry terrier.

Listen to Franksy's inspirational interview with Dave 'Sober Dave' Wilson for his acclaimed One for the Road podcast here.