From the Blabbermouth:
ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian has issued the following statement via the band’s official fan club site, CDC:
“Finally, we’re going back to work. We’re going to Chicago to work our asses off and write a record. It’s time. We’re ready. One problem… no singer.
“We were offered a direct support slot on a major tour this spring and Joey [Belladonna, vocals] decided he did not want to move forward. The reunion is over. We tried to make it work but I guess that’s the problem, you can’t ‘make’ something work. It’s gotta be natural and at least becoming a band again and playing live was.
“Over the course of around 140 shows we became a better band than we ever were before from 1984 – 92. The shows we played from April 2005 through October 2006 were incredible and some of the best gigs we’ve ever played. Doing Donington again was mind-blowing, Graspop was insane, the insanity in Finland, Chicago, Milwaukee, three times in L.A.!!!, three times across Western Canada!!, Glasgow!!!!!, London!!!, the Nokia show in NY, the Starland show in NJ, JUDAS PRIEST!, ROB ZOMBIE!, Gigantour!!, Australia!!!, Japan!!!!!!, really, there’s not a bummer in 19 months.
“Thank you from the very depths of my soul for being the best fans in the world. We got to relive something that I never thought we could and it turned out better than I ever thought it would. We didn’t have to force it, it just happened and it was great.
“My curiosity was piqued by the idea of what ANTHRAX would sound like now with Joey singing. Over the last few months we’ve discussed this endlessly to no avail. The problems that were there could not be fixed no matter how hard we tried and in the end Joey made the decision.
“I know a lot of you out there are disappointed by this and that’s the last thing we ever want. None of us want to disappoint. If we were meant to make a reunion record we would’ve. Some things look easy on paper but the reality is that they are impossible and what works for one band doesn’t work for others. Maybe we could’ve forced something and cashed in on a new record but that’s not the way we operate.
My reality is I feel we have some unfinished business with the ‘We’ve Come for You All’ lineup and I will do my best to finish it.
“I hope you can find it in your hearts to support all of us in whatever happens going forward.
“Charlie [Benante, drums], Frankie [Bello] and I are excited about creating new music and for now we will focus on that and write another killer ANTHRAX record.”
ANTHRAX’s most recent studio album, “We’ve Come for You All” (featuring John Bush on lead vocals), was released in May 2003 through Sanctuary Records in the U.S. and Nuclear Blast in Europe. The CD shifted just under 10,000 copies in the U.S. during its first week of release to debut at No. 122 on The Billboard 200 chart.
The 2005 reunion of the “classic” ANTHRAX lineup of singer Joey Belladonna, guitarists Scott Ian and Dan Spitz, bassist Frank Bello and drummer Charlie Benante was followed by the release of the band’s most comprehensive “best of” collection ever issued, the two-CD retrospective “Anthrology: No Hit Wonders (1985-1991)”, which shifted just over 2,700 copies in its first week of release back in September 2005. Meanwhile, the group’s first video compilation, the DVD “Anthrology: No Hit Wonders (1985-1991) The Videos” (both on Island/UMe), sold less than 950 units in its initial week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Similarly, the band’s live CD and DVD packages, “Alive 2 (2005)” (on Sanctuary Records), which document the group’s summer 2005 reunion tour, opened with less than 1,100 and 1,700 copies, respectively.
OHHHHH NOES! Guess you shouldn’t have fired John Bush, huh?
Never mind that John Bush brought a fresh dynamic to the band, tearing them from staying mired in the ’80s with a squealy singer and otherwise dated sound. Sound of White Noise was an ungodly brilliant album, if not one of the best metal albums of the 1990s. Oh, sure, the following albums were rather hit-and-miss, but We’ve Come For You All was a great rejuvenation with a glimmer of light that Anthrax could very well find their way back to the metal mainfold.
When it was announced that the band had fired Bush right at that point in their career, I was wondering who was standing behind the band with a firing squad. Honestly, there was no good reason to reunite the lineup with Joey Belladonna. Were people itching to see Anthrax with him again? Not really. Their ’80s fans that didn’t like John Bush had long since moved on, while the John Bush-era fans certainly didn’t care to see Belladonna. It was dumb from the get-go.
Aside from that, there’s no better way for Joey Belladonna to not look back at this and smirk. He was unceremoniously fired because the band wanted a new sound. It wasn’t even the whole band that was in agreement when it came to the decision to fire Belladonna — just ask Dan Spitz. Scott Ian, the power-mad Lars Ulrich wannabe, pushed the plan and Joey was out. Now he’s turned around with his middle finger, after the band fired Bush in the hopes of milking a cash cow with him, and said, “eh, never mind. I’m done, you scamps go have yourself a good time.”
Then there’s John Bush. Why should he come back? The money, for the most part, has been made with Anthrax. Even with Scott Ian on every VH1 show ever envisioned, it hasn’t brought Anthrax back into the spotlight. Without something drastic promotion-wise, the band is long since over and exists mostly for their own entertainment and the entertainment of the few fans left who care. Oh, and never mind that they just up and fired him out of nowhere. Ahhh, burned bridges.
So congratulations, Anthrax. You just f*cked yourselves in the ass and assured your place in the has-been file for any album recorded from here on out. Psst: the threat is real. It’s yourselves.
