About Franklin Gunkelmann (with thanks to the Filk Hall of Fame)

Franklin has been involved in filk from the early '80s when German filk-fandom had not yet evolved and filk took place at Star Trek conventions.

Calling Franklin "The Voice of German filk fandom" is not an understatement. While he is one of their finest male voices, it is his position as the Master of Ceremonies (as well as stalwart committee member) for FilkCONtinental – a job he has assumed since the first con in 1997 - which earns him this title. Gaudy costumes, intricate choreography, funny filks; Franklin provides the FilkCONtinental programme with all the jokes and puns and impromptu sketches that have become such a loved part of the German filk con.

Aside from being a pillar of German filk organising, he's also a great performer. He is mainly known for his humorous songs and parodies like "A Thousand Chips" and "Ill, Pissed By Moonlight". He's a "karaoke filker" and has so far filked artists such as Abba, Ozzy Osbourne, and Frank Sinatra. However, Franklin also writes wonderful serious songs, both rewrites and originals. He has recently started to accompany himself on the piano, and created such wonderful songs as "The Soul" (filk of "The Ship") and "Internal Knight". He is also an excellent translator of English filk songs into German, a delicate task which requires a careful rewriting of the song.

Franklin and Alexa Klettner perform as the duo “Lord Merciless”. Biting lyrics, parodies, political songs, black humour, you name it, they write it, they sing it.

Franklin was inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame in 2006, an international award which honours contributions to filk music and the filk community. Apart from all the commendations we can give Franklin as a wonderful musician and filk “gardener”, he’s also a generous, witty and downright lovely bloke, and we are delighted to have nabbed him for your pleasure. Come and meet him at the filk programme stream!