Anthrax's Frank Bello Plays His Favorite Bass Lines

On this episode of #GearFactor, #Anthrax bassist Frank Bello play some of the basslines that inspired him to pick up the instrument and discusses his own signature bass guitar.
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[@cadenwh8470]

Frank is underrated as a bass player

[@danielkivivuori3284]

Every bass players are underrated

[@cadenwh8470]

No kidding

[@cadenwh8470]

@@danielkivivuori3284 except cliff burton

[@danielkivivuori3284]

Caden Wh well yea but he is known and everybody knows that he is a beast just like lemmy and all those greatones but for example frank or sometimes steve harris are underrated

[@SW-fn7cl]

Daniel kivivuori I had a guy I work with say to me after I said I play bass that bassists only play 3 notes. The guys listens to iron maiden ffs what is he listening to?!

[@DavidGomez-ph4yn]

His bass looks so simple but so amazing at the same time

[@itsalwayssomething7490]

I was walking home from high school one day and there was Frank walking toward me. I was wearing a Megadeth shirt and he points and says "great band." I was flustered, because at the time I was also heavily into Anthrax. I could only muster up " My Persistence of Time shirt is in the laundry." I don't know if he believed me, but I wore it the day before. Anyway, he grew up around my neighborhood, but never thought I'd ever run into him. 15 years later, one of my friends and ex-bandmates ended up playing some shows with Anthrax because his guitar player is Charlie's cousin. Small world.

[@jesselugo6433]

AlwaysSomething seriously bro?! daang

[@GangGreen80]

Thats awesome

[@christopherdiedrich40]

Awwww shit! It's AlwaysSomething isn't it? lol (Sorry, I just had to)

[@scottvelez3154]

*B R E H*

[@cobysanderson8148]

No one has original comments these days how

[@adtpg1348]

How can you not love those maiden bass lines... I was hoping he'd play a few anthrax bass lines, still awesome though

[@Simonize41]

Heavy Metal’s nicest guy, period. I’ve had the privilege of meeting Frank several times and he has always been a caring and friendly gentleman. Top fella!

[@Joe-ug1on]

Yes. Frankie and Ellefson.

[@NatefousAnand]

Joe ! True that.

[@afrocoolio25]

I just commented the same thing, on a previous comment. Out of all musicians that I have met, he and Lee Sklar were BY FAR the kindest and most humble people I have met. Frank Bello was also funny as hell and had no interest at the event that we were at, it was a music convention and it was all snobs (like many music conventions), so basically he and Dave Ellefson were hanging out alone, completely unnoticed. He talked to my uncle and I for 20+ mins, same with Ellefson, but I could tell that Ellefson is/was certainly more shy. FB was talking about shows that he played in the mid 80s, and different shithole gigs that he had played. My uncle hung out with him back in Detroit, MI in the mid 80s, and he couldn't believe that some guy from back then was at the convention, and then went on to explain the history of that gig, now the place is a ghetto (i.e. Detroit), etc. After 20+ mins of what seemed like watercooler talk, he was like "Oh hey, nice to meet you, good talk, I gotta get back to the booth." He sounded like a colleague who was skipping out on booth-duty at a conference. lol.

[@armoredmetalhead1257]

Agree...i met him to...

[@adamhendrickson512]

Then you need to look at Dave Murray, Steve Harris or basically any guy from the Current Iron Maiden line up...

[@joaobc5477]

Harris and Bello are the two bass players with the best stage presence! Bello it's a beast!

[@kyukyu8195]

Bassists are always undereated

[@lolahorvat463]

Yes,but not Cliff Burton

[@Marciot0]

Geddy Lee and Les Claypool as well But they are Gods

[@woag4143]

They are not eaten enough

[@stevelockhart2047]

My one desire, my only wish is to be eaten.

[@lastbraincell5041]

I don't think so! He’s really not....every time I see this is by someone who doesn’t play bass.

[@paulvulcano1]

Geddy Lee, Steve Harris and Paul Mccartney? This guy understand all!

[@adeelahmed1159]

"What I want is the availability of this tool to make your life better. That's what it's about now because this thing made me get out of the rut that I was in. Look, no father, no money, all that stuff, needed heroes. This thing made me feel better about life." My respect for Frank Bello just grew immensely :)

[@bearzden]

I'm not a Bass player but massive respect for all you guys..and as for Frank, that was a great interview man.. what a humble dude and willing to share the gift of music with anyone and everyone that wants to learn...A true Musician...Love that ESP by the way..what a beauty..God Bless ya brother...Barry..

[@GoddessSixx]

I love Frank! Especially when he called Marcy Darcy 'Sir' on 'Married with Children'.

[@tleeg74]

Haha....totally remember that.

[@GoddessSixx]

@@tleeg74 'My Dinner with Anthrax' is my favorite episode of that show for obvious reasons.

[@tleeg74]

@@GoddessSixx 👍👍👍👍

[@brownwrench]

If it just came out of the refrigerator, why is it hot?

[@wilsoncrocker]

wow... i can see colors then played in my world, so awesome

[@slithergore]

I grew up with anthrax. I finally got to meet them all after a show in Killeen Texas. They were my idols when I was a kid. It was awesome!

[@LiveinJogja]

Frank's a great bass player and a great human being

[@hinjurock]

For sure.

[@beetlesazer]

I want a duel with John Myung vs. Frank Bello

[@spamsingles5948]

@@beetlesazer I like Frank, but Myung would easily win

[@beetlesazer]

@@spamsingles5948 yeah. Frank is great in groove, but Myung is great in hands. That's the difference

[@dropdmurphy5689]

Frank and Robert Trujillo made me want to play bass back in the 80's

[@Trey-jl9ru]

Drop D Murphy umm..... you def didnt know who robert trujillo was in the 80s😂

[@dropdmurphy5689]

Really? I'm 42 and have seen Suicidal tendencies and Infectious Grooves in concert... Tell me I don't know who RT is...he joined S.T in 89 after Bob Heathcote

[@dropdmurphy5689]

I love when people try to call you out and have NO clue about WTF they are talking about.

[@hmpz36911]

BootyBleach Ah, you must be a teenage Metallica fan. Every older metalhead and punk I know knew exactly who Trujillo was back then.

[@Trey-jl9ru]

Drop D Murphy In the 80s Robert Trujillo was a door to door salesman. Hes talked about it many times in interviews. Im sure you know who he is. But not then😂

[@EphemeralProductions]

Frank is so cool sweet and genuine. You can tell. ❤️

[@Abudzin]

Damn the thing he said about passing down the torch was so touching. Isn't that crazy how a piece of wood with a couple of thin cables can completely change your life around for the better? God bless this man.

[@roaming740]

now i see why i like him so much cool lines, badass tone, and the same influences

[@Aiden-ee8jg]

Frank Bello is actually my savior. He is one of my biggest influences on bass and Anthrax is my favourite thrash metal band. He even admires the same bassists I do!! If I could ever meet one member of a band it would be him for sure,

[@keefriff99]

Bello is an amazing bassist and a monster onstage...just tremendous energy and stage moves.

[@satanicpanic1313]

Awesome guy .

[@rome8180]

It's nice to hear a great bassist who is a little bit "clanky" with the way he picks. I always pick way too softly because I'm so worried about having a clean sound. But the reality is a lot of that vanishes in the mix anyway.

[@davidnissim589]

Fun fact: Frank is Charlie Benante’s nephew

[@inkslinger6156]

Frank is awesome bassists. Thank you for having him on

[@Diggerdog2nd]

Franks an awesome guy. Very humble. I'm a guitarist but still went to his bass clinic at Guitar Center Orlando in 2012. After talking to him I went & bought a B.C. Rich 7 string & he was cool enough to sign it for me.

[@JTPrime08]

Noice, ha-ha. I play bass and I’m very fond of Frank Bello. He’s an awesome bass player, I love his playing. Anthrax is an awesome thrash metal band, they rule. I also love bass players such as Steve Harris, Jaco Pastorius, Bootsy Collins, Geddy Lee, James Jamerson, Geezer Butler and others. Other than that, cool:).

[@iamgribs]

Frank Bello is one of my bass heroes. He is a tone monster. Great at being in the back but also great at fills. Also how good does that Hartke practice amp sound. Wow.

[@GregBird]

Some of the bass licks in Anthrax songs are some of my favorite metal bass licks anywhere. I like that Bass is front and center in their songs!

[@tvacchino]

Not only is Frank a MONSTER Bass player. But He is a very humble and down to earth guy!

[@littlewoodenboy1971]

He’s so humble & smart - love this guy.

[@blackwolfmedia7773]

I got to meet him with Anthrax a month ago, he’s like the nicest guy of the band, I got to talk to him the most and he gave me a pat on the back 🤘🏼

[@docsinisternefarious895]

I have always been very partial to "Got The Time". The opening bass line, the tone and the sweet line Mr. Bello lays groove to on the breakdown..

[@sebastianhunt9721]

Thank you Frank on behalf of all bass players. One of the most underrated bass players in music.

[@sideburn410]

Frank is an awesome down to earth thankful man.

[@georgecolby7488]

Frank is underrated. So fantastic, i can always hear the great basswork in Anthrax's songs. The basslines in Caught in a Mosh and A.I.R. still blow me away.

[@scottbostic6247]

Man, got your autograph back in 86 when you all were with Megaforce Records. Always thought you rocked and were cool and a hell of a bass player

[@stoutlager6325]

I can relate to that bit about Frank's bandmates telling him he was playing bass parts on guitar in the beginning. I started with guitar as well and over the years I made a hobby of transcribing solo guitar versions of songs, which often wound up being mostly a guitar interpretation of the bass line with some melody high notes mixed in. At some point I realized I may as well just play bass if I like those parts so much. And so I did.

[@tambolero13]

I enjoyed this short talk. Frank is a nice guy to converse to.

[@mzg1237]

Frank Bello is such an amazing bass player, definitely an inspiration for me these days

[@garystrat999]

I relate to frank when it comes to influences and playing bass. Geddy , Steve and Geezer .. these three are my favourites

[@thiagodeandradeneves4585]

Love Frank, one of my favorite bass players in metal. Great presence on sound an on stage.

[@Jimmydale7]

Frank Bello is a true badass. I saw the " For all Kings " show and he was headbanging so hard, I have never seen anybody who's played as long as he has headbang that fucking hard, beyond amazing.

[@hinjurock]

He still has that "Caught In A Mosh" tone - sweet! Frank is a bad-ass bassist, and so underrated. And he's a way-cool down-to-Earth dude as well.

[@TheTrueFortress]

Frank always comes across as a very likeable fellow. Great little interview. Thank you. P.S. That’s a killer-looking bass.

[@SheaRecordmetal]

Love his bass!

[@FreeMTrider]

One of my all time favorite bass players and musicians. Saw them a few times in the late '80s.

[@ajhpower1972]

Just a great guy... I could listen to him for hours.

[@waitindelaney]

Frank and Charlie are an incredible rhythm section. That and Scott's super-tight rhythm make Anthrax a really great band

[@axelpteeg]

Franky's the man .Seen Anthrax countless times and this dude is on every single time .going to see them supporting Slayer on their last tour here in Manchester, England .Cannot wait . i am about the same age as Frank and my influences are virtually identical .Soooo pleased the man mentioned Gene Simmons as a main influence as the guy (love him or loathe him) is such a fantastic rock'n'roll bass player ! (bass players know what i am saying ) . Love Anthrax !! love Franky . Peeeeeaaaace

[@mikeriggio9801]

I met him after a show he is the nicest guy you could ever meet. Told him I play bass and he seemed genuinely excited to talk me about it. He introduced me to the rest of the band like we were old friends and they were all incredibly cool. He want out of his way to get the whole band to sign my ticket, when I was telling him not to because I didn't bother them. He did it anyway. I really can't say enough about how he treated me.

[@SecondaryHomunculus]

Frank has always been an inspiration in my 27 years playing bass.

[@Basstank]

Cool guy and a great player, love his work!

[@Johnhenryguitarlessons]

Great interview! I hadn't realized how cool Frank was as a person. Also the interviewer a very cool guy who knows how to leave room for the featured guest to speak.

[@herculesbrofister265]

All the Anthrax dudes are cool. They have that chill NYC surfer vibe. Not that angry, hostile California stuff.

[@2XxStayFlyxX4]

Frank is always an awesome dude and a very skilled bass player. It was an honor getting to meet him with the band this summer! He's always happy and inviting to talk to, probably the nicest artist you will ever come across. I'll never forget how psyched he was when i gave him a t-shirt of an old rare picture of him and Cliff in the 80s. Hopefully I get to meet him again in the future...

[@danbilotto7785]

Frank Bello and D.D. Verni - best Thrash bassists ever, incredible players and huge tone!

[@peeholio3260]

D.D. is so underrated. The years of decay, D.D. makes that album.

[@jorgerattlehead95]

Ellefson is a great bassist too

[@danbilotto7785]

@@jorgerattlehead95 of course, but his playing is more generic and basic. On the other side Dan Lilker is a monster player but never liked his tone or sound, too raw and fuzzy.

[@tylermui1123]

Proud to say that Frank Bello is the reason I picked up the bass some 9 years ago

[@mrmilehighmaniac]

Frankie is the coolest down to earth musician ive ever met.HE ALWAYS has time for fans .He is real and i love his sound his style and his band ..you rule FB ill catch the pick next time in denver bro

[@mikenicholson1505]

Frankie Bello is an awesome guy. He knows how to make a point in an interesting way. Criminally underrated bass player

[@maricallo6143]

That little Hartke in the back is waay underrated. He should gig with it.

[@HeavyMetalNerd]

I catched one of the picks he threw in a concert.😃😊🤘

[@danzemacabre8899]

Thats rare, i believe he only uses it for one song, so nice!

[@mikeseaquest9246]

Great interview

[@holynarwhale8729]

I thought he was going to say Wrathchild at the beginning.

[@grahamjarman]

w america. good band

[@andrewpappas9311]

Same, it’s one of Steve Harris’s best and the first Maiden song I learned in bass

[@Pogokoala]

Thank you for that frank. Good stuff for us bassist

[@72slayer72]

Frank Bello, always upbeat, always cool.

[@denkgod2272]

So down to earth

[@sleger74]

All of anthrax is underrated players..the drummer is super good

[@anthonyayala2048]

Awesome he is such a cool guy I have always wanted to play bass and have always thought that frankie bello is a great bass player

[@futureskeletons66669]

Frank is a talented bassist and also has a great positive attitude and charisma on stage.

[@mustangv-rt7bl]

for anthrax being in the big 4 they are very underrated

[@rogersgonc]

Frank's bass lines are awesome!

[@metalexposer8895]

finally someone mention Sir Paul is really underrated one of the first bassists who really let bass speak through song.

[@michaelh.8260]

I just cant get over the great bass sound on Among the Living album..best bass sound ever. Just soooo springy!

[@leonardomattarmonteiro6200]

SENSEI FRANK BELLO got a portrait hidden in somewhere... I'm a huge fan for what? THIRTY something years. I'm FIFTY now & he didn't age a thing. LOVE his work with ANTHRAX.

[@tetrodotoxin9782]

Awesome and inspiring 😁

[@kevg1869]

One of the coolest bass guitars i've seen to date.

[@ashd-h4911]

What a great guy.

[@johngilbert1634]

Great player. Even better person. Love that guy. Just good people.

[@MrNihilist74]

That little practice amp he has sounds really nice.

[@Dnll88]

Awesome!

[@Ontariosound]

Great clip.

[@gustavonascimento5467]

I have the same inlfuences in bass, including Frank Bello too!!

[@danielmetal3040]

A great bass player and a great guy

[@vhmgl7330]

That bass ia just beautiful!!!

[@davidcurtis4478]

Cool Frank! Keep Rockin' man 🤘🏻🤘🏻🥁🥁DC

[@kjguzman23]

I saw Frank Bello Live fucking changed my whole life on the bass.

[@drummessiah88]

Thank you for acknowledging Paul McCartney as an underrated bassist. Because he is! Goddamit!

[@mattmelee8132]

He sucks ass dude Geddy Lee, John Entwhistle, John Paul Jones, Bill Wyman all of them were better than Paul McCartney

[@christopherdiedrich40]

@@mattmelee8132 Thank you! I am so friggin tired of The Beatles! Seriously, it's actually nauseating to hear about them anymore. To be fair, though, it's not that I hate The Beatles. It's their fans that I can't stand lol

[@user-xw6uh3yp7g]

They're Alive! Agreed

[@paolocoletti1574]

It's Paul's inventiveness and ideas for melodic lines that defined many songs that people appreciate. A lot of highly technically fast players don't have that.

[@perryborn2777]

Beatles aren't something I ever got into, but when I started playing bass I did learn some Paul McCartney lines (probably poorly lol). He had talent, he didn't overplay, he just served the song, and that's a powerful thing for a bass player. Massive respect for the guy as a musician and writer. My biggest inspirations are Geddy Lee and Chris Wolstenholme now though. They can both bring themselves to the forefront when they feel like showing off, but it doesn't ever feel like its forced. Damn good musicians

[@GhanimaGalach]

One of my all-time favorite bass lines is from Lone Justice.

[@Ikeaman777]

Nice picks man

[@NeedyForMusic]

Dude, that bass!

[@sergiosaviola7940]

I just got 6 Ántrax cassettes today, damm Frank killed the bass!! Specifically among the living. Album!! My favorite bass player!!

[@user-kh8qx1gt2l]

Cool humble guy, Hello from Athens.

[@arysaad6923]

Thanks... Long live Frankie..

[@dftns]

Now makes sense the Anthems EP! Anthem it’s a gem by the way!

[@Patrick-fv6yh]

One of the most underated bassist imo

[@tonysoprano7897]

Such a good guy.

[@SamuraiAcranima]

Frank is awesome !!!

[@garysanders4310]

I freakin love Frankie Bello!

[@ajbrown5247]

Such a good dude!

[@cadenwh8470]

Nice vid

[@bofuscrapshaw]

what a great guy

[@freddyferrillo9704]

Your incredible Frank! Actually you're a top 10 bassist! In any category. Hands down! Oh, and Frank, you're still so NYC! And so is Anthrax! And the "Ny" reflects in Anthrax's music too. It always did! That 1 fact - is the reason that Frank and Anthrax are sacred to Ny & the fans. Especially the older fans. Like 50 and above!

[@sergiodambrosio363]

Harris-Lee-Butler ??? It seems Frank has the same "Holy Trinity" of bass heroes as me!!! Since when I started play bass (and it was 1986...) those three musicians have been my biggest influence as bass players, and still they are... and I'm sure that always they will be! I admit that there are surely most technical players but in their genre no one could do better than them! ... and Frank too is a good bassist...