WRIF Virtual Rock Room with Anthrax's Frank Bello
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00:00Thank you so much for watching Riff TV. Now, this interview is obviously with video, but I don't interview everybody on Zoom.
00:07That's why I put it on my Talkin' Rock with Meltdown podcast. We talk to rock artists from all over the genre.
00:13So check out Talkin' Rock with Meltdown wherever you get your podcasts. And now, to today's video interview.
00:20Now, we've made the connection. Frank, how are you, man?
00:23I'm good, Meltdown. It's weird because I know exactly, exactly what you're going through.
00:28When that application thing comes up, I get intimidated right away because I don't understand anything about it.
00:34I'm like, where are the experts? I have no brain for this. And I'm like, I'm out. I'm out. So I understand where you're at.
00:40Yeah, for those that don't know, we had a little bit of a computer glitch here before we started, but things are fine right now.
00:46But look at that. You got the record and everything behind you, man. You're all set up.
00:50I'm a self-promo boy. I'm learning how to do this whole game here. You know, I've been doing this for a while.
00:55Right.
00:55But here's the deal. The truth is, when you come out from the band and you do something on your own, you're on your own.
01:02Right.
01:03Yeah.
01:03You're on your own. I learned that in a big way. Even when I did the Altitudes and Attitude with Dave Ellison, I had my partner Dave to help me.
01:12This, I feel like, go and do it. You know, it's everything on you, nonstop, everything, which is fine.
01:18Look, this is what you sign up for. But I didn't realize that it was just nonstop, which is great.
01:24So people are digging the songs and that's the most important part to me.
01:28Well, let me ask you about this since we're on this topic now.
01:31You know, like guys like Corey Taylor and Nikki Sixx and guys, they're constantly doing different things.
01:36It seems like in the past, I don't know, since I've known you the past four or five years,
01:40you've really started to ramp up your presence, doing side projects, doing books, doing all sorts of stuff.
01:45Is this as you're getting older, you're doing this stuff or do you feel the need to branch out a little bit or what's this all about?
01:52Organically, that stuff just happens. COVID came, right? The book came because of COVID.
01:58Joel McIver, my co-writer and I have been talking about that, as you know, for a while, but there was never time.
02:03I was always on the road. Joel had different projects. So when COVID started, I remember it was in this room in my basement and he called at the right time.
02:12I was looking at the four walls and say, because everything was shutting down. You know, I'm in New York.
02:16Everything was shutting down. There was nothing to do. It was that time. It was like, I said, yeah, I think this is the right time to do it.
02:22And that's when we started the book via internet. And with the music, you know, I've always done, I'm always writing music, you know, for myself.
02:30I have files. I have like, when I write for Anthrax, that's on a separate file. For myself, it's here. So there's different things.
02:38This stuff came out, this EP, a shameless plug here, Then I'm Gone, the EP's called. Three song EP.
02:45I wanted to give a little flavor of what I do on my own. I wrote the book and, meltdown, dude, I thought I got rid of all this stuff, that angst, like from abandonment, you know, the loss of my brother.
02:57I thought, you know, what happens is, you go through these traumatic times in your life, you go to therapy, and you kind of compartmentalize them.
03:04You put them, you think you put them away. What I didn't know is when you write a book, all that stuff comes out, and it's right here in your face again.
03:13And yeah, you think, all right, I finished the book. It's cathartic. It's great. Thank God it's out again.
03:18That stuff was just right here in my gut. And when I'm in a bad way, we've talked about this before, when I'm in a bad way, I pick up a guitar.
03:27I pick up a guitar, and whatever that outlet that I need, somehow it soothes me and gets it out. I write. That's what happens.
03:34The angst I had from the book came out in the songs. That's what it is. So it's really a continuation of the book.
03:39And, I mean, really, the subject matter of the lyrics is pretty much in the book, you know?
03:46So are you expecting to feel the same way now with the music out that you did after you put the book out?
03:52I think I'm good. Like, look, we all know I'm a mental case anyway. So that's a sidebar.
03:57But I think I'm okay, man, because that usually, it's like taking an aspirin for a headache for me.
04:03It really gets it, it lets it go for a while. And I think I know where it belongs. It's a compartmentalized thing.
04:10So I think I'm okay right now. But I never stopped writing. So I guess it's good fodder for writing all this stuff.
04:16And angst and heavy rock and the stuff I write for anthrax also. So I think it all works.
04:21Now, obviously, for people that haven't heard the music, they, well, let me ask you this.
04:27What are people saying this sounds like? Because it doesn't sound like anthrax.
04:30But I have it in my brain. Let me see what people are saying.
04:34Well, you know, I get a lot of great comparisons, which is great.
04:37I'll always get the Foo Fighters. I'll get stuff like that. And that's fine.
04:42And people just like that I'm branching out. It's a different rock take.
04:46And it's heavy rock. I don't intend for it to be metal.
04:50This is the stuff I just wanted to do on the side. I had this music on the side.
04:54And I figured, man, it's not anthrax. That's cool. Because anthrax has its own respect.
04:58Right.
04:58This is something cool that I'm into.
05:00I've always been into hard rock. That's how I started this stuff with music.
05:03So it's just it's me branching out.
05:06I mean, I mean, look, I have in me, I have the Clash.
05:09I have all that stuff. So it's been compared.
05:12And that's a great compliment for the Clash stuff and all that.
05:14What do you hear? I mean, I'm interested. You're my friend.
05:17No, I hear the Foo Fighters. That's exactly.
05:18That was like one of the first I'm listening to it and kind of took me a few minutes.
05:21I'm like, it doesn't sound just like the Foo Fighters, but it has that free flowing, just, you know, just throw things at the wall kind of attitude.
05:32You follow what I'm saying?
05:32Yeah, absolutely. I mean, look, I'm a Husker Du fan.
05:35I don't know if you know the people out there who know Husker Du.
05:37I'm a big Husker Du fan. Bob Mould, please listen.
05:40If you haven't heard of Husker Du, please listen, because it's amazing.
05:43Bob Mould, people are comparing it to that, too.
05:46So and I know Dave Grohl is a big Husker Du fan and Bob Mould fan.
05:49So maybe it's all one.
05:51And that's all. Look, these are great people to be in company with.
05:54And it's the ultimate compliment.
05:57Look, that's the stuff I grew up on.
05:59I still listen to that stuff and whatever.
06:01If it all comes out within song, that's great.
06:03So unlike Dave, he plays drums and stuff.
06:06Why didn't you play drums in this?
06:08I'm not good enough. Dave's great on drums.
06:10I'm not good on drums.
06:11You know, I could play guitar.
06:12I could play bass.
06:13I could sing a little bit.
06:14And I just I heard myself play.
06:18I said, no, somebody's better than this.
06:20So, you know, you know what your strengths are.
06:23And look, I had this great studio cat.
06:25That was awesome session, dude.
06:27He was awesome in New York City and he was wonderful.
06:30So it was not a problem.
06:31I mean, I had the drum machine for the demos.
06:34I said, do this.
06:35Just make it better.
06:36And it was really easy and it was seamless and it worked out well.
06:41And I tell you right now, I can't believe I did not expect the reaction that we're getting
06:46for this EP because, look, this, to be honest, this is a branch out.
06:51I get it.
06:52Frankie, Frank Bello, he's in Anthrax.
06:54You know, when you when you come out of that, what is he doing?
06:56What is he?
06:57I get it.
06:58I understand.
06:59But what I want to say is thank you for opening, like giving an open ear and trying it.
07:03So the people that have done it and it's getting some radio play now, which is cool.
07:07And that's all new to me.
07:08I have no I don't know that world, which is great.
07:11Right.
07:12It's just my music where people are catching on to it.
07:14I love it.
07:15You know, it's available on iTunes.
07:17It's all in the streaming format.
07:18So if you haven't heard it, everybody out there, please give it a shot.
07:21Now, speaking of Anthrax, what what what kind of conversations take place when when you're
07:26doing something like this with your with your bandmates or do you guys just kind of do what
07:29you want?
07:30We do what you want.
07:31That's the great thing about Anthrax is everybody can do whatever they want because it all comes
07:36back to Anthrax.
07:37It's the home base.
07:39I think something like this makes Anthrax stronger because it gets out certain stuff that I can't
07:44get out with Anthrax, which is which is fine.
07:46So everybody's got their solo.
07:47Joey's doing a journey cover band thing, which is awesome.
07:50Right.
07:50Everybody does that.
07:51John's doing his other is a living wreckage thing.
07:54You know, Scott's doing Mr.
07:55Bungle.
07:56Charlie's doing Pantera, obviously.
07:57So I think that's all great because we're all going to come back in.
08:00We know where home is.
08:02So I think it's really healthy for the band to do this stuff.
08:05By the way, when I saw you guys in August, John is such a great guitar player.
08:11I didn't realize it.
08:12He's a burner.
08:13He's a burner.
08:14In my opinion, John's one of the more underrated guitar players because, you know, John's so quiet
08:19and shy.
08:19But when he plays, man, he speaks volumes.
08:22He's just incredible.
08:23He's that guy.
08:24I mean, guitar players know how good John is, you know, but he's just that that little extra
08:30flavor in our music that I love.
08:31It's it just puts that extra element into it.
08:34Yeah.
08:34And I am not a guitar player by any stretch of the imagination.
08:36I sit in the crowd and just, you know, actually, I sat in the crowd and watch you guys last time.
08:40I'm not sure if I told you about this or not, but Todd Evans was well, first, he was standing
08:45in front of me.
08:46And those who know Todd Evans know he's six foot six.
08:48Yeah.
08:49You know, so.
08:51All right.
08:51Enough laughing.
08:52OK, I'm my five foot six frame and a hard time seeing around him.
08:56No offense.
08:57Right.
08:57Exactly.
08:58But Todd was in a guar for a little while.
09:00He was a beefcake.
09:02Do you know, Todd?
09:03I don't know him.
09:03No, but I know who he is.
09:04Sure.
09:04Yeah.
09:06But that's I mean, look, I'm I'm five nine.
09:08I'm so I'm sure to do that.
09:09I'm not I'm not I'm not up there.
09:10So I get it.
09:11I am here.
09:12I'm a small little Italian guy.
09:13Yeah.
09:14As a matter of fact, our mutual friend, Tim, text me from a part of the room.
09:18He's like, hey, come on over here.
09:19I got a spot for you.
09:20And so I'm like, dude, this is your spot behind this guy.
09:23And then I'm and then and then I turn over and Nick is standing next to me, our friend
09:27Nick, you know.
09:28So, of course, you know, I'm sure Tim was like this around, you know, looking around.
09:32He couldn't.
09:33Tim's pretty short.
09:35Exactly.
09:36All right.
09:37No, enough of this stuff.
09:38This this inside baseball.
09:40Yeah, it is inside baseball stuff.
09:41So as far as anthrax go, you just mentioned that Charlie is doing Pantera.
09:45So does let me ask you about this.
09:46Does he come and ask you for advice on that or how do you find out about this?
09:51I knew about it.
09:52Well, he came to all of us and I thought, look, if they understand, we were very, very,
09:55very close with Pantera.
09:57We were we're a family.
09:58That's our family.
09:58So if there's one guy in the world to play drums and pay tribute to this thing, it's
10:06Charlie Benanti right off the bat.
10:07He was very close with Dime, very close with Vinny.
10:09We all were.
10:10We all were.
10:11So that's family.
10:12So what I look at when I look at this is it's for people who haven't seen this thing and
10:19it should be this.
10:20These songs should be celebrated.
10:22And for me and having Charlie Benanti play those songs, I think it's going to be great
10:28for Charlie because Charlie people know Charlie is a great drummer, but the world doesn't
10:32know how great he is.
10:33I mean, I want people to get the spotlight on Charlie because I want to I want them to
10:37see how really what I see all the time, how great of a drummer he is.
10:41And and really, he's going to get Vinny.
10:43I mean, I'm excited because I think Charlie's going to do it the right way.
10:46So is Zach.
10:47So I think they have the right band there.
10:49You know, remember, I'm friends with these guys and, you know, Rex, Phil, these are family
10:54members to me.
10:55So I think it's a great celebration.
10:57I'll be there watching it.
10:59I can't wait.
11:00I think it's a it's a great thing for even can you imagine the people that haven't seen
11:04this?
11:04I'm going to see these songs live.
11:05That's a great thing.
11:07So I think it's great for metal.
11:09I think it's great for to pay tribute to Diamond Vinny.
11:13I'm looking forward to it.
11:14I think I mean, I think when people see they're going to they're going to bug out because
11:17they're going to do it right.
11:18Well, it is kind of weird because, you know, obviously, you know, Anthrax has been around
11:21since, you know, 1984 and Slayer and Megadeth and Metallica.
11:25All these bands are still going.
11:27But there is a huge chunk of metal fans, maybe 35 and under, who never saw Pantera.
11:34Yeah.
11:34And that's what I'm excited for them, to be honest.
11:37You know what I mean?
11:37Why not?
11:38I live through them kind of.
11:39It's like, yeah, man, wait till you see this.
11:41This this music should be celebrated.
11:44We're part of this metal, this metal thing, this metal family.
11:47When people haven't gotten to see this stuff live, man.
11:50Yeah.
11:50I understood Diamond Vinny rest their souls.
11:53You know, God rest their souls.
11:54But they would be happy, I think, seeing this because Charlie, you know, we're family.
11:59And Zach, they were family to those guys.
12:01So I think it's a big celebration.
12:03So I'm excited.
12:05I like calling it a celebration.
12:06I like calling it a tribute.
12:07I'm not crazy about calling it Pantera, but that's just me.
12:10No, I get it.
12:11I totally understand.
12:12For me, it's a celebration because, look, I've seen Pantera with Diamond Vinny.
12:15So this is very much family to me.
12:18It's just like this is a tribute to seeing this greatness, this great thing that Pantera was.
12:25So I just think it's very positive.
12:27There's no negativity at all.
12:28It's very positive that these songs that these guys made are going to be celebrated now.
12:34People are going to be able to see this.
12:35So, hey, I'm there.
12:36Yeah.
12:37So you just talked about Joey doing this journey thing.
12:40Have you seen him do this before?
12:41No, but Joey's great.
12:42You know Joey's voice.
12:43Joey's incredible.
12:44So he's got a great voice.
12:46He's a diehard Steve Perry fan.
12:48Joey, it's going to be great.
12:50You know, I'll go see.
12:50When Joey plays local, I'll go see it.
12:52We support, you know.
12:53The way I look at it, it's another great extension of the Anthrax thing.
12:58So everybody's getting their little thing going.
13:00That's cool.
13:01And we'll all come back to Anthrax when it's time.
13:03Yeah.
13:03Smart.
13:04And then the other night I saw Wasp with Armored Saint open up.
13:07And John, I don't know, John's like sick or something right now.
13:10I think, what's his name?
13:12Jason from Dangerous Toys is actually.
13:14Great voice.
13:14Jason's got a great voice.
13:16Absolutely.
13:16I think I'm supposed to go see him tomorrow.
13:20I don't know if John's singing or not, but I'm friends with all those guys anyway.
13:23So, you know, awesome.
13:24I'm excited.
13:25Yeah.
13:25Listen, you're just talking about, you know, radio playing stuff.
13:27And I remember when I got back, when I got on the radio back in the 1920s when I first
13:31started and I was playing like, you know, got the time and Armored Saint songs and all this
13:35stuff.
13:35And it's like John's voice, man.
13:38I'll tell you what.
13:38He is so good live.
13:40Dude.
13:40He John's John's voice is, it's got that beautiful rasp.
13:44It's a natural rasp.
13:46And look, sometimes you're on the road.
13:48You know, sometimes shit happens.
13:50You just can't, you know, sometimes you get raw and you play night after night and that
13:55happens.
13:56We're all getting older and it's not as easy as it used to be.
13:59But it's not even that.
14:00That's something you could just have a cold that lands in your throat.
14:03That's part of the game that people don't know.
14:05You just get a normal cold and stuff lands in your throat.
14:08All of a sudden it's shot, you know, and you got to wait a couple of days.
14:11Doc gives you a prescription.
14:13You got to take it and you clear up.
14:14So, you know, tomorrow I'll probably, I'll see John because I know he's on the tour.
14:18I'll probably have dinner with him tomorrow.
14:19So just to hang out with my friends again.
14:21I mean, I'll see that.
14:22It's going to be a great show.
14:23I'm not worried about that, but it's just to see Joey.
14:25I love these guys.
14:26Well, you know, you know, better than anyone about the Petri dish that is that tour bus.
14:30And when you're traveling around, as a matter of fact, last time I saw you,
14:33the picture I posted, you were about 18 feet behind me.
14:38Dude, it was ridiculous because we got COVID, Joey, Charlie, and myself, all at once.
14:45We all got COVID at the same time.
14:47I mean, for Anthrax, for us to cancel the show, it's got to be pretty bad.
14:51We play with high fevers and flus and everything.
14:53We play through everything.
14:55But that COVID thing, I mean, we got lucky by only canceling two shows.
14:59But it was a rough one.
15:01And I, you know, I tried everything, but I think Joey, Joey, it just landed in his throat.
15:07And it was just, so we couldn't go.
15:09It made sense, but.
15:11Yeah, but, you know, being in a band has got to be a lot like being, you know, part of a team or whatever.
15:15And whenever there's one guy that's like kind of not feeling it, you guys probably all know about it.
15:19And do you try to, you try to like kind of run cover for them?
15:22Yeah, dude, even on that, I was learning the vocals.
15:28And I learned the before the tour in case something did happen to Joey with COVID, blah, blah, blah.
15:32So we were going to get ready to go.
15:33But unfortunately, Charlie, Joey, and myself all had it at the same time.
15:37So I couldn't even get up there and sing.
15:39So I was going, we were going to try it.
15:40We were going to go for it.
15:41Scott was going to do some stuff.
15:42I was going to sing some songs.
15:44It didn't work out, but I'm kind of glad.
15:46I'm kind of glad Joey was better right away.
15:48So, yeah.
15:49So what do you, what's, what's, what's, what's going on with Anthrax right now for 2023?
15:54Well, 2023 right now, we, we have a show in Mexico City on the, I think the third or fourth, something like that.
16:00Mexico City, Heaven and Hell, I think the big festival is called.
16:04Right at the start of the year?
16:06What?
16:06Right at the start of the year?
16:08No, in December.
16:09In December.
16:10I'm talking about next year.
16:11What do you got going on for anything?
16:12We have the, we're doing the second leg, which is awesome.
16:15Look, we did this, this leg with BLS, Black Label and, and Hatebreed last run.
16:20And that was incredible.
16:22We couldn't believe the numbers that were coming out.
16:24The shows weren't sold out.
16:25They were packed.
16:26Yeah.
16:26So during that tour, I remember everybody, the promoters were coming.
16:30We want to do another leg, blah, blah, blah.
16:32Sure.
16:32We're having a ball.
16:33Let's do this.
16:33People are coming out.
16:34It's going well.
16:35So this is a second legs on this one.
16:37We have, um, Anthrax BLS and, uh, Exodus on this one, which is, which is awesome because
16:43they're our friends forever.
16:44Great band.
16:45So it's a great package.
16:46Again, that starts, I believe, January 17th going through, um, through the state.
16:52So look it up on anthrax.com.
16:53Yeah.
16:53Now that you mentioned it, I think that, uh, you are coming through, uh, Michigan.
16:56I want to say Soaring Eagle and, uh, the end of January.
16:59So cool, man.
17:00Good.
17:00Come on.
17:00Well, I'm good.
17:01Yeah.
17:01I'll have to, uh, come and check you guys out, but any writing, any, any, any notes you're
17:06jotting down for the band?
17:07What's going on?
17:08Anthrax is writing.
17:08I mean, my, my, you know, our public society, she's going to kill me if I talk more about
17:12it.
17:12Cause she says, do not talk about it.
17:13She told me right before this, but, um, uh, yeah, I, I could say, look, we are writing
17:18a record and there will be another Anthrax record when that record comes.
17:22I can't be certain, but something is going to come out.
17:25I don't know if it's a full record next year or a single, whatever we're working hard.
17:28And, um, I can't promise anything.
17:30Cause then they're going to say, why'd you show you that?
17:32Why'd you, there will be something.
17:34It's very, very heavy.
17:35I'm very happy with it.
17:37Uh, we have so far, uh, and it's going well, it's going well.
17:41Yeah.
17:41I can remember talking to slash three years ago and he said, the new GNR record, what's
17:44going to worry, but they were working on dude, Matt.
17:47Yeah.
17:48So you get it, you know, and it's, it's hard because to just now that COVID's done, it's
17:53nice to just to get together.
17:54Scott, Charlie, and I have to, we have to get together and see each other.
17:57You have, you have to know what, what works and what doesn't and feel each other out.
18:02And, um, that's the only way it works.
18:03We tried this, the latency and everything else.
18:06It wasn't the vibe we needed.
18:08It wasn't, it wasn't working for us.
18:09So now that we can get together, it's, it's really, um, it's a lot better, but now there's
18:15so many different projects, you know, the whole things that are going on around us.
18:18So now we're trying to get together again.
18:20We'll, we'll be working though.
18:21All right.
18:22All right.
18:22Some fun things here to wrap things up here with you, Frank.
18:25I texted Bumblefoot.
18:26I'm like, Hey, give me a question for a Frank.
18:28And I don't know.
18:28I don't have a question, but I love Frank.
18:30He's one of my favorites.
18:31Tell him I said hello.
18:32So you know how Bumblefoot is.
18:33I love Bumble, man.
18:34How, how great is Bumble?
18:35Look, people know how great he would be a guitar player, but how great of a singer he is.
18:39And he puts the magic together when like I, he played guitar with altitudes and attitude.
18:45He came on tour with us, which I love.
18:46We had a ball.
18:47The soundtracks were my favorite times because we'd just be jamming something and he'd bring
18:52this obscure song out and he just, it's a one man show.
18:55It's a one man show.
18:56You just let him go.
18:58And it's, it's like fun time.
18:59I just, I just stopped playing.
19:01I'm loving this.
19:02And that's what we did.
19:03I just, I love playing with the guy.
19:05I love hanging.
19:06He's just a good person, you know, and multiple, multiple talents.
19:09Right there.
19:10Awesome.
19:11Yeah.
19:11That guy can play any song and he will tell you that too.
19:14He can play anything you tell him to play.
19:16You know what?
19:16The great confidence he has because he can, he's got the, he's got that.
19:19He's got that magic, which is awesome.
19:21He's, he's one of those obscure, great guitar players and he's a great singer too.
19:25So it all works.
19:26It's nice.
19:27And he's a super nice guy.
19:28Oh, beautiful person inside and out to his family.
19:31All good.
19:31You know, his wife is awesome.
19:33They're all good people.
19:34So your friend, Dave Ellefson, you know, I talked to him the other day and it's funny.
19:37You got that kiss poster behind you, obviously a huge kiss fan.
19:42And it was, I was talking with someone the other day.
19:44I think it might've been Tom G warrior.
19:46And I said, yeah, a lot of, a lot of guys our age, like, yeah, I, he, he said that kiss
19:51didn't really play that big, uh, an inspiration over in Europe.
19:54And I'm kind of getting off on a tangent.
19:56I wasn't going to bring this up, but, but it's kind of weird because you started thinking
19:58about that and you're like, yeah.
19:59Like, you know, you guys and Ellefson and I think, uh, I can't remember who else I've
20:04taught several guys.
20:05It's kids, but we're all Americans.
20:07It's, it's strange how that happens.
20:09Yeah.
20:09But you know what, you know, it was such a, I guess kiss blew up in America first, you
20:14know, and it was very influential, but then it just spread everywhere.
20:17Look at, look at kiss now though.
20:19Look at, look at this internationally.
20:20Now it's massive area.
20:22You have to tip your hat to kiss.
20:24Yeah.
20:24Even if you don't like kiss, you have to tip your hat.
20:27All I know is these guys have been doing it quite a long time and they're doing it still
20:31this, is it, how long is this tour now?
20:34It's incredible.
20:36It's a, this farewell tour is forever, but you know what?
20:39I still see the packed stadiums and packed arena.
20:42You know, there's something amazing about that.
20:44People still want to see kiss.
20:46Uh, so look, Gene wrote the forward to my book.
20:50I love these guys with all my heart.
20:52So they've been very inspirational to me throughout my whole life.
20:57When I was without a dad, I looked up to people like kiss.
21:00They made me, made me feel better when I was younger.
21:02So I don't know.
21:04There's something deeper than just music and the spectrum that the spectrum that is kissed.
21:09You know, I just think it's, it's bigger than that.
21:11They're bigger and they meant more to me than just music.
21:14That's for sure.
21:15Yeah.
21:16Ellison wanted me to ask you about the forward that, you know, Gene Simmons did.
21:19How do you, how do you reach out to Gene Simmons and ask him to do a forward?
21:22How does that all begin?
21:23Easy enough.
21:24Not easy.
21:25Writing with Joe MacGyver, we were talking about who should write the phone.
21:28Cause we were bouncing names off of each other.
21:30And he brought up, uh, what do you think about Gene Simmons?
21:33I said, there's no way, no pot.
21:35There's no way he's going to do it.
21:36There's no way.
21:37I would love that.
21:38If you can make it happen.
21:38He goes, let me give him a call.
21:40Don't you know, the next day he calls, he calls me back.
21:42Gene's in.
21:42Like what?
21:44And then, and then Gene writes this beautiful, beautiful forward that I never, I never heard
21:51him speak like that.
21:52I've known Gene quite a long time, many conversations with him.
21:56Uh, I've met his mom, rest her soul, beautiful, beautiful soul.
21:59Um, I never heard him talk about his dad and that beautiful forward that he wrote for my
22:05book and talking about his dad, which I never did.
22:08I never heard anything.
22:09I never read anything about that.
22:10Uh, it was really, it really touched me.
22:12It really, I was, I didn't know he understood where I was at.
22:16I really didn't.
22:17And then Gene, this is Frank, the fan, the Gene fan, Gene talking about my playing and
22:23how he really dug in and listened to my playing, how much he liked it.
22:25And like, it was really, it was overwhelming to tell you the truth when I first read that
22:30forward.
22:30So yeah, that's a big deal for me.
22:32So that's Joe MacGyver made that happen.
22:34And I didn't expect it.
22:35And I didn't expect such a beautiful forward from him.
22:38And I don't know if you know this or not, or if you saw it, but, uh, our mutual friend
22:41JD from black label society just met Gene for the first time.
22:45I saw it all, you know, base and everything.
22:47I love, I love JD.
22:49He's got the ax base sign, which is, I'm going to, yes, I think he's bringing it on a tour.
22:53So I'll be, I'll be playing that thing.
22:54Um, awesome.
22:56That's what we, I love JD.
22:57We're very close.
22:58So, um, I saw that all on the, on the kiss cruise, which I always wanted to go on the
23:03kiss cruise.
23:04I always want to play.
23:05I would love anthrax.
23:06I would love, look, my solo thing, kiss cruise people.
23:09Listen, I'll come and play.
23:10I'm, you know, let's just do this.
23:12I would love to do that.
23:13My friends play at my, you know, Todd Kearns, right?
23:16Yeah.
23:16Todd Kearns.
23:17Yeah.
23:17Yeah.
23:18Yeah.
23:18You know, Bruce Kulik's band, um, they play all the time.
23:22I think they're great.
23:22They're awesome.
23:23They play eighties kids and they play it amazingly.
23:26Right.
23:26Get that quarantine, man.
23:28Yeah.
23:28They do.
23:29It's awesome.
23:29They're just awesome.
23:31Yeah.
23:31I don't know if it's called, I know it's the Bruce Kulik band.
23:33That's what they play.
23:35There's that one with Jericho that he does all the time with his friends.
23:38Oh, that's a different thing.
23:38That's great too.
23:39I love Chris too.
23:40Yeah.
23:41Awesome.
23:41These are all my friends.
23:42So it's, it's, it's hard, you know?
23:43Right.
23:44Um, but yeah, that kiss cruise thing, man, that was, that's just fun.
23:47You know, one day I'll get on that.
23:48Yeah.
23:48And you can tell him that your assistant meltdown needs a, needs a cabin as well.
23:52Absolutely.
23:52Well, he's right here.
23:53He's right here.
23:53My assistant has to come with me.
23:55And by the way, one of the reasons I really like JD is because there's not many guys I'm
23:59taller than in this business.
24:00And I can, I can say, by the way, I'm taller than Dan Spitz too.
24:06And it's been a long time.
24:07Yeah.
24:07Oh, wow.
24:08I think about this much.
24:09I say nothing.
24:11I love Danny.
24:12I know.
24:13Danny's good people.
24:14I'm just teasing.
24:15All right.
24:15Final thing here for you.
24:16Uh, Don Jameson wants to know why you look like the Orlando bloom of thrash.
24:21He's got a good point there.
24:22Oh, dude.
24:22Is that, that's a compliment.
24:23Thank you for that.
24:24That's a compliment.
24:25Cause he's a, he's an actor, right?
24:27He's a good looking actor.
24:28I'm not a good looking, but I don't know what that.
24:30Yeah.
24:30Orlando, not Don.
24:32Yeah.
24:32Orlando.
24:32Didn't Orlando, didn't he married Kate Perry?
24:36Um, what's her name?
24:37What's her name?
24:37Kate Perry.
24:38No, not Kate Perry.
24:39What's her name?
24:39I don't know.
24:40I don't know.
24:40Don, Don Jameson always brings up these references and you know, I got to along with it.
24:44Oh, I'll take it.
24:45You know what?
24:46I love Don.
24:47I haven't seen him in a long time either.
24:49You know, we used to hang a lot when the metal show was around.
24:51They should bring back the metal show too.
24:52They should do all this stuff for metal.
24:54It's so easy.
24:55Yeah.
24:56Jameson.
24:57Say hello to him for me.
24:58Yeah, for sure.
24:59I will.
24:59Well, Frank, thanks so much for the time.
25:01Of course, the EP is out.
25:02Your book, everything.
25:03We'll look forward to seeing you.
25:04Yeah, I forgot about that second leg of the tour next year coming to mid-Michigan.
25:09So yeah.
25:09Yeah, man.
25:10It's going to be a good one, man.
25:11Looking forward to it.
25:12Tickets are doing well.
25:13From what I've heard, they put the tickets on sale and they're doing well.
25:15So everybody who haven't gotten their tickets yet, please go out and get your tickets before
25:19they sell out.
25:19So they're supposed to be doing well.
25:21In the meantime, everybody, I'm all over the place.
25:25I'm trying to sell this EP.
25:26Thank you for listening.
25:27That's all I've said.
25:29Yeah.
25:29And by the way, those concert tickets make great stocking stuffers, right?
25:33They do.
25:33That's right.
25:34Good idea.
25:35And so does the Frank Bellow EP.
25:37That's right.
25:39You got to do it, man.
25:40What else are you doing?
25:41All right, Frank.
25:42I really appreciate your time.
25:43We'll talk to you soon.
25:44Thanks, Meltdown.
25:45Be good, kid.
25:45Be good.