Tony recorded on and subsequently toured the Roy Harper album Work Of Heart, which became the first of five studio recordings he would do with the cult folk hero. One of these albums included contributions from a certain Jimmy Page. Impressed with Tony's playing the guitarist asked Roy if he could borrow the young four stringer for a few months to help rehearse his new band. Convinced they could do something together after a tour in aid of Multiple Sclerosis, former Free vocalist Paul Rodgers and Jimmy decided to form The Firm. After a few months of helping them rehearse Tony was recruited on bass.

Tony's time with The Firm was educational as well as exciting. Whilst recording the album in 1985 Tony was blown away by both Paul and Jimmy's abilities. With the success of the single Radioactive the band was able to undertake a huge US tour with the usual trappings of planes, limousines, and a gig at Madison Square Gardens. The follow up album Mean Business included a Tony Franklin composition entitled Dreaming but, despite a sell-out tour, failed to match it's predecessor commercially. The band disbanded after the tour but Tony continued to work with Jimmy on the latter's Outrider solo album. Around this time an opportunity arose to work with legendary drummer Cozy Powell and the then recently fired 'Snake guitarist John Sykes. The band Blue Murder would eventually see Cozy replaced by another drum legend in the shape of Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge, Rod Stewart), and a lucrative two album deal with Geffen Records.

In the Spring of 1989 the Blue Murder album was released to much critical acclaim. Hailed as the next big thing the power trio embarked on major tours of the US and Japan. Success, however, was to elude them. By the December of '89 the band had finished touring and, disappointed by the band's commercial performance, Tony turned to alcohol. He came through this period with the aid of meditation, exercise, and lots of songwriting. By the time Blue Murder's second album Nothin' But Trouble was released in 1993 both he and Carmine were out of the band. In the meantime Tony had performed a tour with former The Firm band mate Paul Rodgers. He followed this up by backing up Japanese superstar Mari Hamada.

The next few years had Tony working with a variety of people including Eric Burdon, Gary Hoey, and a performance at the London Palladium with Dave Gilmour and Kate Bush. In the summer of 1996 Tony recorded with his friend Donna Lewis. The Welsh singer's album Now In A Minute included the smash hit single I Love You Always Forever. The success of this single resulted in numerous TV appearances around the world including infamous UK music show Top Of The Pops. Tony also added his bass parts to Carmine Appice's first Guitar Zeus CD in this year. Featuring players such as Ted Nugent , Zakk Wylde, and Queen legend Brian May the album was a guitarist's dream.

By 1997 Tony had teamed up with his old friend Roy Harper for two albums and recorded another album with Donna Lewis. This year was to be the year he finally hooked up with DC for Whitesnake's final tour The Last Hurrah. The tour ended at the end of 1997 and following stints in Japan with the project Pearl (also featuring Carmine Appice), Tony secured a two album solo deal with JVC/Victor helped by producer and good friend Keisuke 'Moonlight' Tsukimitsu.

Work on the solo album began in the Summer of 1999 with most of the instruments being played by Tony himself, including vocals. Released in July, 2000 the album Brave New Tomorrow, also featuring backing vocals by his wife Heidi, began a new chapter in the life of the charismatic musician. Tony also played bass on the DC album Into The Light; contributing to the track Don't You Cry. By now Tony's path was leaning more towards sessions and endorsements; Line6 signed him up as Musical Director for the Line 6 Guitar Port project in 2001.

Although another solo album was released in 2003 (Wonderland, JVC/Victor Entertainment), Tony decided to relinquish his role behind the microphone, opting to use vocalist Scott Kail instead. That same year his daughter was born and Tony took a position with Fender as Artist Relations Manager. In January 2006 the Tony Franklin Signature Model Fretless Precision Bass® guitar was introduced by Fender, a distinctive instrument designed in conjunction with the man himself. The following year another model was released, the Tony Franklin Fretted Precision Bass® guitar, based on his trusty session/live instrument, the P Bass.

In late 2007 Tony was Fender's representative at the Jaco Pastorius Tribute Event, staged in honour of his bass playing hero's life and achievements. In his role with Fender, and on their behalf, Tony presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to the Pastorius family. Another highlight of the night saw the British four stringer perform an emotional duet with vocalist Mary Pastorius (Jaco's daughter) on her song Longing.

On August 7th 2000 Tony was kind enough to answer the following questions for the Unofficial DC & Whitesnake Site. Please note that a more detailed Tony Franklin biography is available on his official site at http://www.tonyfranklin.com.

Phillip - Congratulations on your first solo album 'Brave New Tomorrow' available on the JVC/Victor label - is there any reason why you didn't record one sooner?

Tony - Thank you. I believe that everything happens at the right time and place. I have wanted to do a solo album for some years now, but in my opinion, the right songs, the right deal, the right people, studios, engineers etc, needed to be in place for this to happen. Of course I say this in hindsight, because sometimes it was frustrating, wondering why things didn't happen quicker or sooner, but I'm happy with how it all turned out.

I see you handled all writing - do you wish you could have had more creative input in the bands you have played with?

Maybe. I have always brought a lot of creative input to whatever band I've been with, but that hasn't necessarily added up to a writing credit, which is fine. It turned out the way it did with previous bands, and at the end of the day, I think it added fuel to my desire to make my own album.

You are known for you distinctive fretless bass sound - who was your main inspiration when you first started playing?

I listened to John Deacon of Queen. Paul McCartney. But when I first heard Jaco Pastorius it was all over. I knew I was going to play the fretless bass after that. I never really listened to many other bassists after him.

What was the first album you appeared on? What are your feelings about it now?

Work of Heart by Roy Harper. Fond memories. I was given huge amounts of creative freedom. There are backwards bass parts, multiple layers of bass, all sorts... I did background vocals too. I think it's a fine album still. I have a lot of respect for Roy, a huge influence on me.

If you could turn back time is there anything you would do differently musically speaking?

Musically no. But if I could go back to The Firm days and not be such a lunatic, as in partying, then I could probably have made much more of the many opportunities that I'm sure were available to me then. In the same breath, I believe that everything needs to happen for a reason, so we can grow and learn. I believe we are a result of everything that has happened to us. All of the previous stuff was part of the journey that brought me to where I am right now. And I'm very happy with that.

You were outstanding on the final Whitesnake tour in 1997 - how did the offer to join come about?

Thank you. I enjoyed that tour immensely. I actually met DC in 1985 when I was with The Firm. We met and hung out and I think he would have liked Chris Slade (The Firm's drummer) and myself to join Whitesnake. But we still had contractual obligations to fulfill, so it never materialized. DC and myself have always had a respect for each other since then and it worked out to do the tour in '97.

During the tour it was rumoured that the line-up may go on to play on the next DC album. Was this ever discussed?

Yes, at least regarding my involvement... I'm not sure about the others. But for me the timing just didn't work out.

There was also a lot of talk about a live album, was there any reason why this didn't materialise?

I believe some tapes were made at the live shows, but I've no idea what happened to them.

Are you still in contact with the rest of the band who toured in 1997?

Yes pretty much. Mostly with David. We get along well.

You have played bass for one track on the new DC album 'Into The Light' - were you disappointed not to be involved for the whole record?

I would have liked to have done the whole record and in hindsight it probably could have worked out to do it. I was in the middle of making my own album at the time, which was pretty intense as I was producing it and playing so many of the instruments myself. It didn't seem so intense afterwards, but at the time it was quite a responsibility. But that's okay, Marco Mendoza did a fine job.

You have played with some great players - who has been the most fun to work with?

Fun... hmmm... I think the height of the fun was with Blue Murder in it's prime (mid '89). We had a great chemistry at that time and had a lot of crazy times together and that went into the music. Unfortunately that same craziness also made us quite fragile, so when the fun ended the vibe between us became very tense and finally led to the split. We've all grown up a bit since then, and maybe we're ready for each other again, but we'll be taking our time, I know that. I had some great fun times with Roy Harper and with Jimmy Page, and with Nik Green who was the keyboard player with Blue Murder and Roy Harper.

When you first joined The Firm was it daunting being in the same band as Jimmy Page and Paul Rogers?

A little bit, but not really. I was young and didn't care! I wasn't cocky or anything but I recognized that this was an amazing opportunity, so I just gave it my all. If there had ever been any lack of confidence from me personality wise, then I just poured my heart and soul into my bass playing - where I had total confidence.

What were the circumstances that led up to you joining ex-'Snake guitarist John Sykes in Blue Murder?

I'll keep it short! John was working with the late Cozy Powell on his new project in Blackpool. John had a studio, and someone came in, to make some tape copies I believe. John was telling this fellow about his new project and said he was looking for a bass player like Tony Franklin. This fellow turned out to be my cousin's husband! They got my number and Cozy called me up to see if I'd like to check it out. I did, I liked it and that was that!

The first Blue Murder CD, arguably the best, was touted as being the next big thing by the rock press in '89. Why do you think it failed to achieve the success it deserved?

I think it was the best one too, though the second had some good moments. There were many factors involved in the 1st album's disappointing performance. Most of which were realized in hindsight. We probably had the wrong management, though it seemed right at the time. Valley of the Kings should not have been the first single. A lot of pressure was put on MTV to play Valley... and they put it on 'Hip clip of the week' for 3 weeks, which meant it was played 5 times a day for 3 weeks! A lot of people loved it but it wasn't single material, so it didn't make an impression on the singles charts. So when Jelly Roll came out, MTV wouldn't touch it.  Even though it was getting huge airplay on U.S. radio, it wasn't enough, you needed MTV to break a single. So it came and went. Also a lot of emphasis was put on the U.S. Virtually no time was spent in promoting the album in Europe. We didn't play there. A big mistake. We played in Japan to big audiences. We were super stars over there... followed everywhere, chased at train stations, it was wild! But essentially the album did not achieve commercial success.

Things seemed to have soured by the time the second album was released with both yourself and drummer Carmine Appice leaving the band. It took a long time to arrive too. What was the major reason for your decision to no longer be a part of Blue Murder?

Things had changed so much since the early enthusiastic days. Our hopes had been dashed and we had changed a lot individually - all of us. We had been together for 4 1/2 years and I personally needed to do something different. The second album seemed to be taking a long time; there didn't seem to be the drive or the hunger of the first album. It was hard but it was time to have a break. I'm sure that Carmine's experiences were similar though I'm not totally sure.

Which band did you have the most fun playing with?

Blue Murder, The Firm, Whitesnake, Roy Harper... I have a lot of fun playing good music. It is a joy for me to play on stage. I really feel like I'm alive.

Out of all the musicians you have played with who would you most like to team up with again?

Wow... well.. I recently teamed up again with John and Carmine for a brief get together with Thin Lizzy and that was fun... no Blue Murder tunes though! The Firm would be a nice reunion, though I think it's unlikely! But anything's possible. I would have liked the Whitesnake tour to have continued but alas...  a Dave Gilmour get together would be nice too. We played together very briefly and I nearly did the Pink Floyd tour back in '87, but couldn't do it. We hit it off well.

You have worked with some top producers, who did you enjoy working with the most?

Even though they are not thought of as producers primarily, my favourites are Jimmy Page and Roy Harper, because they are so novel and unpredictable in their approaches.

What advice do you have for any budding bassists out there?

Remember that the bass has primarily two purposes.. to hold down the bottom end and to hold down the groove. Don't try to be too fancy. Just be solid. Listen to and play different styles of music, it broadens your musical palette and gives you more colour choices to choose from when it comes to creating your own style. Play other instruments too, especially the piano. It will make you a better bassist. Listen to the song, especially the melody line and the lyrical content (if there are lyrics). Play for the song, not just for the bass line. Get your fingers, wrists and muscles strong. Be in good shape. Play with good technique, but most importantly of all, play from the heart. And this goes for all instruments including (and especially) the voice. Have fun.

Using any of the people you have played with, what would be your line-up for a 'super group'?

I don't know why but that's too hard for me to figure out! There have been so many people, and some of them were 'supergroups' in their own right. If I really thought about it, there would probably be a few supergroups come out of all those people! I'll pass on that one :)

If you could recommend three albums on which you have appeared, not including 'Brave New Tomorrow', what would they be and why?

The Firm: First album. There was a spontaneity and a vibe about that album that is hard to quantify. All of the tracks were recorded live with minimal overdubs, including the vocals. There was drum spillage into the vocal mic, but the vibe was there so it stayed as it was. There were hardly any bass fixes. We were on fire!

Blue Murder: First album. We've mentioned this album before. It's a powerful album, from a band that at that time had an incredible chemistry, drive and ability. There's great songs, and a beautiful production.. it's all there.

Brave New Tomorrow would be the third choice but you said I can't use that so...

Roy Harper: Work of Heart. I've covered some of this already...There's good songs and there's some innovative bass work on there that I've never done before or since. I was given a free reign creatively and I was young and enthusiastic and having fun! Now I'm a little older, but still enthusiastic and having fun!

A fourth one... I enjoyed my contribrution to the Donna Lewis album Now in a Minute... remember her hit single I Love You Always Forever? I was on that. It's an atmospheric cute pop album, and there's some tasteful bass work on there. She's a long time good friend of mine.

How would you sum up your time in the music industry and what advice would you have for those starting out?

The Music Industry is fascinating because yes, it's a business, but it's a business that's handling your creativity, your soul's expression, your heart felt efforts. It's not easy for sure, and it's not for the feint hearted. People can get chewed up and spat out very quickly. But I don't resent it. We just can't kid ourselves.

At the end of the day, we have to be true to our creativity; we have to nurture relationships; we have to be strong; we have to be original; we have to take risks; we have to learn to accept seeming 'failures', learn from them and get up and fight another day. We have to endure; we have to be patient; but isn't this what life is about anyway? I think in the Entertainment Industry we are more exposed to the up and downs of life's challenges, because it is not a regular 9 to 5 job, it can be difficult to find a gig with a regular and secure pay check at the end of the week. Of all the singles that are released every week, only 3% of them actually make it, or achieve some kind of success. There are ways of earning a good living in music, but superstardom is hard to achieve and often fleeting: here and gone so quickly. That's what Andy Warhol's "15 minutes of fame" refers to. If you're going to do it.. GO FOR IT! Be stubborn, be audacious, be original, be good to others. My years in the Industry have been spent learning life's lessons! And I've hopefully managed to make some good music along the way! :)

You've certainly provided us with some great music Tony - thanks for taking the time to answer these questions.

Photographs by Ash and Pete Cronin.

RELATED LINKS
The Official Tony Franklin Web Site.

WHITESNAKE DISCOGRAPHY
Touring musician, 1997.
Into The Light, 2000.

This article was written by Phillip Hackney.

Copyright © 2008 P Hackney.

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