{"id":35985,"date":"2018-10-24T07:00:42","date_gmt":"2018-10-23T20:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/?p=35985"},"modified":"2018-10-14T08:54:24","modified_gmt":"2018-10-13T21:54:24","slug":"frank-bello-of-anthrax-download-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/2018\/10\/frank-bello-of-anthrax-download-interview\/","title":{"rendered":"Frank Bello of Anthrax"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>\u201cI want to be exhausted when I come off that stage, otherwise I feel like I\u2019ve cheated, I don\u2019t want to cheat anybody, I have to be exhausted and I think that\u2019s what the band does and I\u2019m very proud to say that too.\u201d<\/p>\n

From Release: It’s rare that a career gets a second shot, let alone a whole second act, but then\u00a0Anthrax\u00a0isn’t your average band. Formed in New York in 1981, the group that would go on to sell over ten million records and\u00a0become\u00a0the living embodiment of America’s hi-top wearing, riff-spitting,\u00a0ear-thrashing answer to the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal has undergone not one, but two complete eras – but that isn’t their real achievement. More than the group who let a fledgling Metallica crash on their studio floor in 1983, who became a lightning rod for geekdom by immortalizing Judge Dredd with “I Am The Law” in 1987, who enthusiastically raised a middle finger to the critics and unimaginative fans alike by collaborating with rappers Public Enemy in 1991, and who –\u00a0in\u00a02011 with the release of ‘Worship Music’ – proved that classic albums aren’t a bygone concept, the story of Anthrax is one of gritty determination in the face of outrageous odds, and one of the Big Four alongside Slayer, Megadeth, and Metallica!<\/p>\n

At home, a rare place to be for him so he tells us, we gave Frank Bello a call to talk about the return of Anthrax to Australia for Download Festival in 2019, new music, their thirty plus year career, we nerd up talking Avengers, and much more\u2026<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been just over five years since we last chatted, so let\u2019s catch up, how have the last five years been for you?<\/strong>
\nOn tour *laughs* to be really honest with you, but the record came out three years ago, almost three years ago and I\u2019m excited, and happy to say this and humbled and all the good stuff that comes with it, I\u2019m very excited to be where we\u2019re at right now to be touring the same record going on almost the third year and when we get to you guys it will be the third and half year. So it\u2019s been great and I couldn\u2019t be more excited about what\u2019s going on with the band and the acceptance and the rejuvenation and it\u2019s just a whole new fan base since we did the Big 4 it\u2019s a whole new fan base which is great for us and really gave us a shot in the arm about making a whole new generation see us along with our own core audience that we\u2019re thankful for. So it\u2019s been a great run and currently we\u2019re on this Slayer farewell tour facing the biggest houses in America and selling them out, if they\u2019re not sold out they\u2019re packed to the gills every night. So we\u2019re going to Europe and we just did two legs of that in America, we start off in November again in all of Europe, it\u2019s been a great run<\/p>\n

We\u2019re here because Anthrax are headed back to Australia for Download festival, it\u2019s been a long time since your last trip here, how does an Anthrax live show shape up these days?<\/strong>
\nI think in my opinion from what I\u2019ve been told *laughs* you have a bunch of lunatics on stage I think you have the energy from the music drives the band, and the crowd let\u2019s face it when you go to a show I don\u2019t think it\u2019s about the band, I think the energy that happens from the crowd with the band together, that one energy that you make together that\u2019s what the vibe of the show is, so that\u2019s what I look forward to. Coming to you guys in Australia, number one we love it there you know that but coming there after all this time with a new record that you haven\u2019t heard yet plus a catalogue that we haven\u2019t played for you in a long time it just leads to pandemonium I\u2019m just really looking forward to just giving it all we have because we love the place and that\u2019s not a kiss up it\u2019s just the truth, we truly love it there, we have a good time there.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a crazy festival already with more to be announced but is there anyone on the bill you\u2019re going to make sure you catch?<\/strong>
\nOh man, I keep reading there\u2019s so many, you know what\u2019s funny about these shows? You know what happens when you actually get to the show? You can\u2019t see anybody, you get bombarded with everything and the bands you actually want to see you\u2019re doing something else. I guarantee there\u2019s gonna be a list right? *laughs* and I\u2019m not complaining, I\u2019m happy we\u2019re able to do press and all that stuff but there\u2019s certain bands that you would want to see I\u2019ll probably just watch the video on YouTube and that\u2019s where it\u2019s gonna go.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve been out on the Slayer farewell tour, what\u2019s it like watching one of the Big 4 bowing out?<\/strong>
\nWell here\u2019s what I think and I\u2019ve been thinking a lot about this lately, I don\u2019t feel they\u2019re bowing out, this has been coming for a long time, I\u2019ve been talking to Tom for a long time about this and this could\u2019ve happened years ago. They need a break, it is their farewell because I talk to them all the time I\u2019m very close to these guys , it is their farewell tour, they\u2019re having a great time doing it, I can\u2019t believe the amount of people that are coming to the shows in America. The bigger places in America and if they\u2019re not sold out every night they\u2019re packed to the gills, so metal is alive and well and I\u2019m proud to say that. They have a great big fire ridden show that everybody should see, plus the package we\u2019re doing is also Lamb of God, us, I think Behemoth was on one of the legs, we had Testament, it\u2019s been a lot of fun.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m hoping the two of you can do a couple of sideshows here that would be amazing\u2026<\/strong>
\nLet me tell you something, that\u2019s one of the things I really hope. That way we can play a little longer because you know festivals you have a certain time allotment, I\u2019m really hoping we get to play some sideshows I don\u2019t care who it\u2019s with we\u2019ll play with anybody I\u2019d just like to do some sideshows so we can have a bit of a different sort of set.<\/p>\n

After doing this now for over thirty years, what do you still enjoy about being a part of Anthrax?<\/strong>
\nI never know what\u2019s gonna happen next. Here\u2019s what I love about being in Anthrax, now we\u2019ve been together as you said over thirty years, I love that we\u2019re gonna start writing a record in January and we\u2019re on this high right now and I can say this for all of us right now, the fire in our belly just because of what\u2019s happened lately specifically with the last two records and the high that\u2019s created and we feel like we\u2019re in a good writing vein we\u2019ve tapped into a really good writing vein and we know what we like and we feel if it\u2019s meeting that fire in our gut, because we\u2019re die hard metal fans and we don\u2019t let go of a song until it\u2019s ready that\u2019s why it takes so long to write Anthrax records, I can\u2019t wait to see what\u2019s next of this been because we just went into the second part of it and my god, it\u2019s getting really exciting is not the word but man, it\u2019s a page turner and I just like the fact that I\u2019m in the band and I can\u2019t wait to see what we come out with just because I know the anticipation is there for other people to hear and they\u2019re curious as to what we\u2019re gonna come out with, as I am. So I\u2019m a fan of writing the music and being in the band with the guys, it\u2019s so much fun and it\u2019s exciting, I look forward to it.<\/p>\n

So you\u2019ve been writing but do you have an idea when can we expect new music from Anthrax?<\/strong>
\nWhen it\u2019s right, it\u2019s not gonna take forever but it\u2019s gotta be right, nobody\u2019s gonna let out anything. The great thing about where we\u2019re at right now is nobody\u2019s pressuring us, so you don\u2019t want to put out something that\u2019s not ready, it\u2019s just not in us to do that to tell you the truth that can\u2019t happen we\u2019re too stubborn, we\u2019re way too stubborn, maybe that\u2019s a New York mentality thing but we\u2019re way too stubborn to release anything before its time, it has to be right, we all have to agree to it, it\u2019s gotta meet that fire in your belly as a fan and hopefully it will project and make other people feel the same way that they get that fire in their belly. That\u2019s what\u2019s been happening with the last two records, and I can tell ya you can feel the nucleus of the band it\u2019s going to be a heavier record, you just feel where we\u2019re at right now, there\u2019s a lot of angst inside the band which is awesome and I don\u2019t know where it\u2019s from to tell you the truth but I feel that lends itself to a great record so I\u2019m pretty excited about the future.<\/p>\n

Over time it\u2019s easy to say what\u2019s changed but what would you say is the one thing that\u2019s stayed the same in your time in Anthrax?<\/strong>
\nThe intensity, the intensity has not been touched with this band. It\u2019s all or nothing, from the record you\u2019ve got to give 110% to the record, 110% all in, leave nothing on the table you\u2019ve gotta be exhausted and it\u2019s the same with the stage, you have to perform, those people pay their hard earned money and that\u2019s the truth, it\u2019s not a kiss up or anything like that, the truth of the matter is I\u2019m a fan and I want to see entertainment, I want to see the songs, I want to see the band have a good time and I want to enjoy this experience, so I believe when you see a live show you should leave it all on the stage, it should be 110%, I want to be exhausted when I come off that stage, otherwise I feel like I\u2019ve cheated, I don\u2019t want to cheat anybody, I have to be exhausted and I think that\u2019s what the band does and I\u2019m very proud to say that too.<\/p>\n

I truly love that you love what you do and it\u2019s not just a job<\/strong>
\nNo, fuck that man, when it\u2019s that then you\u2019ve really gotta start questioning what you\u2019re doing. I love music, I\u2019ve been very blessed, I\u2019ve been very fortunate and I know how lucky I am to make a living from music, all I want to do is pass the torch and make people feel this vibe.<\/p>\n

Outside of Anthrax what\u2019s been keeping you busy?<\/strong>
\nI actually have this thing called a family *laughs* you know it\u2019s great because we\u2019ve been off for almost a month now from the Slayer tour we did two legs of that in America and it\u2019s pretty consistent they just ran into each other so we actually have seven full weeks off. So I get to do homework with my son who\u2019s twelve and grew another inch while I was gone, I get to be a husband again, just to be a little family thing going. Then we leave our first show is November first we leave for another six weeks with Slayer in Europe. So aside from that you know Dave Ellefson from Megadeth right?<\/p>\n

Of course!<\/strong>
\nSo we have a side group that we\u2019re putting out a record called Altitudes and Attitude, we\u2019re putting out a full record in January that we\u2019ll be doing some shows for in January starting off, it\u2019s just a hard rock record with melody and a lot of people are pretty excited about that stuff. Like you say what do I do with my downtime, that\u2019s what I do in my downtime, it\u2019s me singing and playing guitar and Dave playing bass and we write songs together and we have a good time with it. If you want we have a three song EP if you have iTunes it\u2019s called \u2018Altitude and Attitude\u2019 we did it just to test the waters\u00a0 and this is the continuation of that, the full record coming out in January we\u2019re signed to Megaforce records and everyone\u2019s pretty excited about it, so that\u2019s the next stage. When our day jobs Megadeth and Anthrax are off that\u2019s what we\u2019re gonna be doing.<\/p>\n

I love talking to you guys because you\u2019re big nerds like me and a lot has happened over the years, finally seeing The Avengers and The Justice League on the big screen, it\u2019s a great time to love this sort of stuff, what has been your highlight and what are you most looking forward to?<\/strong>
\nYou know there\u2019s so much coming out. You know what I saw the other day, the new Jack Black movie, \u2018The House with the clock in the walls\u2019 and that was a fun movie, again I go outside the boundaries, because Jack Black has that vibe and number one I think he\u2019s one of the most talented guys around he\u2019s just awesome. It\u2019s one of those fun movies, it\u2019s mysterious, it\u2019s kind of fun. As far as Marvel they just keep coming out, that\u2019s the shit, they know what they\u2019re doing, it\u2019s time right?<\/p>\n

How do you think Avengers is going to end?<\/strong>
\nDude, I have no idea where it\u2019s going, but you know what, don\u2019t you want to be surprised? Like I don\u2019t read any of what goes on, I don\u2019t want to see anybody\u2019s tweets or the cheat notes or what they heard, I\u2019m one of the guys that goes into the theatre and experience it, right and be floored. That\u2019s the kid in me, I want that energy, I think man I don\u2019t wanna know so done tell me and just be surprised, I think that\u2019s a great to do things I think. I\u2019m excited, it\u2019s a good time, it\u2019s a good creative time with that stuff.<\/p>\n

Lastly let\u2019s look ahead to the future, finish this sentence for me, in 2019 Anthrax will\u2026<\/strong>
\nBe writing a record and touring, Anthrax will be touring Australia which I\u2019m totally stoked at, Download festival one of the biggest shows around so I\u2019m so psyched about that, we\u2019ll be creating a new record which I\u2019m so psyched about just to have that going, have that start of that special. You know what I do love and I have to tell you this, while we\u2019re writing a record we\u2019re also going to be doing one off shows like different shows and going around to Australia, we might be doing Japan, there\u2019s other things on the table that help the writing believe it or not because it\u2019s good to get out of the studio for a while and just get it all out on a stage. So in 2019 Anthrax will be working *laughs* believe me, not home and working. I\u2019m not complaining, I know how lucky and fortunate we are, so nobody looks a gift horse in the mouth here, we\u2019re very lucky I know that. We just want to do what we do, you know.<\/p>\n

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DOWNLOAD 2019\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

OZZY OSBOURNE<\/strong>
\nSlayer | Judas Priest | Alice In Chains<\/strong>
\n\u00a0Ghost\u00a0|\u00a0Rise Against | The Amity Affliction | Anthrax\u00a0<\/strong>
\nHalestorm | Behemoth | Me First And The Gimme Gimmes\u00a0<\/strong>
\nI Prevail | Converge | Frenzal Rhomb | Luca Brasi\u00a0<\/strong>
\nCode Orange | Andy Black | The Fever 333\u00a0<\/strong>
\nWar On Women | High Tension | Outright\u00a0<\/strong>
\nRuins | Alien Weaponry\u00a0<\/strong>
\nPlus Loads More To Be Announced!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday\u00a0March 9 || Parramatta Park<\/strong>
\nMelbourne\u00a0Monday\u00a0March 11 || Flemington Racecourse<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tickets through <\/strong>www.downloadfestival.com.au<\/a>\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Download is an 18+ fully licensed event<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Essential Information<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

From<\/strong>\u00a0New York, NY, USA<\/p>\n

Band Members<\/strong>\u00a0Joey Belladonna – Vocals, Frank Bello – Bass, Charlie Benante – Drums, Scott Ian – Guitar, Jon Donais – Guitar<\/p>\n

Website<\/strong>\u00a0http:\/\/www.anthrax.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Latest Release: <\/strong>Kings Among Scotland – Live (Out Now – Nuclear Blast)<\/p>\n

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