Anthrax Interview

As one of the iconic BIG 4, ANTHRAX is a legendary figure in the Thrash Metal World. From their humble East Coast beginnings on Megaforce Records, with original vocalist Neil Turbin, Anthrax has maintained their staying power through multiple eras, different vocalists, including classic era, and current vocalist, Joey Belladonna, and the notable John Bush era, where they didn’t miss a beat, releasing the classic albums Sound of White Noise, and Stomp 442. With the writing core of Charlie Benante, Scott Ian, and Frank Bello, basically intact since the band’s inception, their pummeling Thrash style altered the absolute core, redefining the word “Metal” for generations to come, and their tongue in cheek style, connection to hip-hop, pop and street culture, and ground-breaking collaborations with artists like Public Enemy, helped break down the walls between genres, and made Thrash Metal accessible to a whole new legion of Music fans. In 2016 the band released their latest album For All Kings, and in typical Anthrax fashion, set out on a massive World Tour, logging hundreds of shows, and thousands of miles, including support slots for SLAYER and Lamb of God. Thom Hazaert caught up with drummer Charlie Benante to talk about Coffee, Tour Life, and getting on a big fucking boat. So are you excited for the MEGACRUISE? Charlie Benante: Yeah! I’m really excited. I get a chance to do things on it that I don’t

necessarily do, like have a coffee thing, and then jam with some friends, so yeah, I’m excited. Yeah, we’ve been talking about the jams, and you guys are maybe gonna do some KISS stuff, it looks like it’s gonna be really fun. Charlie: Yeah. So I’m always interested in doing that type of stuff, you know, it’s kind of an extension of what we do, and like where we came from, to bands that we like. We get up and do some of these things, and that’s fun, ya know? And that’s always, as a huge Anthrax fan, that’s always been so cool is you guys were always sort of blasting out your influences, covering them, like the stuff on Attack of the Killer B’s, cool KISS covers, and Black Sabbath, and that’s always been kinda part of the fabric of what Anthrax does, is just really paying tribute to the stuff that you guys like. Charlie: Absolutely. And we really pay close attention to detail. So tell me about the coffee. Well, tell everybody who doesn’t already know about the coffee. Charlie: Coffee thing started, maybe, I’m going back, 10 years ago, or more. I mean I’ve always been a coffee fanatic since I was a little kid. Actually Mustaine contacted me about doling a coffee a while back, and it was something that was always brewing, no pun intended, in my mind. So yeah, I started doing that with him, and then that kinda fell apart, but I always had the desire

to do it, and the passion, so I did it on my own. I found a roaster, and just put it out. And then the guys at Dark Matter Coffee in Chicago, we kinda hooked up together, and we merged, and lo and behold, this is what we have. Like I said, it’s not something I just put my name on. Every aspect of it, i’m involved in. That’s the same with me and David and Ellefson Coffee, and I know you guys have done a couple interviews together and talked about that. But we were involved with every step, from selecting the beans, to the roasts and the flavor profiles. And that’s what’s so cool about your coffee, too, is that you are so involved in it, and really passionate about the process of coffee. Charlie: Absolutely. So what is your set gonna be like on the cruise? Any surprises? Anything interesting? Charlie: Actually we were thinking about certain things for the cruise that we don’t necessarily do normally. So I think that we’re gonna try and throw in some things that are kinda obscure, so people will be like, “Oh, it was kinda cool that they pulled that one out.” You know. But again, only on the water, not on land. Oh, that’s it. It’s kinda like, it’s in international waters. So it’s ok. Charlie: (laughter) Absolutely. So we’ll see about that one. So you guys are writing some stuff now, right?

Charlie: I’ve been writing this album for quite a bit now. Now, it’s starting to really come together, where I’ve been meeting with Scott, and Frank’s been there, and you know, sending them demos of stuff, and now it’s actually starting to take shape. It’s starting to sound really good, and, just, it has a very aggressive tone to it this time, which is cool. And maybe, it’s our surroundings that are making it sound so aggressive, you know what I mean, the World.

Definitely. Speaking of aggressive, you guys have been touring a ton, including a lot of shows with SLAYER on their farewell tour. What’s that been like? Charlie: That’s been crazy. I mean, it’s been kinda bittersweet, because, you know, we’ve been on these shows where it’s the last time they’ll be in that specific area, I can just see it on their faces, especially Tom, that, yeah, it’s coming to an end. And then we’ll be in South America together, and then I’ll see them in Vegas, in November, for my birthday. It’s the 27 th , and they are playing on my birthday, so I said, “Alright. I’m going to Vegas. Fuck it.”

It really is kind of the end of an era, though. I mean, that’s the end of the BIG 4, right there. Charlie: Yeah, and who knows what the

other bands gonna do. I saw some thing the other day about one of our brothers going back into rehab, so I’m hoping that he’s ok.

Obviously Mustaine and his health, you guys, all, have gone so hard, for so long. I mean, honestly, I don’t think there’s a harder working band in the fucking World, than Anthrax. Charlie: I know I got the airline miles to prove it. I would love to see you fucking MILES+ statement Charlie, I’m not gonna lie. (Laughter) So what’s next Charlie, just writing this record, staying busy on the road? You guys are still out for a while, right? Charlie: I swear this record has taken us almost 3 and a half years of, seeing people’s faces. I wanna slow down a bit though.

How many shows, if you had to put a number on it, would you guess that Anthrax has played in your 30+ years as a band? It has to be an astronomical number. Charlie: Oh my God, dude. I couldn’t even guess. That would be one of the hardest.. That’s a good trivia question. But I really have no idea.

Thom: We should try and figure that out someday. Even, like, a ballpark. It just has to be insane.

Charlie: Yeah, it would be pretty crazy. I mean all of us, together, different bands, have toured like constantly. Maybe Metallica would have us beat, a little bit maybe. But they’ve slowed down recently, so..

I dunno, can you? I talk to Frank all the time, and he’s like, “Oh, I’m in Europe. Oh I’m in Japan. Oh, I’m home for one day.” It’s insane. You guys, it’s just, unfucking-real. Charlie: I don’t like, you know you’ll be at a meet and greet, and someone will come up with a shirt of yours, and on the back will be

Thom: Yeah, even through the 90’s, the 2000’s, Anthrax was always touring fucking hard, man. You guys never stopped. And have never not been fucking awesome, ya know?

Charlie: Well, thank you. It just goes to show that we enjoy playing.

-Thom Hazaert