FRANK MEYER
Musician, Director, Author
A man of many hats — literally and figuratively — Frank Meyer is an award-winning musician, director, and author from Los Angeles.
Musically, Meyer is best known for his own punk rock ‘n’ roll band The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs and his vocal work with Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer James Williamson (Iggy and the Stooges). Williamson enlisted Meyer to front his band James Williamson & The Pink Hearts for the 2018 album Behind The Shade (Leopard Lady Records) and 2022’s collaboration album with fellow guitar cult hero Deniz Tek of Radio Birdman, Two To One (Cleopatra Records). Meanwhile, the Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs have released over 10 albums and toured the world, including 2021’s critically acclaimed studio effort One More Drink, 2023’s double-CD covers collection All The Covers (And More), and 2024’s Call The Dogs and Crazy Operator EPs.
In 2021, Meyer collaborated with Eddie Spaghetti of The Supersuckers on a collaboration album called Motherfuckin’ Rock ‘n’ Roll (Kitten Robot Records), which received rave reviews and yielded three Meyer-directed music videos. He also fronts the European-based hard rock act Trading Aces (Rock ‘N’ Roll Homicide on Ripple Music and blues-rockers Highway 61 (Driving South on Rum Bar Records), and regularly contributes to albums by Canadian heavy metal cult hero Thor. Additionally, as producer, vocalist, guitarist, and composer, Meyer performs live around the world, logging in road and studio work with rock legends such as FEAR, Wayne Kramer (MC5), Cherie Currie (The Runaways), Sylvain Sylvain (New York Dolls), Cheetah Chrome (Dead Boys), Bob Dorough (Schoolhouse Rock), among others.
As a Director, Meyer learned his craft during a decade on staff at NBC. From 2004 to 2014, Frank was Senior Interactive Content Producer at NBC’s Esquire Network and G4TV, where he refined his skills in directing and producing TV commercials (for Dyson, Sonic, and BMW), promotional spots, and ad campaigns, accumulating multiple Telly, Webby, and W3 awards along the way. He also morphed into an ace Digital Content Producer and Field Producer, covering red carpets and media events around the world, such as the Tokyo Game Show, Comic-Con, CES, E3, and GameCon, among others. Yet more awards were nabbed when he created G4TV’s web series Freestyle 101, which featured interviews and performances from legends like Ice-T, Cypress Hill, Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, M.O.P., Fat Joe, and others. That podcast inspired Frank’s latest documentary film,m Freestyle 101: Hip-Hop History, which was released in 2023 through Indie Rights Movie and is narrated by Chuck D of Public Enemy. Meyer also directed the 2020 award-winning documentary film Risen: The Story of Chron “Hell Razah” Smith, about a Wu-Tang Clan rapper who suffered a brain aneurysm and his road to recovery.
From 2016 to 2020, Frank was Sr. Content Producer at Fender Musical Instruments, where he played a key role in creating the look, style, and production workflow of the award-winning Fender Play app and directed over 3,000 videos. He then moved on to fitness-tech company Tonal, where he served as Video Director from 2021 to 2023. Meanwhile, Meyer also served as a Field Producer and on-camera talent for three seasons of AXS’s Daytime Award-nominated series Music’s Greatest Mysteries from 2021 to 2023.
Frank is also a published author, writing On the Road with the Ramones (Omnibus), When the Wall of Sound Met The New York Underground (Rhino), Diaper Dude (Penguin) and From Dude to Dad: The Diaper Dude Guide to Pregnancy (Random House), editing Van Halen: A Visual History 1978 – 1985 (Chronicle), and collaborating with legendary sports photographer Walter Iooss Jr. on coffee table book Friday Night Tykes for Esquire.
And just to keep things weird, Meyer is also the voice and theme music performer for Dr. Squatch’s Manlandia TV and digital ad campaign and composed music for Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, American Pickers, Fox Sports, Animal Planet, UFC, Six Feet Under, a slew of terrible MTV and E! shows.
Whew!
Credentials
2021 – 2023 AXS TV, Music’s Greatest Mysteries, Producer & Talent
2016 – 2020 Fender Musical Instruments, Content Producer
2004 – 2015 NBC/Universal, Content Producer
1997 – 2012 Yahoo! Music, Music Journalist
1997 – 2004 LA Weekly, Music Journalist,
1997 – 2002 Clear Channel, Managing Editor of KNAC.COM
1997 – 2002 New Times, Music Journalist
1997 – 1999 POPsmear Magazine, Music Editor
Awards
2021 Film Threat Award This!, Risen: The Story of Chron “Hell Razah” Smith, Best Music Documentary
2020 New York’s People’s Film Festival, Risen: The Story of Chron “Hell Razah” Smith, Best Music Documentary
2020 Hollywood Verge Film Festival, Risen: The Story of Chron “Hell Razah” Smith, Best Documentary
2020 Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Award, Risen: The Story of Chron “Hell Razah” Smith, Official Selection
2020 Los Angeles Cinefest, Risen: The Story of Chron “Hell Razah” Smith, Official Selection
2020 International Independent Film Awards, Risen: The Story of Chron “Hell Razah” Smith, Official Selection
2015 Slamdance Film Festival, I Am Thor, Official Selection
2015 Florida Film Festival, I Am Thor, Official Selection
2015 Calgary Underground Film Festival, I Am Thor, Official Selection
2015 Brooklyn Film Festival, I Am Thor, Official Selection
2015 New Zealand International Film Festival, I Am Thor, Official Selection
2015 Fantasia International Film Festival, I Am Thor, Official Selection
2012 CableFAX, Best of the Web
2008 Telly, Freestyle 101, Best Music Series
2008 Webby, Freestyle 101, Best Music Series
2008 W3, Freestyle 101, Best Music Series
2001 New Times, The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs, Album of the Year
1999 New Times, The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs, Rock Band of the Year
Documentarian
2023 Freestyle 101: Hip-Hop History, Indie Rights
2020 Risen: The Story of Chron “Hell Razah” Smith, Indie Rights
2015 I Am Thor, MPI Media Group
Author
2017 Diaper Dude, Penguin Books/Random House
2015 Friday Night Tykes, Esquire
2014 From Dude To Dad, Penguin Books/Random House
2012 When The Wall Of Sound Met The New York Underground: The Ramones, Phil Spector And End Of The Century, Rhino Entertainment,
2007 Van Halen: A Visual History, Chronicle Books
2003 On the Road With The Ramones, Bobcat Books
Liner Notes
The Ramones
2011Acid Eaters reissue, Rhino Records
2011Live, January 7, 1978, At The Palladium, NYC, Rhino Records
2011 Jet Boy, Live at the Whiskey, MVD
2007 Rhino 39, Rhino 39 collection, Triple X/Nickel And Dime Records
2005 L.A. Guns, Black List, Black City Records
Iggy and the Stooges
The Iguana Chronicles, Bomp! Records
2000 Double Danger
1997Year of the Iguana
1997California Bleeding
1995 Open Up & Bleed
1994 Rough Power