Frank Heim

Links:

https://punktbar.de
https://www.saltatio-mortis.com
https://badloverz.com

Interviews & Links:

Gesichter Ruhr - „Geil – Bass! Keine Akkorde lernen und nur vier Saiten." - https://gesichter-ruhr.de/interviews/frank-heim/

Rotary Magazin - Mit Band und Bass auf der Bühne - https://rotary.de/kultur/mit-band-und-bass-auf-der-buehne-a-22308.html

Saltatio Mortis (Bassist Frank) Interview über "Für immer Frei" | Mindset | Entrepreneur | Zeit - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INmCIsLPKUs

Zuhause in Essen - 60 - Saltatio mortis - Frank Heim - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Me2yJ5lRJ10

IHK Magazin MEO - Vom Küchentisch zur Agentur: punktbar - https://www.meomagazin.de/vom-kuechentisch-zur-agentur-punktbar/

EMP x Full Force School Of Metal How to play metal bass with Frank Heim of Saltatio Mortis - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTlaUEeGWgQ

Frank Heim – The versatile musician and entrepreneur

Frank Heim, born in Karlsruhe in 1980, is a prominent figure in the German music scene and a successful entrepreneur. He is best known as the bassist for the successful medieval rock band Saltatio Mortis and as the co-founder of the digital agency punktbar.
Musical beginnings and career Frank's musical journey began in 1993 at the age of 13, inspired by bands such as Scorpions (“Wind of Change”) and Guns N' Roses, whose concert at the Wildparkstadion in 1993 was his first. His decision to play bass was pragmatic: while his friends wanted to play guitar, he thought to himself, "Awesome – bass! No chords to learn and only four strings." Although this idea was quickly disproved, he developed a deep passion for the instrument. At the age of 18, Frank began teaching bass and later completed a bass degree at the Jazz and Rock School in Freiburg and in Munich.
Saltatio Mortis – From temp job to headliner He came into contact with Saltatio Mortis in 2006 when he was teaching at the music school of the band's guitarist at the time. When the bassist at the time was unable to perform, Frank helped out with studio recordings for the album “Aus der Asche” (From the Ashes). This collaboration led to him joining the band full-time in 2007. Saltatio Mortis, founded in 2000, developed from a street band with drums and bagpipes to a successful rock band with medieval elements, incorporating electronic influences along the way. Frank, who was not originally a fan of medieval music himself, adapted to the band's philosophy and played a key role in shaping it.

With Frank's involvement, Saltatio Mortis has achieved five number one albums in the German charts, including “Für immer Frei” (Forever Free) as the fourth in a row. A highlight of his career was headlining the Wacken Open Air 2025 on the band's 25th anniversary, directly before Guns N' Roses – a moment of infinite gratitude that saw the band perform in front of tens of thousands of celebrating fans in the pouring rain. As a bassist, Frank has played various types of bass and integrated techniques such as alternate picking, plectrum, slapping, and popping into his musical work.

punktbar – The path to self-employment In 2011, Frank Heim moved to Essen to live with his current partner, Denise Nelle. Here he found inspiration in Tim Ferriss' book “The 4-Hour Work Week,” which inspired him to build a location-independent business in 2012/2013. He taught himself website development and founded the digital agency punktbar together with Denise Nelle in 2014.

From the outset, the agency's vision was maximum flexibility and remote working. What began at the kitchen table has developed into a successful company with 17 employees. punktbar offers services such as web design, graphic design, online marketing, and corporate communications for a wide range of clients – from heavy metal bands to industrial customers and universities. Frank and Denise value flat hierarchies, trust, flexibility, and a culture of continuous learning. Frank is enthusiastic about future developments such as video communication and artificial intelligence, with the focus always on reaching people.

Personal and philosophy Frank Heim describes himself as a loner who spends a lot of time with his own thoughts, but at the same time has a keen interest in other people's life stories. His desire for a self-determined life is deeply rooted; he is willing to work hard because he does it for himself and his projects. He has not drunk alcohol since 1997, a decision that stems from his mother's alcohol problems.

He appreciates the open and honest mentality of the Ruhr area, where he has lived since 2011, and feels more at home there than in southern Germany. He meticulously organizes his time management with a calendar, as he considers time to be irreplaceable. He is out and about every day with his rescue dog Pelle, a former street dog from Crete, which keeps him active. Frank's philosophy is to love the process of learning more than the result and to constantly develop himself further. If he had to depict his life in a comic, he would be Batman – not because of his wealth, but because he uses his abilities for good causes and otherwise has his peace and quiet.