O.K., I know there are mixed feelings about the Anthrax reunion and I just need to vent a bit... so here goes.
The Joey-era (pt. 1, as it were) provided us with some of the greatest music ever released. I was fortunate enough to have seen the band at the old Bayou in D.C. on the "Spreading the Disease" and "Among the Living" tours (1986-7) and those are some of the fondest memories I have concert-wise... BAR NONE! When John came aboard, Anthrax didn't rely on rehashing past glory with a "substitute" -- far from it. The band continued to make vital music with its own distinctive identity, culminating (sadly) with the brilliant "We've Come For You All" which, in my humble opinion, may damn well be the band's best full album EVER; that in itself is quite a statement from a 22-plus-year fan.
Now, I can certainly see where there may be the desire to rekindle the past and hopefully (much like Priest and Maiden) produce quality stuff with the "classic" alignment. Unlike Priest and Maiden, however (and this is with NO disrespect to Ripper or Blaze), John Bush was his own man who brought a new and exciting element to Anthrax. In short, I can honestly say that I was, am, and always will be a fan of both eras. There is possibly no other band which undertook such a major, self-imposed change that I can say that about. The two eras are not up for comparison, and that, dear fans who whined one way or the other, is that.
Let me say also that John Bush and Rob Caggiano are two of the most approachable musicians that I ever met. The appreciation that they showed me, my wife, and stepson (his first concert was the fall, 2003 Pittsburgh show) are cherished memories. The shows which I attended from the "WCFYA" tour were simply breathtaking and, as expected, took the action up a notch beyond the predictability which so many metal acts with roots from back in the day present (you know, starts with an "M"!!).
So where does this leave us? From my end, I simply feel short changed. To say that "John and Rob are still part of the Anthrax family" is dodging the issue. Hell, Bon Scott is still very much a part of the AC/DC family, but I don't expect him to rise up and belt out "Whole Lotta Rosie" any time soon. I don't want answers; I want the truth... I can handle it. The legacy of John Bush deserves it, painful or not. Experience has shown me that trying to please both sides ultimately winds up hurting both sides.
Anyway, that's it, and I feel better for saying it. I wish Anthrax nothing but the best and hope that the achievements are all that they can be. I can only hope that the past 13 years will not be put into jewel cases in some remote corner.
Moshing it up no matter what,
TC
The Joey-era (pt. 1, as it were) provided us with some of the greatest music ever released. I was fortunate enough to have seen the band at the old Bayou in D.C. on the "Spreading the Disease" and "Among the Living" tours (1986-7) and those are some of the fondest memories I have concert-wise... BAR NONE! When John came aboard, Anthrax didn't rely on rehashing past glory with a "substitute" -- far from it. The band continued to make vital music with its own distinctive identity, culminating (sadly) with the brilliant "We've Come For You All" which, in my humble opinion, may damn well be the band's best full album EVER; that in itself is quite a statement from a 22-plus-year fan.
Now, I can certainly see where there may be the desire to rekindle the past and hopefully (much like Priest and Maiden) produce quality stuff with the "classic" alignment. Unlike Priest and Maiden, however (and this is with NO disrespect to Ripper or Blaze), John Bush was his own man who brought a new and exciting element to Anthrax. In short, I can honestly say that I was, am, and always will be a fan of both eras. There is possibly no other band which undertook such a major, self-imposed change that I can say that about. The two eras are not up for comparison, and that, dear fans who whined one way or the other, is that.
Let me say also that John Bush and Rob Caggiano are two of the most approachable musicians that I ever met. The appreciation that they showed me, my wife, and stepson (his first concert was the fall, 2003 Pittsburgh show) are cherished memories. The shows which I attended from the "WCFYA" tour were simply breathtaking and, as expected, took the action up a notch beyond the predictability which so many metal acts with roots from back in the day present (you know, starts with an "M"!!).
So where does this leave us? From my end, I simply feel short changed. To say that "John and Rob are still part of the Anthrax family" is dodging the issue. Hell, Bon Scott is still very much a part of the AC/DC family, but I don't expect him to rise up and belt out "Whole Lotta Rosie" any time soon. I don't want answers; I want the truth... I can handle it. The legacy of John Bush deserves it, painful or not. Experience has shown me that trying to please both sides ultimately winds up hurting both sides.
Anyway, that's it, and I feel better for saying it. I wish Anthrax nothing but the best and hope that the achievements are all that they can be. I can only hope that the past 13 years will not be put into jewel cases in some remote corner.
Moshing it up no matter what,
TC
