Eugene Francis Jnr

Eugene Francis Jnr is the solo project of Welsh singer-songwriter Kris Williams. His earlier work appears under a series of different names, including Eso Burst, Kaptainblack and Kip Armstrong, alongside projects such as The Fantastic Super Foofs, The Foofs and Dirty Perfect.

Early work and band projects

Williams starts out playing in a band called The Fantastic Super Foofs after returning to the UK and going to college. The group releases three independent singles in 2001 on Floating Toast Records and Fuzzbox Records, and tours with Mclusky, who share the same management. The Fantastic Super Foofs later becomes The Foofs, and the band then breaks up after a difficult show in Camden, London.

After that, Williams briefly plans to stop making music, but changes direction after travelling to Chicago to see Mclusky record their third album with Steve Albini. He returns with a new project name, Kaptainblack, a reference to Frank Black, although the line-up stays the same. Under that name, the band records In Fertility in three weeks in December 2003. The album is described by Williams as part of a new approach he calls “Blunktry”, drawing on punk, blues and country. In Fertility is not released until 2005, when it receives mixed reviews.

Dirty Perfect

Williams then works on a more mainstream direction with Dirty Perfect, where he writes and performs as Kip Armstrong. The group releases a four-track EP titled Dirty Perfect and a two-track 7-inch single called Quaterback Hairdo, and signs to Sony ATV publishing in 2005. By 2006, Williams becomes increasingly detached from the band and its pop song formula.

Eugene Francis Jnr

He then begins experimenting with music he has long liked, including folk, electronica and country, which leads to the formation of Eugene Francis Jnr. The project’s first single, Poor Me / Kites, appears in 2007. Williams also tours extensively in 2007 with Tegan and Sara. Eugene Francis Jnr often performs with a seven-piece backing band called The Juniors, described as drawing on musicians from the Welsh music scene.

Other themes

Williams says his songs often deal with religion, philosophy and science, as well as loss and mistrust. He also speaks about living with bipolar disorder, describing periods that are either very high or very low, and presenting himself as either highly confident or withdrawn.