Frank Bello, bassist of Anthrax, has released Fathers, Brothers, and Sons: Surviving Anguish, Abandonment, and Anthrax. Bello’s memoir was co-authored with Joel McIver and includes a foreword by Gene Simmons of KISS.
Bello- the bassist with the legendary New York thrash metal band Anthrax since 1984 and one of the “big four” of thrash metal – has sold more than 10 million albums, traveled the globe more times than he cares to count, and has enthralled audiences from the world’s biggest stages. He and his bandmates have even been awarded keys to the Bronx in recognition of their status. 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, Bello grew up in difficult circumstances. His father abandoned his wife and children, and Bello’s mother moved heaven and earth to keep them fed and educated. Left with no male role model, Bello 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 Bello’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, Bello 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, Bello 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.
Joel McIver is the bestselling author of Justice for All: The Truth About Metallica, which has been translated into nine languages, and several other books. He has written for Rolling Stone, The Guardian, Metal Hammer, Classic Rock, and he is the occasional guest on BBC. Classic Rock magazine has called him “by some distance Britain’s most prolific hard rock/metal author.”
Fathers, Brothers, and Sons is available in hardcover, e-book, and audiobook and retails for US $28. Signed hardcover copies available at rarebirdlit.com. A percentage of sales will be donated to charities assisting abandoned families.
THE SYMPHONY OF ROCK 
Frank Bello, bassist of Anthrax, has released Fathers, Brothers, and Sons: Surviving Anguish, Abandonment, and Anthrax. Bello’s memoir was co-authored with Joel McIver and includes a foreword by Gene Simmons of KISS.
Bello- the bassist with the legendary New York thrash metal band Anthrax since 1984 and one of the “big four” of thrash metal – has sold more than 10 million albums, traveled the globe more times than he cares to count, and has enthralled audiences from the world’s biggest stages. He and his bandmates have even been awarded keys to the Bronx in recognition of their status. 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, Bello grew up in difficult circumstances. His father abandoned his wife and children, and Bello’s mother moved heaven and earth to keep them fed and educated. Left with no male role model, Bello 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 Bello’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, Bello 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, Bello 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.
Joel McIver is the bestselling author of Justice for All: The Truth About Metallica, which has been translated into nine languages, and several other books. He has written for Rolling Stone, The Guardian, Metal Hammer, Classic Rock, and he is the occasional guest on BBC. Classic Rock magazine has called him “by some distance Britain’s most prolific hard rock/metal author.”
Fathers, Brothers, and Sons is available in hardcover, e-book, and audiobook and retails for US $28. Signed hardcover copies available at rarebirdlit.com. A percentage of sales will be donated to charities assisting abandoned families.
Share this: