ANTHRAX Drummer Checks In From 'Big Four' Tour

July 4, 2011

ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante has checked in with the following update:

"The last three days have been done with only a few hours of sleep and jet lag. I was running on fumes...

"Joey [Belladonna, vocals] and I get picked up at 12:15 to go to the listening session [for the new ANTHRAX album, 'Worship Music']. We play the record for a few select journalists. We listen and comment on things about the songs and what not, and then we do some interviews. We finish that at 3:00 and make our way to the gig. This place is HUGE! It's the biggest soccer stadium in Germany...I am intimidated by its size.

"The first ['Big Four'] show [of the current tour] was good in Germany. Andreas [Kisser of SEPULTURA, who is filling in for Scott Ian] played great and I think we were way tighter than I thought we would be. 'Medusa' made an appearance in the set.

"METALLICA decided that the ['Big Four'] jam [at the end of their set] would be [a cover version of DIAMOND HEAD's] 'Helpless'. I went into the tuning room with them and jammed it with James [Hetfield], Kirk [Hammett] and Robert [Trujillo]. That was fun! Got back to the hotel at 1:00 a.m., had to be in the lobby for a 4:30 a.m. to catch a flight to Sweden at 6:30.

"I have no idea how I got on the plane, but I did, and a few coffees later i am at the [second 'Big Four'] gig doing interviews. [Sunday night] they were broadcasting the entire show all over Swedish TV, We needed some make up to get rid of the dark circles under our eyes. (Hahaha) Great crowd, big ANTHRAX chant and we are on our way into 'Caught In A Mosh'. Smile for camera and have fun! 'Only' makes an appearance in the set.

"'Am I Evil?' [by DIAMOND HEAD] was the jam [in Gothenburg]. Shawn Drover [MEGADETH] and I decide to wear DEVO-like hard hats. Lars joins in and we become the three red construction workers doing 'Evil'!

"I had a blast but then I'm reminded of the 4:30 a.m. lobby call... FUCK!!!!! I hate these fly dates.

"We got a great review in the Gothenburg Post for the concert, I try reading it on the plane and drift off to never, never land. We land in Zurich, head to the hotel and i sleep...ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz

"I am once again [saying to] myself, WHERE THE HELL IS THE STARBUCKS?"

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