![]() I recently spoke with the Fretless Monster Tony Franklin about the VHF album, being in the studio with legends, and taking the bass to new musical heights. It’s about time they get heard by a larger audience. From the exoticness of “Whispers Of The Soul” to the surrealistic futuristic titillations of “Invisible Thread,” the compositions sonically swirl. But Golden Robot Records has now given new life to the recording and it is one heck of a ride.Īll three of these gentlemen are gigantic innovators with their instruments and Very High Frequency showcases that from top to bottom. Having never been officially released in the US, the songs have pretty much only been heard by diehard fans on the lookout for anything their favorite musicians have played on. ![]() The trio of Franklin, Joel Hoekstra, and Vinny Vinciguerra has just re-released a 7-song album titled Very High Frequency. Since leaving the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band a few years ago, Franklin has remained busy touring, recording, and conducting Master Classes and Fantasy Camps.įranklin’s most recent project is not exactly something new but it is new to most of us: VHF. Since then, Franklin has appeared on so many albums, it’s hard to even count them all. Right about this time, Franklin was asked to join Pink Floyd but the contract with Blue Murder had just been signed. No pressure there, right? The Firm would release two solid albums in the mid-1980’s before they all moved on to other projects.įranklin worked some more with Harper before settling in with John Sykes’ new band Blue Murder alongside drummer Carmine Appice in 1987. A young whippersnapper like Franklin became their perfect rhythmic centerpiece (along with drummer Chris Slade). This was Page’s first real band after the ending of Led Zeppelin and Rodgers was entering into a solo phase after leaving Bad Company. He had been working with Folk artist Roy Harper but The Firm would put him on the rock & roll map. He is the Sensai of the bass.įranklin’s first big musical adventure came alongside two legends, Paul Rodgers and Jimmy Page, in The Firm. Ever since then, Franklin has become one of the most important bass players in rock music, highly sought after for sessions and tours, because what he can add to someone’s material is beyond what they may have come up with on their own. Then when he heard Jaco Pastorius, well, his world changed even more. But when he was handed a bass, it was like an epiphany. ![]() He knew music, how to play music, how to read music at an early age. Tony Franklin grew up playing in his parents’ band back in England. But have you really listened to what a bass can do? They are the steady ground on which a singer and guitar player can dance on top of. We already know that they are the foundation of any piece of music, along with the drummer. What he can do with those bass strings, the places he can take the listener, makes you wonder why bass players aren’t given more credit for making songs great. When you hear bass player Tony Franklin for the first time, it’s pretty mind-blowing.
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