New Interview with Charlie

[Social Distortion]

I'm not a Journey fan either. But I have heard both and they do sound the same. It CAN be done, but not as easily as replacing a player.

To prove my point, do you think this new Journey singer can also replicate the voices Ozzy AND Halford AND Peter Steele AND King Diamond AND Bruce Dickinson AND Tom Araya. I doubt it. He can replicate Steve Perry, but probably not so much the others. But give any guitar player the same equipment that any 10 guitarists use, and you will most likely find the sound is much more closer, and harder to tell the difference.

Of course not, why on earth would Journey's singer sound like Peter Steele? They're like 11 octaves apart!

I will eat my underwear if you give a random guy some gear and he instantly sounds like EVH. It's all in the fingers.

 

[Stompmosher]

Yes I know many things. I now there are many other drummers that could more than handle playing Charlies drum parts and not many people other than extreme musical nerds would notice any difference

I saw them play on the reunion tour with Jason Bitner from Shadows Fall and he played Charlies songs note for note to the point that most people in the audience didn't even know he was a replacement drummer for the night.

I am not saying Charlie isn't an amazing drummer.

My point is you just can't swap out a lead vocalist for a night, you would have to cancel the show. If a vocalist got sick for a few weeks or so you'd cancel a tour. If Charlie got sick you just plop another drummer in there and nobody knows the difference.

Same thing with the guitar players and bass players. You can replace them fairly easily.... Andreas Kisser played for Scott Ian and if you closed your eyes you wouldn't have noticed much change in ANthrax's sound.

But if you stick a new singer up on stage it will all of a sudden seem like a cover band.

The singer is the most important part of a band no matter what the rest of the band members may think about it. That is why a lot of times record deals are structured so that the singer gets more than the rest of the band members.

That is also why drummers get pisssy like Charlie. I don't blame him it should be equal all the time. BUt thats not the reality

Every Muso is as unique as every singer. I dont expect non Musos to understand. So I guess that qualifies me as a "Muso Nerd" as you put it. I saw footage of Jason Bittner filling in for Charlie, he did an amzing job, however he is not in the same league. His feet are great but he cheated with his hands in the fast bits. That's besides the point though as the average fan couldn't tell the difference, in pretty much the same way with Lars, people don't care if he doesn't keep exact time, as loger as the show as a whole is great, which it is, cant argue with the happy faces after every show. So I do get what you say about the singer, but you call tell the difference with Musos. If anything Andreas downpicked more that Scott, his tone was different, different equipment...ect. For the record I'm a rythm guitarist, can paly all Anthrax (and other stuff)

 

[Stompmosher]

The only clear difference you hear is when you replace Lars Ulrich in Metallica for someone else.

That was done at the "04" Downdload festival. Joey Jordissen and Dave Loambardo filled in for Lars that night. Individaully and Technically, they were great, but the songs were way way overplayed and it ended up ruining the songs. Being the fastest of technically great means jack shit if the band sounds like shit.......I rest my case..............

 

[ShadowOfTheWave]

I always thought there must be more showing up for Joey, his era is definately regarded as their golden years. It just BUSH fans are great at getting together and bitching online about JOHN BUSH not being in the band anymore, that it seems like there's more of them.

Bushthrax definately has a cult status though, they could have been bigger those years, they just didn't reach the audience they were trying to appeal to.

 

[Stompmosher]

I always thought there must be more showing up for Joey, his era is definately regarded as their golden years. It just BUSH fans are great at getting together and bitching online about JOHN BUSH not being in the band anymore, that it seems like there's more of them.

Bushthrax definately has a cult status though, they could have been bigger those years, they just didn't reach the audience they were trying to appeal to.

Agreed for the most part. I'm an Anthrax fan, I favour niether

 

[ironmaidenfan09]

Every Muso is as unique as every singer. I dont expect non Musos to understand. So I guess that qualifies me as a "Muso Nerd" as you put it. I saw footage of Jason Bittner filling in for Charlie, he did an amzing job, however he is not in the same league. His feet are great but he cheated with his hands in the fast bits. That's besides the point though as the average fan couldn't tell the difference, in pretty much the same way with Lars, people don't care if he doesn't keep exact time, as loger as the show as a whole is great, which it is, cant argue with the happy faces after every show. So I do get what you say about the singer, but you call tell the difference with Musos. If anything Andreas downpicked more that Scott, his tone was different, different equipment...ect. For the record I'm a rythm guitarist, can paly all Anthrax (and other stuff)

You can say what you want. But what happens in a lot of bands is the lead singer gets all of the recognition. That creates jealousy between the rest of the band. Then the singer gets more $$$.

For instance in Cannibal Corpse Chris Barnes got fired simply because he was getting ALL of the attention as being the main guy for Cannibal Corpse. The other guys in the band were like 'fuck that its all of our band not just his' and got rid of him for George Fisher who doesn't even write his own lyrics.

IN this case with Anthrax Charlie and Scott have huge egos and are control freaks. They can't handle anyone besides themselves getting the attention, credit or more $$$ than them. They treat Joey like a dog, they want him to sing how they want him to sing instead of just letting him do what he does.

Charlie can cry all he wants about being equals. But if he was replaced by another ripping drummer not many fans in attendance would honestly give a shit. But if you take Joey out of the mix a lot of fans will notice and not be happy. In this case too Joey has saved their ass. If he didn't agree to come sing on this album and do these big 4 tours Anthrax would be dead in the water. If Charlie decided to not do a big 4 tour and Jason Bitner filled in it would make no difference to most people.

 

[Stompmosher]

But if he was replaced by another ripping drummer not many fans in attendance would honestly give a shit. But if you take Joey out of the mix a lot of fans will notice and not be happy. In this case too Joey has saved their ass. If he didn't agree to come sing on this album and do these big 4 tours Anthrax would be dead in the water. If Charlie decided to not do a big 4 tour and Jason Bitner filled in it would make no difference to most people.

Did'nt I kinda say that? My point was musos are just as unique as singers, thats all.

 

[Stompmosher]

Actually I can see Chuck and Scotts point of view. Scott is a co-founder and chief lyric writer, Chuck is the songwriting life blood of the band and without a doubt has the hardest job in the band. If they really wanted all the glory and attention, they easily could have had almost every song as written by Ian/ Benante and collected all royalties, much like Hetfield/Ulrich. But no, the did Joey a huge financial favour by saying all songs by Anthrax or listed all names as co-writers, go now and check your CD collection. I can see why they can be frustrated with Joey at times. He got royalties for songs he only sang on, not wrote. This is not a Joey bash, I love the guy, just pointing something out.

 

[ironmaidenfan09]

Actually I can see Chuck and Scotts point of view. Scott is a co-founder and chief lyric writer, Chuck is the songwriting life blood of the band and without a doubt has the hardest job in the band. If they really wanted all the glory and attention, they easily could have had almost every song as written by Ian/ Benante and collected all royalties, much like Hetfield/Ulrich. But no, the did Joey a huge financial favour by saying all songs by Anthrax or listed all names as co-writers, go now and check your CD collection. I can see why they can be frustrated with Joey at times. He got royalties for songs he only sang on, not wrote. This is not a Joey bash, I love the guy, just pointing something out.

It is also one of the reasons for their downfall. Scott and Charlie haven't really been too great in the song writing department the better part of 20 years. They could have certainly used the help of others. They didn't do anyone a favor imo. They can go write all the songs they want and keep all of their royalties but without Joey and John they wouldn't have sold any albums and would have made nothing. It is not like Joey or John didn't want to be involved in the writing process Scat and Charles just blocked them from doing it.

Even in this latest song "im alive" the only parts of the song I like are the sound of the vocals and the guitar leads. Obviously Scott and Charlie didn't write those leads and didnt make Joeys voice sound the way it does. So the weakest parts of that song are well, the main song itself. The accents to the song are the best parts imo. And yes I am giving a compliment to Rob here.

 

[Stompmosher]

It is also one of the reasons for their downfall. Scott and Charlie haven't really been too great in the song writing department the better part of 20 years. They could have certainly used the help of others. They didn't do anyone a favor imo. They can go write all the songs they want and keep all of their royalties but without Joey and John they wouldn't have sold any albums and would have made nothing. It is not like Joey or John didn't want to be involved in the writing process Scat and Charles just blocked them from doing it.

Even in this latest song "im alive" the only parts of the song I like are the sound of the vocals and the guitar leads. Obviously Scott and Charlie didn't write those leads and didnt make Joeys voice sound the way it does. So the weakest parts of that song are well, the main song itself. The accents to the song are the best parts imo. And yes I am giving a compliment to Rob here.

I cant argue that without Joey or John, they would have made nothing, absolutely, it's more about discrimation, if it were any other industry, there would be lawsuits LOL. I respect that you dont like I'm Alive, fair enough. You never know, it may grow on you.

 

[Darkofeden]

Dear god, some of you just need to chill the fuck out and just enjoy the new stuff.
Or if you don't like it, listen to something else.

 

[ironmaidenfan09]

I cant argue that without Joey or John, they would have made nothing, absolutely, it's more about discrimation, if it were any other industry, there would be lawsuits LOL. I respect that you dont like I'm Alive, fair enough. You never know, it may grow on you.

Yeah I am sure once I get the actual CD and listen to the entire CD there will be some good stuff on it. I have to get over the fact that Anthrax is no longer a thrash metal band. That is tough for me. It's like Testament or Slayer not being Thrash any more. They could still maybe put out well written non thrash music but it just wouldn't work for me.

I am just a bit baffled why the band continues to make music that is more like the past few records when it's obvious MOST.. NOT ALL Anthrax fans prefer their earlier sound. If they are in this for a business, the best 'business' decision would be to do what pleases more fans. But I really do believe they continue to want to try and make an album that breaks them into a more mainstream hard rock audience. Basically that same audience that Metallica was able to break into and make zillions from. But it just hasn't worked for Anthrax and I really don't think it will be much different with Worship Music.

I truly believe in my heart that Worship Music will get a good enough 'buzz' to get the interest of all of the old School Anthrax fans that left them many years ago. They will see that Joey is back and expect that Anthrax may have finally gone back to their thrash metal roots, but when they hear songs like Im Alive of The Devil you Know they are not going to be pleased and it will backlash.

But hey thats just my opinion. If people don't like my opinion they can follow a few others and put me on ignore

 

[Anthrax_Mosher]

What about when 'Fight Em Til You Cant' started getting played live and people said it sounded like ATL/POT era?

 

[ThraxDude]

I think we can all agree on this quote (from Charlie):

The end result is the greatest result because it’s the music, and the music always does something to me, it’s healing. When you listen to music, you get happy, you get excited. And that’s what this record does to me, and that’s what it means to me.

 

[Thrashard]

They treat Joey like a dog

thanx for the info imf09, now i know why he is sounding like a howling dog.

 

[Darkofeden]

I am just a bit baffled why the band continues to make music that is more like the past few records when it's obvious MOST.. NOT ALL Anthrax fans prefer their earlier sound.

Because they don't live to please every Anthrax fan. They make the music that makes them happy and that they want to write. Seriously, it's not that difficult to understand.

Whether you like the new stuff or not, they're doing whatever the hell they want to do.

 

[ironmaidenfan09]

Because they don't live to please every Anthrax fan. They make the music that makes them happy and that they want to write. Seriously, it's not that difficult to understand.

Whether you like the new stuff or not, they're doing whatever the hell they want to do.

Well I guess thats where I disagree with you. I really don't think at this point in their career Scott or Charlie are doing anything they just want to do. They have always stated how Anthrax was a business. I really believe they are not doing what they would do if money wasn't an issue or they weren't trying to sell a bunch of albums. I believe they are trying to make a 'metal' album that is still hard rock enough so that more mainstream fans will be attracted to it yet still be 'heavy' enough so that the existing Anthrax fans will buy it.

It's very hard for me to see anything being organic with these guys. When they were in New York living in apartments just trying to make kick ass thrash metal that was when they really didn't give a fuck. Now they basically have to sell records or not be a band anymore. Again this is MY opinion, if you don't like it you can put me on ignore like mr thrax or whatever his name lol

 

[Naglfar]

Are you kidding me??? Do you really know anything at all? Charlie's style is DISTINCTIVE.............Just about the best all round drummer in Metal.........credibility count getting lower...........

I don't like / dislike Anthrax (seen them live though!) and don't care about who is drumming for them...

But "best all-around drummer in metal?" What the fuck? Do you even listen to heavy metal? He's good. Stand-up drummer. But man, you need a reality check. Even he would admit that there's at least three or four dozen guys out there who aren't even in bands, just studio musicians, who could take him to town.

Fact is, most casual fans (like YOU! rofrolforflr) can only tell the face of the band apart from everything else. And maaaaaaaybe, if the band has a very prominent lead, they can tell who's playing that, too. Otherwise, you've been drinking too much fanboy koolaid if you think most people can tell who the fuck is drumming what album when.

 

[Stompmosher]

I don't like / dislike Anthrax (seen them live though!) and don't care about who is drumming for them...

But "best all-around drummer in metal?" What the fuck? Do you even listen to heavy metal? He's good. Stand-up drummer. But man, you need a reality check. Even he would admit that there's at least three or four dozen guys out there who aren't even in bands, just studio musicians, who could take him to town.

Fact is, most casual fans (like YOU! rofrolforflr) can only tell the face of the band apart from everything else. And maaaaaaaybe, if the band has a very prominent lead, they can tell who's playing that, too. Otherwise, you've been drinking too much fanboy koolaid if you think most people can tell who the fuck is drumming what album when.

Prove it.........I said one of the best, not THE best.......and for your info, you can blindfold me and I can tell. Hit a note and I will tell you if it's E or d#. Cop that..........another that needs lessons in reading comprehesion.

 

[Stompmosher]

Because they don't live to please every Anthrax fan. They make the music that makes them happy and that they want to write. Seriously, it's not that difficult to understand.

Whether you like the new stuff or not, they're doing whatever the hell they want to do.

Ditto for Metallica, I really believe that, I know I will cop shit for that but it's a broken record really...........