Tony Franklin (musician)
| Tony Franklin | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Anthony James Franklin |
| Also known as | The Fretless Monster |
| Born |
2 April 1962 Derby, England |
| Genres | Hard rock, blues-rock, folk rock, heavy metal |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Bass, double bass, fretless bass, keyboards, synthesizer, vocals |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Associated acts | Roy Harper, The Firm, Jimmy Page, Blue Murder, Quiet Riot, Kenny Wayne Shepherd. |
| Website | Official website |
| Notable instruments | |
| Tony Franklin Signature Fretless Precision Bass, Tony Franklin Signature Fretted Precision Bass | |
Anthony James "Tony" Franklin (born 2 April 1962) is an English rock musician, best known for his work on the fretless bass guitar with Roy Harper, The Firm, Jimmy Page, Paul Rodgers, John Sykes' Blue Murder, David Gilmour, Kate Bush, Whitesnake, and most recently with Kenny Wayne Shepherd.
Born into a musical family, Franklin first took the stage at age 5. He got his big break in 1984 as bassist in stellar supergroup the Firm, with guitar legend Jimmy Page, vocalist Paul Rodgers and drummer Chris Slade (AC/DC, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band). Franklin’s signature fretless growl was a distinctive and instantly recognizable element of the band’s first hit, "Radioactive".
After two hit albums with The Firm, Franklin subsequently performed with Blue Murder (John Sykes, Carmine Appice), David Gilmour, Kate Bush, Whitesnake, Donna Lewis, Pat Travers and many others. An in-demand session bass ace, he has appeared on more than 150 albums. Franklin has released two solo albums, Brave New Tomorrow and Wonderland, and a bass instructional DVD.
Further, Franklin’s exemplary chops have also been called on for dozens of television credits, including the Late Show with David Letterman, Beverly Hills 90210, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, Good Morning America, Top of the Pops (U.K.), VH-1, MTV, Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush (Finland), dozens of Japanese programs and more. Sony released Tony Franklin: Not Just Another Pretty Bass, Franklin’s first sample loop library, in 2006.
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