"...We started this “thrash” movement. We were one of those bands that came out and didn’t have real video or radio play, yet we were able to attract an audience."

Our correspondent, Alexi Front, was fortunate enough to be able to not only interview the legendary Anthrax once (Joey Belladonna), but twice with two different members in the same night. Join in conversation with drummer Charlie Benante as he discusses the lineup changes throughout the years including working with John Bush, Public Enemy, and more.

Alexi Front:  Well tell me a bit about the Priest tour and what is going on with the tour, how are you feeling?

Charlie Benante:  Well, tonight is the first night of the tour with Judas Priest.  They are one of my all time favorites.  I am very excited to say the least.

Alexi: You did some dates on the Gigantour with Megadeth back this summer.  I guess it was almost like The Clash of the Titans tour.  How was that for Anthrax and for you?

Charlie: The Gigantour dates we did were awesome!  I wish the tour had gone a bit longer because I think it was a kick ass bill!  I’d think we would do something again in the future.

Alexi: What is going on after the Priest tour?

Charlie: We are off for the holidays.  Then we are going to do a series of shows in January and then in April also. 

Alexi: How has the response been from the fans for the reunion?

Charlie: It has been amazing!  It gives these people a chance to see the band they may not have seen in the eighties.  I think the response has been great and I am happy with the reaction.

Alexi: Are you getting the same feeling on stage as you got the eighties?

Charlie: In the beginning, it was all new, so of course those feelings where brought back, so now I am used to it.

Alexi: What is the latest with John Bush?

Charlie: Honestly, we have not been saying a word about what is going on.  I did read something about John saying some stuff.  And whatever, that is cool.  He is speaking on behalf of himself, how he feels and that  is cool.  I don’t want to comment on it right now.  I need to ask John a couple of things but that is between us.  Again, John was asked to do this thing and he decided not to.

Alexi: How do you think it would have ended up had John Bush been on the tour?

Charlie: I don’t know really.  It is hard to say.  I wish, in perfect world, everything would be great.  We don’t live in a perfect world.  I miss John a lot.  He is a great person.  That is the truth.

Alexi: What do you think about the legacy that Anthrax has with the fans and with thrash metal?  What are some highlights?

Charlie: I guess for one thing we started this “thrash” movement.  We were one of those bands that came out and didn’t have real video or radio play, yet we were able to attract an audience.  It was really independently done, which I think was great!  We probably broke down a huge fuckin’ door with the rap rock thing.  We probably did more than we know we did.  We changed the way people looked on stage.  When we would go up on stage with shorts, we looked totally different from other bands.  Sure enough, people dressed differently. 

Alexi: How did the “Bring The Noise” and “I’m The Man” come up as ideas?  Why did you decide to go forth with rap rock?

Charlie: With “I’m The Man,” that was our interpretation of what rap was at the time.  Rap was still very new at that time.  We wanted to do something completely different; we loved rap music, Run DMC and stuff like that.  The original idea was to have the Beastie Boys do the rapping on the song, but our schedules just didn’t meet.  We decided to do it ourselves, and what was a B-side ended up becoming a huge thing!  It took us a couple of years to do something that was real and really strong, and that was the thing with Public Enemy.  After that we didn’t think we could top ourselves, so there was no point in trying to top ourselves.  Why would we try to force ourselves to do it when, in a sense, it was a very natural thing we did?  How can you force yourself to do something like that?  It would have been wrong.

Alexi: Do you think you brought together two different scenes that would have not have been brought together had you not gone on tour with Public Enemy?

Charlie: I think that on that tour, I think a lot of the rap audience stayed away and we got the white audience and some college kids.

Alexi: In the long run, do you see what happened with the nu-metal, did you hear anything you did in that stuff?

Charlie: I saw a lot of it!  The problem is, we were on the cusp of the whole thing, and I don’t think people were that ready for it.  Then some bands came by a few years later and totally capitalized on it.

Alexi: Will we hear some new tunes from the reunited Anthrax lineup?

Charlie: I don’t know yet.  I think we are coming closer to our answer, but I couldn’t say yet.

Alexi Front (alexi@pivotalrage.com)

We'd like to thank Alexi for submitting this article and to the Anthrax camp as well.

Click here for photos of the band from the 2006 Reunion Tour

&

Here for photos of the band from the 2005 Reunion Tour