I need to listen to him more because he is an original. He also has one of the best signature instruments ever made.
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SBL Tony Franklin Interview
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
I need to listen to him more because he is an original. He also has one of the best signature instruments ever made.
Always learn a lot listening to Tony play and talk. His TrueFire course is worth checking out too.
“Master simplicity” Tony says towards the end. I noticed earlier in the video how good he sounded just pulsing on one note. There’s another video of him doing this where he looks up in the middle of it with a grin and says “I could do this all day”. Jim Stinnett always said if you get bored playing simple grooves then “you’re playing the wrong instrument, man!”. Tony’s humility is what always shines through in every interview and it’s what makes him such a wonderful musician in my opinion. Big fan here! After watching this I went and played some blues and simplified my lines right down and really enjoyed them a whole lot more. Bass’s job is just to “be there”. WE’RE NOT THE STAR! Thanks for posting this Doc …. inspiring stuff! 
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I think that is true of any instrument. We all have to be professional and play our part in any composition to the best of our ability, whether the part is simple or complex.“Master simplicity” Tony says towards the end. I noticed earlier in the video how good he sounded just pulsing on one note. There’s another video of him doing this where he looks up in the middle of it with a grin and says “I could do this all day”. Jim Stinnett always said if you get bored playing simple grooves then “you’re playing the wrong instrument, man!”. Tony’s humility is what always shines through in every interview and it’s what makes him such a wonderful musician in my opinion. Big fan here! After watching this I went and played some blues and simplified my lines right down and really enjoyed them a whole lot more. Bass’s job is just to “be there”. WE’RE NOT THE STAR! Thanks for posting this Doc …. inspiring stuff!
Everyone practices, practices, practices to play lots and lots of notes on demand.
The guys that come out the other side of that successfully come to realize that the real musical art is knowing what's enough, what fits, and what to leave out.
The guys that come out the other side of that successfully come to realize that the real musical art is knowing what's enough, what fits, and what to leave out.
He is one those players like Lee Sklar for example that sound so much better in a band context than alone. Their YT videos don’t do it for me most of the time but when I hear band recordings of them it always sounds good and tight.
I think the key to knowing what to leave out is understanding that great playing usually does not equal complex playing. Great playing is appropriate playing, not flexing your chops just because you can.
Tony is such a great player, but is also very kind and generous with his time. I follow him on Twitter(FretlessMonster) and anytime I ask a question he is always quick to answer. Several weeks ago he posted a mini video of him plucking some riffs and I made the comment that I was going to have to sit down and learn that as it would be a great workout. His reply was "I can post the entire video if you like", and of course I said "Yes please!" and 10 minutes later he had tagged me with "Here it is, enjoy!" He is always a joy to talk to.
This was great interview. It is nice to have freer content such as this. This channel can be hit or miss for me. This was a hit indeed!!
Coincidentally, I heard The Firm's "Radioactive" on the radio just the other day, for probably the first time in two or three decades...and it made me realize three things:
A) Tony Franklin is a seriously solid bass player; and
B) Paul Rogers is a seriously solid rock singer; and
C) "Radioactive" is a genuinely awful song.
A) Tony Franklin is a seriously solid bass player; and
B) Paul Rogers is a seriously solid rock singer; and
C) "Radioactive" is a genuinely awful song.
Totally OT here, but I don't care if you don't like free or bad company or any of the other bands Paul has been in, Paul deserves to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Very influential as far as I can see. And I mean the universal you, not you bob.
You all may have seen this before.
An old video of his I enjoy was this made during the pandemic. It’s 3 1/2 hours of him in the studio laying down tracks. Its good seeing him work through this and see his thinking and how he goes about it.
An old video of his I enjoy was this made during the pandemic. It’s 3 1/2 hours of him in the studio laying down tracks. Its good seeing him work through this and see his thinking and how he goes about it.
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It is genuinely awful.
Somehow I remember liking it at the time and I’m sure I bought the cassette. No idea what my ears were hearing.
