ANTHRAX Singer Talks Upcoming Album

Birgit Haugen of Sonic Excess recently conducted an interview with ANTHRAX singer Joey Belladonna. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Sonic Excess: The new [ANTHRAX] album was already recorded with prior vocalist Dan Nelson and has to be redone now. I heard that five or six tracks will stay the same, and the rest has to be reworked. So are you putting the final touches on the new album now?

Joey: Well, there are new lyrics being done right now and just the overall vocals are going to be brand new. Music-wise, there might not be a lot of recording. Who knows?! Again, it's open to anything at this point, because you get a whole other shot at everything. But they are really happy with what they have, so there is not a lot of finagling going on; if it can be helped, of course. I mean, if it's good and all satisfactory; why change it?!

Sonic Excess: Who are the main songwriters in ANTHRAX, music- and lyric-wise?

Joey: You know, it really moves in every direction. Everyone has ideas. Scott Ian (guitar),for the longest time, was doing all of the lyrics. He was coming up with a lot of things. Charlie Benante (drums) comes up with a lot of guitar parts and Frankie Bello (bass) with melodies. And I come up with my own little ideas once I finally get the drift on what's going on. You know, everyone has moments, but I don't think there is a sole writer per say, as I know of, and I am not there for a lot of it too. So I don't know who in the end finalizes which part.

Sonic Excess: Who will be producing the new album?

Joey: I have never met him. I don't know who is doing it right now or before. At this point, I have not been introduced to whoever is doing it. Sorry.

Sonic Excess: Actually, just today I read an interview with John Bush (former ANTHRAX vocalist),and he was asked how he felt singing songs from your era. Now, how about you? How do you feel singing songs out of the John Bush era?

Joey: The thing is they have such a great catalog that we could easily do everything and not touch any of their old stuff, but, you know, we already tried one ("Only"),and it comes off pretty cool. I don't know if it is necessary to do though. They had years of playing new stuff, so it's only inevitable that somebody would like to try something. But, if anything, maybe the new material will kind of counter some of it. Well, I don't have a problem with it. It's just getting familiar with the songs and feeling comfortable with it.

Sonic Excess: What job would you do, Joey, if you were not a singer, performer, and musician?

Joey: Well, actually this has been my job. I have been doing this since I was in seventh grade; sooner actually. We were jamming in my garage when we were very young. Right out of the box, as soon as I started listening to THE BEATLES, I knew that I wanted to be a musician.

Sonic Excess: So worst-case scenario, would you have a day job to fall back to?

Joey: I have done stuff. I have worked for this lady; her name is Beezie Patton. She is an Olympic jumper, and they are pretty successful. She won two Olympics. They have a huge complex, kind of like a sports complex with million-dollar horses, and I was going in and taking care of the whole facility; the ground's grooming and grasses. We were doing everything, like painting the jumps, cutting the grass, weed eating, painting the fences, you know. I was doing this when I was out of the band. I have done some jobs.

Sonic Excess: Quick question about the Ronnie James Dio tribute. Were you asked to perform?

Joey: Yes, Ronnie's wife Wendy asked me to, but I had known Ronnie. I had known him for a while. I have been in a band with members of ELF before I joined ANTHRAX, and the guys lived up by me. So, I was honored to be asked, and hopefully we can do a tribute record. I want to put out the song that I did, you know. I really want to put that out and am just waiting on Wendy to give me the go-ahead; what she wants to do and how she wants me to do it. I want it all to go to charity.

Read the entire interview from Sonic Excess.