Andy "Franksy" Franks

Quick Facts

Summary

Andy “Franksy” Franks is one of the most respected figures in live touring. He worked with Robbie Williams for seven years from the late 1990s to the mid 2000s, including the record breaking Knebworth concerts. A multi award winning tour manager, he later co founded Music Support and became a leading advocate for mental health in the music industry.

Biography

Early musical life

Andy Franks’ career in music began on stage rather than behind the scenes. In the early 1970s, he worked as a bass guitarist, spending several years touring German military bases. It was a formative period that exposed him to the realities of life on the road, far removed from glamour and comfort.

Later in the decade, he played with Bristol punk band The Wild Beasts, who achieved local legendary status in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The band received wider attention when one of their singles was championed on John Peel’s radio show, giving Franks a brief taste of national exposure. It proved to be his final chapter as a performer.

Moving backstage

In 1981, Franks stepped away from the spotlight and moved decisively into live production. He joined Bristol based company Showtec as a monitor engineer, beginning a long progression through the technical and organisational ranks of the live music industry.

Over the following decades, he worked in virtually every backstage role, including monitor engineer, stage manager, production manager, production director, tour manager and tour director. This ground up experience became one of his defining strengths, giving him a rare understanding of touring from both the artist and crew perspective.

Building a global reputation

Franks’ reputation grew steadily, leading to long term relationships with major international artists. He worked for more than 17 years with Depeche Mode and spent seven years touring with Coldplay. His career also brought him into contact with artists including the Rolling Stones, Madness, New Kids on the Block, Leona Lewis, The Stone Roses and Roger Waters.

By this stage, Franks had travelled to more than 60 countries and experienced the highest tier of global touring, including private planes and five star accommodation, a stark contrast to his early days driving trucks and loading PA systems.

Working with Robbie Williams

Andy Franks worked with Robbie Williams for seven years, from the late 1990s into the mid 2000s, during the most demanding and high profile phase of Williams’ touring career. Although not part of Williams’ management, he was a crucial operational figure within the touring machine.

During this period, Franks oversaw the band and crew, travelling separately from Williams’ personal entourage and maintaining discipline and routine away from the intensity of the artist’s immediate circle. Backstage, he became known as the “Prince of Darkness”, a nickname reflecting both his authority and his preference for anonymity.

Record breaking tours

Franks served as Tour Manager for Robbie Williams’ three legendary Knebworth concerts in 2003, attended by 135,000 people each night, still regarded as the largest shows in UK history. He also oversaw the Phoenix Park concert in Dublin, where 150,000 people attended a single Robbie Williams performance, setting another attendance record.

These events cemented his reputation as a tour manager capable of handling productions at unprecedented scale, combining logistical precision with an understanding of artist welfare.

Inside the touring machine

Contemporary accounts from the road highlight Franks’ broader role. Alongside ensuring the band reached venues on time, rehearsed properly and performed night after night, he also took on an informal responsibility for managing downtime.

Nicknamed “Mr Extra Curricular” by colleagues, Franks organised activities on days off, from cinema trips and go karting to football matches with local teams. Those close to Williams noted that these distractions were vital in keeping the singer mentally engaged and relaxed during long stretches on tour.

Awards and recognition

Franks’ work has been widely recognised within the industry. He is a four time winner of Tour Manager of the Year at the TPI Awards and has also won the ILMC Arthur Award for Plumber of the Year on three occasions, a tongue in cheek honour reserved for the industry’s most effective problem solvers.

In 2024, he received the People’s Champion award at the Arthur Awards for his work with Music Support, sharing the accolade with the wider charity team.

Music Support and later career

In 2016, Franks co founded Music Support alongside three other industry figures. The charity was established to provide help and guidance for those struggling with addiction and mental health issues within the music industry.

Music Support has since grown into a major support network, helping hundreds of people across all areas of the business. For Franks, the work represented a chance to give something back after decades spent on the road.

Present day

Although he has slowed his workload in recent years, Franks remains highly active. He continues to run the artist liaison operation at Hyde Park for AEG’s British Summertime shows, working annually with a wide range of global artists including the Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Taylor Swift, Neil Young, Stevie Wonder, Massive Attack, Mumford and Sons, Lionel Richie, The Who and Take That.

Now based in Brighton, Andy Franks balances his ongoing industry commitments with family life. He has two grown up daughters and a small, famously angry terrier. Largely unseen by the public, his influence on modern touring remains substantial, built on experience, authority and a long standing commitment to the people behind the scenes.