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All images courtesy of Her-Fitz PR/Feature image courtesy of Getty Images/Loudwire

By Andrew Daly
andrew@vinylwriter.com

After over forty years in the game, Frank Bello has nothing but gratitude for both his place in heavy metal history and in the hearts of his fans.

For Bello, the Covid-19 pandemic proved revolutionary, with the longtime four-stringer releasing his first book in the form of the autobiography Fathers, Brothers, and Sons: Surviving Anguish, Abandonment, and Anthrax, and also recording his debut solo EP, Then I’m Gone.

To say that Bello laid his soul bare through these endeavors would be an understatement. Still, Bello never could have imagined the book’s impact, which saw fans from far and wide relating to the heavy metal master in ways once thought unimaginable.

As for the EP, that too acts as an extension of Bello – both the man and the musician – and will further serve to connect Anthrax’s longtime bassist with fans, both new and old, across the globe.

As he prepares to hit the road and take the stage once again with #Anthrax, Frank Bello (@TheFrankBello) carved out some time with me, where among other things, we hit on the origins and importance of his book, the writing and release of his debut EP, his memories of his years with Anthrax forty-years on, and a whole lot more.

Andrew:
Thanks for being here, Frank. I wanted to start with your book, Fathers, Brothers, and Sons: Surviving Anguish, Abandonment, and Anthrax. The book deals with some pretty heavy issues. What made now the right time to unleash these stories?

Frank:
Well, I’ve lived a life. I’m not saying my life is the most interesting, but I’ve lived this life. I have all these stories – some of which I’ve never told – and they affected me. I started writing, and more kept on coming, you know? It just all kept pouring out. All of these great memories came back, and a lot of pain too. The real reason is that if I can do something that can make people learn from what I’ve been through, then this is a win. In the end, the book is about abandonment. Abandonment is a big deal in my life, and it still is, Andrew. I wake up every day with it. I have to adjust my mind to it, learn how to live with it, and live a better life.

So what I’m finding out is that after I put the book out, and I read the letters and the emails, I was, to be really honest, I was kind of overwhelmed with the outpouring of connection that I got from people. And that, dude, I’ll be honest with you, that means more to me than anything, honestly. I mean, it’s just me telling my story. This book is me telling the story of my life, and not just part of it; I told the whole story. I mean, there’s nothing else in my life left to tell, I put it all out there, man. And I was really worried about that, it scared me because I just didn’t know that so many people would connect with it.

It’s been so gratifying because so many people have told me that this book helped them a lot. To the people that this book has helped; you have no idea how meaningful that is to hear because that’s the whole point. You know, if I can pay it forward, and make somebody grow through hearing about some of the ugly times that I’ve had, and hearing how I got through it, if that can help them along, and get on the right path, then it’s all worth it. That’s what this is all about for me. It’s about paying it forward and making people be able to live better.

Andrew:
You’ve got a new solo EP on the horizon called The I’m Gone. Given that your perception was perhaps altered in the aftermath of your book, how were the themes affected by that shift?

Frank:
Well, it was one after the other. I mean, what happens when you write this kind of book is that you have a lot of emotion leftover, and that comes in the form of the after-effects. After you take on something like this, you have to digest it all, and I digested it through these songs. I really had a lot of angst, because the book brought up a lot of stuff that, to be honest with you, I went through therapy for, and I hadn’t touched on in a while. So, I thought I was kind of over it all, but songwriting has always been cathartic for me, so that helped me process it all, and digest it. So yeah, you’re gonna hear a little more anger in these songs in terms of the content and stuff, and that’s directly coming from the book and that process.

I just thought it was a good time for it because if people got into the book the way they did, I think they can get into these songs and those same themes through music. You know, maybe that’s the next passage, or maybe that’s the next thing after the book to help them through whatever they’re going through. I thought it was good for me, and I know that it was cathartic. So maybe if one person feels that way too after I get these songs out, and they hear them, then maybe those songs have done their job, you know?

Andrew:
Would you say that Then I’m Gone is a companion piece to your book?

Frank:
Here’s what I think: I think it all had to happen. I think that I was compelled to do this, and so I just picked up the guitar one day, collected all these ideas, and feelings, put them in one place, and I put it all together. And once I did that, it all made sense. It just all came out, and it came together. So, yeah, in a way, it is the second part of the book. So, what’s going to happen with this EP is that there’s going to be a paperback version of my book that’s coming out along with it. I think the date is November 4th. What happened with the songs was that I was gonna put these out separately, but my publisher wanted to hear them first. Well, they heard them, and they loved them. They loved them enough that they took them, and bought them from my record company. It was great. They felt so strongly about them, that they bought them, and are going to put them out alongside the paperback of the book. I’m really proud of that, and in a way, I was really touched that my publisher was connecting with them like that. So, they thought the book would be great in connection with the songs, and that’s why we’re going to put them both out at the same time, which is going to be fun. I’ve never done anything like that, so it’s kind of cool.

Andrew:
Historically, you’ve been responsible for a lot of the melodies we hear in Anthrax’s songs, right? So my question is, how did that experience lend itself to your work on your solo EP?

Frank:
I look at it as all one and the same, you know? We all write songs, and I’ve written a lot of music for Anthrax in the past. I write, we all write, and it ends up going into the machine. It’s a group effort, which a lot of my melodies have worked out well for, and I’m happy about that. But when you take on something yourself, especially something that is a very personal thing to me, especially the songs, it’s just an extension, which is something that’s just got to come out. It’s a lot like the book in that way if that makes sense. With the EP, I just want to pay it forward and have fun with this. And if you remember, I did a side project with Dave Ellefson a few years ago called Altitudes + Attitude that a lot of people liked. I’m very proud, and I’m very happy about that. When I look at this EP, I feel like this is an extension of that. If people liked Altitudes + Attitude, then I think they will like Then I’m Gone. I really think that these songs would probably go well on that record or a record like that. I almost see them as an extension of those songs. So if you like the Altitudes + Attitude record, you’re going to like this. It’s more like an extension of that.

Andrew:
Before the book, and this EP, a lot of your fans probably felt as if they knew you in a way. To that end, do you feel you’ve extended a new portion of yourself to the masses now?

Frank:
Yeah, I do. I mean, look, I try to be a good person. That’s the bottom line. I’ve lived long enough where I just say, “I don’t want it to be an asshole. There’s no reason to be a dick.” In life, there’s no real reason to be a dick, right? I just want to live a good life. There’s so much stupidity going on in the world, so why not create a good atmosphere and a good vibe? I know that I’m sarcastic by nature but in a fun way. I try to be that, but you know, there’s a lot of rage inside me from my upbringing. And that comes out in the songs, the book, and all that stuff. It’s there, but I try to focus it in a positive way. So, I think people have got a good taste of who I am in the book, but there’s always the inner rage. It’s always there, and everybody knows that it’s with me and that there’s always going to be this burning fire inside me. I think that’s why I like heavy music, and I think that’s why I like writing music. I write music because I need to get this angst out. I think we all connect like that, you know?

Andrew:
As far as the EP’s instrumentation is concerned, is it only you playing, or did you invite any guests to join you?

Frank:
It was only me because it was during COVID. You can send tracks out through email, and have people record with you that way, but I just found it easier to do this by myself. I went down to New York City, I got a session drummer, who’s a great drummer, we tracked it and got it done quickly. It was so easy because I did it mostly in my basement, even the vocals. It was just a really at-home kind of vibe. I just thought it would be fun to do everything because this one was so personal, and I wanted it to be right when I heard it back. So for this one, I said, “Why would I even play with this? I’ll do this one with just me.” I mean, later on, when I do more solo work, I’m definitely gonna have a lot of good friends that with me where we can jam. Over the years, I’ve made a lot of great friends around the world who are great players. So in the future, I will definitely work with others on my albums. For this, just because it was COVID times, and I was in my basement, I did it this way. As I said, the only help I had was with the drums. I’m not a great drummer, so that’s why I got a session drummer. But I felt like I could certainly handle the guitar, bass, and vocals. Overall, it was all pretty easy. It made it so that I didn’t have to bother anybody else. You know, COVID times are not the best times to ask for favors. [Laughs]. I figured, “Let me just get it done my way, and just do it myself right now.” But yeah, later on, I’d definitely like to jam with outside musicians and a lot of my friends.

Andrew:
Flipping over to the Anthrax side of things, as I understand it, the band is working on a new record. Are you at liberty to talk about it?

Frank:
I still can’t say much, if anything, but what I can tell you is that I’m very happy with where we are. But it’s not ready yet. You know, when it’s ready, it’s ready. Andrew, you know how crazy we are with our music. [Laughs]. We have to digest all of it because we want to make sure it’s the right record and that we’re ready for it. I can say that I’m pretty psyched about it though.

Andrew:
Will it be a progression from All The Kings or something in the same realm, so to speak?

Frank:
I think life is a progression, right? We’re living through some hard days, but I can tell you that there are a lot of good things happening in this band right now after being cooped up for so long. And that’s from all of us, not just from one of us. I think it will reflect. I think through music, we’re reflecting on what we’ve been feeling, and believe me, it’s very interesting.

Andrew:
How has the band’s songwriting process evolved over the years?

Frank:
I honestly think we’ve grown into better songwriters. I just think we know each other so well now. We know what works, we know how it works, and we know where we’re coming from. I mean, the best way to explain this is we’re coming to it as fans first and foremost. We’re fans of this music, and it gets us feeling really crazy. So crazy, that through this music, we’ve got to let it out. What’s changed, is that now we make sure that we know when it’s right, and when it’s not right. If you can bring it to the stage of the recording where you say, “Wow, all right. This is Anthrax.” It’s gotta be that, or it won’t work. I think we know each other pretty well, and we bounce off of each other. Look, I’m not going to sugarcoat this, there is some tension sometimes when we write, and that’s fine. I think that’s actually good for the music and the intensity of the music. Tension happens, and it has happened, and it will happen. I think it’s all par for the course at this point, but I think we’ve grown and we respect each other as writers as well. And I think it’s important that we’ve grown to be able to do that.

Andrew:
How would you best describe your approach to the bass? How has that evolved over the years?

Frank:
It’s always been the same. With my basslines, it’s all about the song. First and foremost, it’s all about the song. If you’re gonna write a bassline, it’s got to add to the song. That’s always my approach when I write a bassline. I like to tell a little tasty story outside of the song that’s going to enhance the song and make it even more enjoyable. I never want to get in the way of the song though, it’s all about the song first. I learned that from my heroes. I learned that from Geezer Butler, John Paul Jones, Geddy Lee, and guys like that. That was my training when I was younger, it was from those guys. So I learned that, and I tried to emulate those guys as much as I could, and as well as I could. They are the headmasters, and I’m still a student, and I still feel like a student. At the end of the day, for me, it’s still all about the song. No matter what, that will always be my approach.

Andrew:
Anthrax has been a band for over forty years. From your perspective, what does the band owe its longevity to?

Frank:
I think it’s not being afraid to write what we write, not being told what to write, and just being free with our ideas. I think that’s most important, you know? That’s the lifeblood right there. Just letting the music speak for itself and not being afraid of crossing boundaries like the stuff that we did with Public Enemy. We never held back, and for us, it always made sense to approach it that way. You can’t be held down, not only as a musician, or a writer, but as a person too. I think that’s really important for us. The way we look at it is, “Fuck that, man. There are no walls here. We’ll break down those walls.” This is music. This is supposed to be art. So, I think that’s important for the lifeblood of Anthrax, and as long as that continues, and as long as we genuinely love what we do, we’ll continue to go on. You know, feeling that way is important, because it’s the only way you can get through a two-month tour of playing the same songs every night. [Laughs]. You really have to love the songs, and we do. We always have, and I think that’s critical. You have to put everything you have into the songs, and not be afraid of what people say. We’ve always been ourselves, and that’s why we’ve lasted so long.

Andrew:
To that end, what is it about Anthrax that most sets you apart from the other thrash-era bands?

Frank:
I just think we have our thing like every band has their thing. What Anthrax has is great heavy music. I think it’s music that builds, and with Joey’s voice over the top of it, and with it being so melodic and catchy, it brings a different kind of vibe. That vibe is who we are. That vibe is Anthrax. The other side of it is we can have fun with stuff, and we do a lot of deep cuts, and covers that we have a blast with. We do these awesome covers of the heroes that we’ve grown up with, and who influenced us. I think that’s part of it too. So, I think we always have shown that certain heaviness, but it’s not only the heaviness, it’s also the tongue-in-cheek stuff that shows we’re genuinely having a good time. I think that’s a huge difference-maker.

Andrew:
If my memory serves, you started your journey with Anthrax as a roadie when you were sixteen or seventeen. Is that right?

Frank:
Yeah, man. And you know what? I wear that as a badge of honor. I was a roadie, but not a very good one. [Laughs]. I have to say, I was not a very good technician, as we don’t call them “roadies” anymore. We call them “technicians” now. I think it would be a stretch, to say the least, to call me a technician, because I barely knew how to change strings at that point. If I had to take a guitar apart or change a neck, then I’d be calling some friends over to help. [Laughs].

Andrew:
When you look back on your early days, Frank, what would you say are a few things that have been most surprising to you along the way?

Frank:
That this is a lot of work. To be honest, people think it’s like you just jump into these big places, and play to a lot of people and stuff. There’s a lot of shit you have to go through, and you’ve got to put your nose to the grindstone, honestly. I remember the early days and I remember them fondly, man. I remember traveling in the van with the band, and the crew. I remember being in the van for hours and sleeping upright in there because there were no hotels. And if there was a hotel, everybody shared the same shower and the same room for the day off. Man, those were great times, and I look back on them so fondly. We were living on like five bucks a day – the whole day- that’s breakfast, lunch, and dinner. That’s what we got per day, and some days it was barely that. But those were great things, and those were great times because that’s what builds your character. So for the younger bands, you’ve got to know that this is a hard business. It’s a really tough business, but you’ve got to go through all of it so you can relish it later on. You have to pay your dues and earn your keep, you know what I mean? It’s really important that you go through those times, to realize how fortunate we are to be making a living doing this.

Andrew:
What is the thing that you have the most gratitude for?

Frank.
The fans. Straight out, dude, the fans. The fans are still here forty years later, and I thank you all. I’m sure that it sounds like a line but it’s really not a line. It’s the honest truth. I am genuinely passionate about our fans. I thank them because there’s a lot of competition out there. There are a lot of bands, and these fans – our core fan base – have always been there. There’s even a whole new fanbase that we were getting coming in, who is just finding out about Anthrax. I love those fans too. I am just so grateful for those that have stayed with us throughout, and I have to credit them and thank them for that because we couldn’t do this without them. We couldn’t do this without them, and that’s the God’s honest truth. I always say, “Never forget where you came from.” You can’t forget about the fans. It’s all about that. You have to realize that we’re very fortunate to be in this position. We’re very fortunate to be able to go on tour and celebrate this music. I think it’s important for everybody to remember that, and for the fans to know that.

Andrew:
Last one. What does the future hold for both you, and Anthrax, Frank?

Frank:
Well, the immediate future is I’ve got get my ass in shape for the stage. [Laughs]. Because this COVID thing, and being in my basement for so long has got me out of shape. You can do as much yoga, run on the treadmill, and all the other bullshit you want, but it doesn’t get you in stage shape. So what I just did is I joined this spin class at this gym. It’s going to kill me, man. It’s rough. [Laughs]. Aside from that, my bass chops are sounding pretty good because I’ve been playing a lot lately, so I’m really happy with that. I’m just looking forward to getting back into the rhythm of a tour. I haven’t done it now for over two and a half years. I’m not used to that because Anthrax has never been away from the stage for that long. So it’s gonna be quite fun and quite interesting at the same time.

We’re also going to keep writing, and doing all the extra work we need to do with the album. I have this EP with my paperback coming, which is out on November 4th. You can go to my website, and get all the information for preorders. I have a new Charvel signature bass too. I just signed with Charvel, which I’m very happy about, and I’ve got a new signature bass that’s coming out in September. The preorder is available now. So, there are a lot of great things happening across the board. I’ve just got to keep moving, you know what I mean? We all just have to keep moving, because now the music business is starting up again. Everything’s revving up now, and I’m pretty excited about the future, and hopeful too.

– Andrew Daly (@vwmusicrocks) is the Editor-in-Chief for www.vwmusicrocks.com and may be reached at andrew@vinylwriter.com