Tony Franklin

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, Quiet Riot, and of course, Gary Hoey.
== With Gary Hoey ==
Franklin has recorded three full albums with Hoey, including Animal Instinct, The Endless Summer II soundtrack, and Bug Alley. He also contributed the bass track to the 1995 remix of "High-Top Bop" from Gary Hoey.
== Other work ==
While he has been a member or semi-permanent groups such as The Firm or Blue Murder, Tony Franklin has established a career more as a session musician. He has has appeared on a myriad of rock and jazz productions over the years. He has also appeared on all six of keyboardist Derek Sherinian's solo albums - Planet X (1999), Inertia (2001), Black Utopia (2003), Mythology (2004), Blood of the Snake (2006), and Molecular Heinosity (2009).
== Equipment ==
Franklin 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.
Although mostly known for his fretless work, Franklin has been known to work 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. . Tony is also an endorsee for Fender and SWR as well for his equipment needs.
== Influences ==
Franklin cites Queen's John Deacon, Paul McCartney and jazz bassist Jaco Pastorius as his main influences.
==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 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 The Endless Summer II soundtrack (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)
* Gary Hoey Bug Alley (Surfdog 1996)
* Celestial Winds Oceans of Love (Universe Music, 1996)
* M.O.M.: Music For Our Mother Ocean benefit compilation (Interscope 1996)
* Warren DeMartini Surf's Up Japan only (Polydor 1996)
* Carmine Appice Guitar Zeus Japan only (Apalon 1996)
* Marty Friedman True Obsessions (Shrapnel 1996)
* Naomi Tamura N Japan only (Polydor 1996)
* Donna Lewis Now in a Minute (Atlantic 1996)
* John Sykes Loveland Japan only (Mercury 1997)
* Various ArtistsDragon Attack Queen tribute (JVC/Victor 1997)
* Carmine Appice Guitar Zeus 2 Japan only (Polydor 1997)
* Various ArtistsThunderbolt - AC/DC Tribute (1997)
* Pearl Pearl Japan only (Polydor 1997)
* Sounds of Wood and Steel Compilation (Windham Hill 1998)
* Pearl 4 Infinity (East West 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 Artists Metallic Assault: A Tribute To Metallica (2000)
* Tony Franklin Brave New Tomorrow (Japan only (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 Artists An All Star Line Up Performing The Songs Of Pink Floyd (2002)
* Lana Lane Covers Collection (2002)
* Tony Franklin Wonderland Japan only (JVC/Victor Entertainment 2003)
* Derek Sherinian Black Utopia (2003)
* Derek Sherinian Mythology (2004)
* Vasco Rossi uoni 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)
* Sir Lord Baltimore Sir Lord Baltimore III Raw (2006)
* Menchen Red Rock (guitarist Bill Menchen's project) (2008)
* Derek Sherinian Molecular Heinosity (2009)
==External links==
* Official Tony Franklin Web site
* Interview with Tony in Paisajes Eléctricos Magazine (in Spanish)
== See also ==
* List of Gary Hoey personnel