I'm only posting the Anthrax related section of the interview
Going back to the very old days, the Anthrax days. Is it ok to talk about those days ?
Ok, thats alright.
It was you and Scott who actually formed Anthrax around 1981, how did it get started in the very beginning ?
It was just a high school band. Just your mates from high school. Scott was the only guy in high school I knew who liked bands like AC/DC and I liked Judas Priest. I mean, this is how old it was. So you end up being friends, comparing record collections and then somebody turned us on to Iron Maiden and Motorhead and shit like that and we were like wow. So, it just started out with your friends then eventually it got more and more professional. Until, of course, Neil Turbin said Danny has to go. And that was that.
Who actually played in the very first line-up of Anthrax ?
Just me and Scott, John Connolly was in the very, very original incarnation. Then it was just guys, who were just neighborhood guys, who just went on and got regular jobs and didnt play music anymore.
How did you find Neil back then ?
He was another guy in high school, he used to walk around with his tight black pants and his leather jacket and we were like, well, he looks metal.
There were still several line-up changes before your first release SOLDIERS OF METAL was released in 1992, but what happened to Greg DAngelo cos he was later in White Lion ?
Yeah interesting. Its really difficult to remember specifics with what happened with Greg Dangelo. I dont remember if it was us or him or whatever. He was kinda like a rich kid. He had like two different 1967 Ford Mustangs and his drum set was beautiful, you know. But he was a cool guy, we used to smoke weed all the time. But yeah, when we got Charlie, it was more, ok Charlie wanted to play faster and that was good.
I just think that stylistically he wasnt really into that stuff. And that was when still just into Iron Maiden, then we heard Metallica and then we wanted to play faster.
How did you find Dan Spitz ?
Thats a good fucking question, where did we find that guy?
He is a short guy
Yeah I know, I dont remember the exact situation, you have to remember this is like 25 years ago or something. So umm, he just knew somebody, we knew somebody, we needed a guitar player, we tried him out, and he was good. I guess.
FISTFUL OF METAL is definitely a classic metal album
Oh, thank you.
Well how do you like that album afterwards ?
Thats a good record. Actually we just played in Bristol, England and they were playing that over the fucking PA and I was like hmm, god, listen to this. Yeah, Im proud of that record, after all I wrote most of it. But I think after that, when they got me out and Neil out, they tried to pursue a more melodic direction, with Joeys vocals. But, its a good record, I was proud of it at the time, still proud of it. But its over.
FISTFUL OF METAL along with HANDLE WITH CARE, GAME OVER, SURVIVE are all the classic thrash/speed metal albums of the 80s
Those are good records. Its difficult to talk about, I dont want to sound like some rock star, you know. Oh yes, they are very good, yes, Im fucking great aint I? No, no, they are great records they have their place along with Slayer and everything else and Im proud to say I have participated in that.
Some years ago Anthrax re-recorded new version of these songs of FISTFUL OF METAL like Deathrider etc, how do you like those versions ?
I see what you think Sometimes those guys dont always have the best ideas. You know, the classic lineup and telling John Bush to sit down for awhile. Lets just say the originals are better. Thats the best thing to say.
Going back to the very old days, the Anthrax days. Is it ok to talk about those days ?
Ok, thats alright.
It was you and Scott who actually formed Anthrax around 1981, how did it get started in the very beginning ?
It was just a high school band. Just your mates from high school. Scott was the only guy in high school I knew who liked bands like AC/DC and I liked Judas Priest. I mean, this is how old it was. So you end up being friends, comparing record collections and then somebody turned us on to Iron Maiden and Motorhead and shit like that and we were like wow. So, it just started out with your friends then eventually it got more and more professional. Until, of course, Neil Turbin said Danny has to go. And that was that.
Who actually played in the very first line-up of Anthrax ?
Just me and Scott, John Connolly was in the very, very original incarnation. Then it was just guys, who were just neighborhood guys, who just went on and got regular jobs and didnt play music anymore.
How did you find Neil back then ?
He was another guy in high school, he used to walk around with his tight black pants and his leather jacket and we were like, well, he looks metal.
There were still several line-up changes before your first release SOLDIERS OF METAL was released in 1992, but what happened to Greg DAngelo cos he was later in White Lion ?
Yeah interesting. Its really difficult to remember specifics with what happened with Greg Dangelo. I dont remember if it was us or him or whatever. He was kinda like a rich kid. He had like two different 1967 Ford Mustangs and his drum set was beautiful, you know. But he was a cool guy, we used to smoke weed all the time. But yeah, when we got Charlie, it was more, ok Charlie wanted to play faster and that was good.
I just think that stylistically he wasnt really into that stuff. And that was when still just into Iron Maiden, then we heard Metallica and then we wanted to play faster.
How did you find Dan Spitz ?
Thats a good fucking question, where did we find that guy?
He is a short guy
Yeah I know, I dont remember the exact situation, you have to remember this is like 25 years ago or something. So umm, he just knew somebody, we knew somebody, we needed a guitar player, we tried him out, and he was good. I guess.
FISTFUL OF METAL is definitely a classic metal album
Oh, thank you.
Well how do you like that album afterwards ?
Thats a good record. Actually we just played in Bristol, England and they were playing that over the fucking PA and I was like hmm, god, listen to this. Yeah, Im proud of that record, after all I wrote most of it. But I think after that, when they got me out and Neil out, they tried to pursue a more melodic direction, with Joeys vocals. But, its a good record, I was proud of it at the time, still proud of it. But its over.
FISTFUL OF METAL along with HANDLE WITH CARE, GAME OVER, SURVIVE are all the classic thrash/speed metal albums of the 80s
Those are good records. Its difficult to talk about, I dont want to sound like some rock star, you know. Oh yes, they are very good, yes, Im fucking great aint I? No, no, they are great records they have their place along with Slayer and everything else and Im proud to say I have participated in that.
Some years ago Anthrax re-recorded new version of these songs of FISTFUL OF METAL like Deathrider etc, how do you like those versions ?
I see what you think Sometimes those guys dont always have the best ideas. You know, the classic lineup and telling John Bush to sit down for awhile. Lets just say the originals are better. Thats the best thing to say.
