| Tony Franklin |
| Birth name |
Anthony James Franklin |
| Born |
2 April 1962 (1962-04-02) (age 49)
Derby, England |
| Genres |
Hard rock, blues-rock, folk rock, heavy metal |
| Occupations |
Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments |
Bass, double bass, keyboards, vocals |
| Years active |
1982–present |
| Associated acts |
Roy Harper, The Firm, Jimmy Page, Blue Murder, Quiet Riot, Whitesnake |
| Website |
Official website |
| Notable instruments |
| Tony Franklin Signature Fretless 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, John Sykes' Blue Murder, Whitesnake and briefly, with Quiet Riot.
[edit] Fretless bass
He is credited with introducing the fretless bass to the heavy metal and hard rock audiences, as the fretless bass is not commonly heard in these genres.
In January 2006 Fender introduced the "Tony Franklin Precision Bass, a Fretless bass in tribute to Tony.
[edit] Other work
Although most know Tony Franklin for his fretless work, he's been doing sessions with the same fretted Precision Bass for years.
Franklin's fretted signature bass is similar to his fretless model, with Precision and Jazz Bass pickups and a three-way selector switch that provide an array of tones. Tony also works as the Artist Relations Manager for Fender and Fender-owned SWR Amplification, and performs bass clinics for Fender and SWR Amplification.[1] Tony is also an endorsee for Fender and SWR as well for his equipment needs. Franklin has also appeared on all seven of keyboardist Derek Sherinian's solo albums - Planet X (1999), Inertia (2001), Black Utopia (2003), Mythology (2004), Blood of the Snake (2006), Molecular Heinosity (2009), and Oceana (2011)
Franklin cites John Deacon, Paul McCartney, and Jaco Pastorius as his main influences.[2]
[edit] Discography
- Roy Harper - Work of Heart (Public Records, 1982)
- Roy Harper & Jimmy Page - Whatever Happened to Jugula? (Beggar's Banquet, 1984)
- The Firm - The Firm (Atlantic, 1985)
- The Firm - Mean Business (Atlantic, 1986)
- David Gilmour & Kate Bush - Secret Policeman's Third Ball (Virgin Video, 1987)
- Jimmy Page - Outrider (Geffen, 1987)
- Roy Harper - In Between Every Line (EMI, 1987)
- Roy Harper - Descendants of Smith (EMI, 1988)
- Blue Murder - Blue Murder (Geffen, 1989)
- Roy Harper - Once (Awareness, 1990)
- Glenn Hughes - L.A. Blues Authority Volume II: Glenn Hughes - Blues (Shrapnel, 1992)
- Roy Harper - Death or Glory? (Awareness, 1992)
- Gary Hoey - Animal Instinct (Reprise, 1993)
- Blue Murder - Nothin' But Trouble (Geffen, 1994)
- Gary Hoey - The Endless Summer II (Reprise, 1994)
- Tony MacAlpine - Premonition (Shrapnel, 1994)
- Driver - Driver (Trauma / Atlantic, 1994)
- Jeff Beck Tribute - Beckology (Shrapnel, 1995)
- Gary Hoey - Gary Hoey (BMG, 1995)
- Tony MacAlpine - Evolution (Shrapnel, 1995)
- Celestial Winds - Oceans of Love (Universe Music, 1995)
- MOM: Music for our Mother Ocean - Benefit compilation (Interscope, 1996)
- Warren DeMartini - Surf's Up! (Polydor Japan, 1996)
- Carmine Appice - Guitar Zeus (Apalon Japan, 1996)
- Marty Friedman - True Obsessions (Shrapnel, 1996)
- Naomi Tamura - N (Polydor Japan, 1996)
- Donna Lewis - Now in a Minute (Atlantic, 1996)
- John Sykes - Loveland (Mercury Japan, 1997)
- Gary Hoey - Bug Alley (Surfdog, 1997)
- Various - Dragon Attack: A Tribute to Queen (De-Rock, 1997)
- Carmine Appice - Guitar Zeus 2 (Polydor Japan, 1997)
- Various - Thunderbolt: A Tribute to AC/DC (De-Rock, 1997)
- Pearl - Pearl (Polydor Japan, 1997)
- Sounds of Wood and Steel - Compilation (Windham Hill, 1998)
- Pearl - 4 Infinity (East West Japan, 1998)
- Donna Lewis - Blue Planet (Atlantic, 1998)
- Various - Cozy Powell Forever (Electric Angel Japan, 1998)
- Derek Sherinian - Planet X (Shrapnel, 1999)
- Lana Lane - Queen of the Ocean (1999)
- Gary Wright - Human Love (Warner, 2000)
- David Coverdale - Into the Light (EMI, 2000)
- Lana Lane - Secrets of Astrology (2000)
- Lana Lane - Ballads Collection II (2000)
- Various - Metallic Assault: A Tribute to Metallica (2000)
- Tony Franklin - Brave New Tomorrow (JVC/Victor Entertainment, 2000)
- Erik Norlander - Into the Sunset (2000)
- Derek Sherinian - Inertia (2001)
- Lana Lane - Love Is an Illusion Special Edition (2001)
- Willie Waldman - Trumpet Ride (2002)
- Lana Lane - Project Shangri-La (2002)
- Various - An All Star Line Up Performing the Songs of Pink Floyd (2002)
- Lana Lane - Covers Collection (2002)
- Tony Franklin - Wonderland (JVC/Victor Entertainment - July 2003)
- Derek Sherinian - Black Utopia (2003)
- Derek Sherinian - Mythology (2004)
- Chris Catena - Freak Out! (Imr/Frontiers Rec., 2004)
- Vasco Rossi - Buoni o Cattivi (number 1 album in Italy, 2004)
- Eros Ramazzotti - Calma Apparente (number 1 album in Italy, 2005)
- Derek Sherinian - Blood of the Snake (2006)
- Quiet Riot - Rehab (2006)
- Lana Lane - Gemini (2006)
- Sir Lord Baltimore - Sir Lord Baltimore III Raw (2006)
- Menchen - Red Rock (guitarist Bill Menchen's project, 2008)
- Chris Catena - Discovery (Escape/Frontiers Rec., 2008)
- Tadashi Goto - Innervisions (SPV/Progrock Rec., 2008)
- Derek Sherinian - Molecular Heinosity (2009)
- Thomas Tomsen - Sunflickers (2010)
- Derek Sherinian - Oceana (2011)
- Docker's Guild - The Mystic Technocracy - Season 1: The Age of Ignorance (2012)
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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The Firm Live at Hammersmith 1984 · Five from The Firm
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"Radioactive" · "Satisfaction Guaranteed" · "All the King's Horses" · "Live in Peace"
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| David Coverdale solo albums |
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| Primary guest musicians |
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| Discography |
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| Persondata |
| Name |
Franklin, Tony |
| Alternative names |
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| Short description |
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| Date of birth |
2 April 1962 |
| Place of birth |
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| Date of death |
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| Place of death |
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