ANTHRAX bassist Frank Bello has uploaded a video of him playing along to the classic IRON MAIDEN song “The Number Of The Beast”, the title track of the legendary British heavy metal band’s 1982 album, using his signature Steve Harris Fender Precision bass.
In the clip, which can be seen below, Bello said: “Today I woke up in an IRON MAIDEN mood, meaning that I feel like jamming some MAIDEN. So I went to my storage and picked up a specific bass to inspire me to do it. So I picked up this baby. You probably know what it is by now; all of us IRON MAIDEN fans do. This is my signature Steve Harris Fender Precision bass.
“But what’s even more special about this bass for me is that when we were on tour with IRON MAIDEN — ANTHRAX and IRON MAIDEN; one of our many tours we’ve done together — I asked my, I’m honored to say he’s my friend, Steve Harris to sign this, and he did, which makes it even more special for me.
“So, I love this bass. It’s one of my favorites. It sounds great, plays great and feels great.
“So what I would do [is] I would come down to my basement and just jam until the neighbors complain — very loudly. So I think I’ll do that now.”
Bello‘s memoir, “Fathers, Brothers, And Sons: Surviving Anguish, Abandonment, And Anthrax”, is due on October 12 via Rare Bird. The foreword was written by KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons.
Bello, a member of ANTHRAX since 1984, has sold over ten million albums, traveled the globe more times than he cares to count, and enthralled audiences from the world’s biggest stages. His long-awaited memoir would be a gripping read even if its pages only contained stories about his life as a recording and touring musician. While those stories are indeed included — and will blow your mind — Bello also focuses on deeper subjects in “Fathers, Brothers, And Sons”. Once you’ve heard his life story, you’ll understand why.
Born into a family of five, Frank grew up in difficult circumstances. His father abandoned his wife and children, and Frank‘s mother moved heaven and earth to keep them fed and educated. Left with no male role model, Frank found inspiration in heavy metal bass players, following their example and forging a career with ANTHRAX from his early teens — first as a roadie, and then as the group’s bass player.
International stardom came Frank‘s way by the mid-to-late 1980s, when he was still in his early twenties, but tragedy struck in 1996 when his brother Anthony was murdered in New York. Although the case went to trial, the suspected killer was released without charge after a witness, intimidated by violent elements, withdrew his testimony.
Two decades later, Frank is a father himself to a young son. Like many men who grew up without the guidance of a dad, he asks himself important questions about the meaning of fatherhood and how to do the job well. This is the wisdom which “Fathers, Brothers, And Sons” offers readers.
Despite the emotive nature of these topics, “Fathers, Brothers, And Sons” is a funny, entertaining read. A man with a keen sense of humor and the perspective to know how surreal his story has been, Frank doesn’t preach or seek sympathy in his book. Instead, he simply passes on the wisdom gained from a lifetime of turbulence, paying tribute to his loved ones in a way that will resonate with us all.
To pre-order a copy, go to this location.
