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Tony Franklin is an English musician. His most famous work is on the fretless bass guitar with heavy rock bands The Firm (also featuring Free and Bad Company vocalist Paul Rodgers, Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, and Uriah Heep drummer Chris Slade) and Blue Murder (featuring former Whitesnake guitarist John Sykes (also on vocals) and drummer Carmine Appice).

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. He also has an instructional video on playing the fretless bass. In this video Franklin also discusses his playing of other instruments (string or upright bass and clarinet) in symphony and classical ensemble environments. In January of 2006 a fretless bass Sample Loop Library named "Tony Franklin: Not Just Another Pretty Bass [1]" was released by Sony Media featuring Tony's fretless bass lines recorded for use by electronic musicians. [2] He was also the Musical Director for the GuitarPort product by Line 6, and was responsible for coordinating musicians (including Leland Sklar, Jason Bonham, Simon Phillips, Gregg Bissonette and others), organizing recording studio sessions, creating over 100 cover tunes, operated Pro Tools, and wrote and recorded more than 30 ‘jam-along’ original tracks for the product. [3]

Also in January of 2006 Fender introduced the "Tony Franklin Precision Bass Fretless Signature Bass [4], which is based on his main "player" for many years. It features an alder body available in Three-color Sunburst or Black, a brown tortoise shell pickguard and a modern C-shaped maple neck with an unfinished fingerboard made of ebony (an extremely hard wood that can stand up to the roundwound strings Tony uses without any type of protective coating) with side dot position markers. Tony's signature overdriven "growl" comes from an American Series Precision Bass neck pickup and a Tony Franklin signature Jazz Bass bridge pickup with hex screw lugs and bar ceramic magnets. Other features include vintage tuning machines with Hipshot® Bass Xtender Drop D tuning key on the “E” string and a three-way switch (neck-both-bridge pickup) as opposed to the more common "pan pot" used on bass guitars.

Although most know Tony Franklin for his amazing fretless work, he's been doing sessions with the same fretted Precision Bass for years.

Franklin's top-notch fretted signature bass sings just like his fretless model, with Precision and Jazz Bass pickups and a three-way selector switch that provide an array of great tones. Features include specially voiced pickups, a lacquer finish and a modern C-shaped maple neck and fingerboard made to Franklin's exacting specs. The Tony Frankin Precision Bass Fretted Signature Bass [5] has been introduced in 2007, available in Olympic White and Amber Gold with a matt black pickguard and matching pickup covers.

Tony also works as the Artist Relations Manager for Fender and Fender-owned SWR Amplification, and performs bass clinics for Fender and SWR Amplification. [6]. Tony is also an endorsee for Fender and SWR as well for his equipment needs.

Tony Franklin has worked with: The Firm (Paul Rodgers, Jimmy Page, Chris Slade), David Gilmour, Kate Bush, Whitesnake, Blue Murder (John Sykes, Carmine Appice), Roy Harper, Donna Lewis, Banyan (Stephen Perkins), Glenn Hughes, Simon Phillips, Terry Bozzio, Gregg Bissonette, Robbie Krieger (The Doors), Pat Travers, Gary Hoey, Tony MacAlpine, Don Dokken, Kelly Keeling, Doug Aldrich, Warren DeMartini, Steve Fister, Scott Kail, Sir Lord Baltimore and others.

Franklin has also appeared on all five of keyboardist Derek Sherinian's solo albums - Planet X (1999), Inertia (2001), Black Utopia (2003), Mythology (2004), and Blood of the Snake (2006).

Franklin cites his influences as John Deacon (Queen), Paul McCartney (The Beatles) and Jaco Pastorius.[7]

• Official Tony Franklin Web site

Discography

Roy Harper "Work of Heart" Public Records 1982

Roy Harper "Whatever Happened to Jugula" Beggar’s Banquet 1984 (w/ Jimmy Page)

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 "Garden of Uranium" EMI 1988

Blue Murder "Blue Murder" Geffen 1989

Roy Harper "Once" EMI 1990

Glenn Hughes "L.A. Blues Authority Volume II: Glenn Hughes - Blues" Shrapnel 1992

Roy Harper "Death or Glory" EMI 1992

Gary Hoey "Animal Instinct" Warner/ Reprise 1993

Blue Murder "Nothin’ But Trouble" Geffen 1994

Gary Hoey "Endless Summer 2" Warner/ 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 D. Martini "Surf’s up" Polydor (Japan) 1996

Carmine Appice "Guitar Zeus" Apalon (Japan) 1996

Marty Friedman "True Obsessions" Shrapnel 1996 (Megadeth)

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

Queen Tribute "Dragon Attack" JVC/ Victor 1997

Carmine Appice "Guitar Zeus 2" Polydor (Japan) 1997

Various "Thunderbolt - AC/DC Tribute" 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

Derek Sherinian "Planet X" Shrapnel 1999

Lana Lane "Queen Of The Ocean" 1999

Gary Wright "Human Love" Warner 2000

Robbie Krieger "Cinematix" R & D Records 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” released in Japan on JVC/Victor Entertainment 2000

Erik Norlander "Into The Sunset" 2000

Derek Sherinian "Inertia" 2001

Lana Lane "Love Is An Illusion Special Edition" 2001

Willie Walman "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” released in Japan on JVC/Victor Entertainment. July 2003

Derek Sherinian "Black Utopia" 2003

Derek Sherinian "Mythology" 2004

Vasco Rossi "Buoni o Cattivi" (number 1 album in Italy) 2004

Eros Ramazzotti "Calma Apparante" (number 1 album in Italy) 2005

Derek Sherinian "Blood Of The Snake" 2006

Quiet Riot "Rehab" 2006

Lana Lane "Gemini" 2006

v • d • e Quiet Riot
Frankie Banali • Chuck Wright • Alex Grossi Kevin DuBrow • Carlos Cavazo • Rudy Sarzo • Paul Shortino • Drew Forsyth • Randy Rhoads • Kenny Hillery • Kelly Garni • Sean McNabb • Neil Citron • Tony Franklin • Billy Morris • Wayne Carver • Tracii Guns • Tony Cavazo • Bobby Rondinelli
Studio albums	Quiet Riot • Quiet Riot II • Metal Health • Condition Critical • QR III • Quiet Riot • Terrified • Down to the Bone • Alive and Well • Guilty Pleasures • Rehab
Compilations	Winners Take All • The Randy Rhoads Years • Greatest Hits • Super Hits • The Collection • Live & Rare Volume 1 • New and Improved (live)
Videos	Bang Thy Head • Live in Japan • Live in the 21st Century
Songs	"Metal Health" • "Cum on Feel the Noize" • "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" "Slick Black Cadilac" "Party All Night"

v • d • e The Firm
Paul Rodgers · Jimmy Page · Tony Franklin · Chris Slade
Studio albums	The Firm · Mean Business
Films and DVDs	The Firm Live at Hammersmith 1984 · Five from The Firm
Singles	"Radioactive" · "Satisfaction Guaranteed" · "All the King's Horses" · "Live in Peace"