| Interview: John Bush of Anthrax. |
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The Bush doctrine means preemption. Simply said, this is the Bush Doctrine: you hit the enemy with two heavy-handed fists full of Metal before the enemy can hit you with their cookie-cutter top 40 junk. It is unilateral sonic action that makes no distinctions between the lame musicians who make template rock and the poseurs who harbor them. OK- I better end this before I start comparing Scott Ian to Donald Rumsfeld . Thanks to one Brent Thompson, I had a chance to electronically catch up with Anthrax frontman John Bush. Take a look at the official Thrax site (http://anthraxtheband.com/nfws.htm). You will clearly see that the band is going to deliver the goods in 2004. A new studio album called Weve Come for you All is out there now, and even better news- there is more stuff yet to come for you all. Brent had to interrupt John, who was in an apparent marathon Seinfeld viewing session- we are thankful John broke away for a few questions: I'LL TAKE PRECIOUS TIME AWAY FROM GEORGE AND KRAMER TO DO IT. Tell us about how you became Anthrax frontman extraordinaire. Give us a rock history lesson.... IN THE SPRING OF 1992 A PHONE CALL CAME FROM JOHNNY Z , THEN MANAGER OF THE GROUP ABOUT THE CHANGES THAT WERE HAPPENING TO THE BAND. IRONICALLY ENOUGH JOHNNY USE TO CALL ME ABOUT 10 YEARS EARLIER REGARDING ANOTHER SOMEWHAT FAMOUS BAND. BUT THAT'S ANOTHER STORY. THE FUSION OF MY RASP COUPLED WITH ANTHRAX'S POWER SEEMED A NATURAL FIT BUT COULD WE CREATE TOGETHER , THAT WAS THE QUESTION. WE DECIDED TO TRY AND WRITE. THE FIRST IDEA WAS WHAT WAS TO EVENTUALLY BECOME 'ONLY', WE WROTE IN ABOUT AN HOUR AND THAT MY FRIEND IS METAL HISTORY. 2. Tell us about "Metallum Maximum Aeturnum." AFTER PLAYING THE BELLADONNA ERA SONGS FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS LIVE IT SEEMED LIKE A COOL IDEA TO CAPTURE THE SONGS ON TAPE. INSTEAD OF DOING A TRADITIONALLY LIVE RECORD WE DECIDED TO DO IT 'LIVE' IN THE STUDIO. I8 SONGS HAVE BEEN RECORDED , WITH MOST MAKING THE RECORD. LET IT BE KNOWN THIS IS NOT AN ATTEMPT TO RE-DO THE BANDS HISTORY (THOSE RECORDS STAND ON THEIR OWN). SIMPLY DIFFERENT VERSIONS. 3. Three-parter: What got you into music & singing- early musical influences? Bands you dig now? And what do you think about the state of modern heavy music? In America? Abroad? SOUNDS MORE LIKE A 6 PARTER. PROBABLY MY BROTHERS GOT ME IN TO MUSIC BY PLAYING THE BEATLES AND SCARING ME WITH THE FIRST BLACK SABBATH SONG AT THE AGE OF 7. SCARED BUT LOVING IT. EARLY INFLUENCES WERE ZEPPELIN, SABBATH, PRIEST , UFO, THIN LIZZY AND QUEEN. GREAT NEW BANDS I DIG ARE QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, THE DATSUNS, AND I LOVE THE DARKNESS. I ALSO REALLY MISS FAITH NO MORE. MODERN MUSIC IS ALWAYS DRIVEN BY THE YOUTH AND ITS PEAKING AGAIN IN AMERICA SO THAT'S HEALTHY. BANDS LIKE LAMB OF GOD, LACUNA COIL AND KILLSWITCH ENGAGE ARE DOING GREAT. THE EUROPEAN SCENE HAS ALWAYS KICKED ASS. Lemme see, 1, 2, 3 uh, 4, 5 no wait- 1 really has sub-part, 2, then 3 has two sub-parts note to self: keep it to one question per line in next interview (and review addition skills). Words good. Math bad. 4. Strangest/oddest/weirdest Anthrax event/occurrence on tour or in the studio? EVERYTHING RELATING TO THE ANTHRAX ATTACKS AFTER 9/11 WOULD HAVE TO BE THE WEIRDEST. GETTING HIT IN THE FOREHEAD BY A PAGER ON STAGE. THAT ***** HURT. HAVING TO POSTPONE A RECORDING SESSION FOR WHITE NOISE BECAUSE THE STUDIO FLOODED AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF TORRENTIAL RAIN. TURNED OUT THE DRAIN ON THE ROOF WAS CLOGGED BY THE HEAD OF A DOG. 5. Any side-projects going on or coming up? NO. 6. You once said that Anthrax was ahead of its time- how has the band influenced heavy music, in your opinion? MOSTLY BY WILLING TO TAKE CHANCES. EVEN IF IT WAS UNSAFE. MAKING THE SAME RECORD EVERY TIME OUT IS LAME. YOU'VE GOT TO GROW MUSICALLY CAUSE YOUR ALWAYS GROWING AS A HUMAN BEING. YOU CAN'T STIFLE YOURSELF EVEN IF THAT'S WHAT YOU THINK THE FANS WANT. ANTHRAX IS BOLD AND ADVENTUROUS. 7. Tell us about the latest studio release "We've come for you all..." and the video shoot for What Doesnt Die. WCFYA IS AWESOME. ITS POWERFUL AS HELL!! IT ALSO SHOWS MUCH DIVERSITY. THAT COMBINATION MAKES FOR A GREAT RECORD. CHARLIE OUT DOES HIMSELF ON THE SKINS. I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE VOCAL PERFORMANCES TOO. THE VIDEO FOR WHAT DOESN'T DIE IS CENTERED AROUND ZOMBIES! NEED I SAY MORE. 8. What is your favorite Anthrax outing? OUTING? YOU MEAN GIG I GUESS. THE CHICAGO SHOW THAT WAS FILMED FOR THE UPCOMING DVD AT THE METRO WAS PRETTY MAGICAL. 9. You guys sold out the Metro in Chicago on Friday December 5th 2003; that turned into "MUSIC OF MASS DESTRUCTION." The DVD has an amazing Alex Ross cover... which guys in the band are comic book fanboys? What is it like- walking out there to the roar of a sold-out crowd? What can we expect from MMD? CHARLIE AND SCOTT ARE COMIC BOOK FANS. I THINK ROB HAS GOTTEN IN TO IT AS WELL LATELY. NOTHING BEATS A PACKED ROARING TO GO AUDIENCE. IT MAKES YOU WORK THAT MUCH HARDER. I THINK EVERYONE WILL LOVE MMD, ITS VERY ENTERTAINING. AN AWESOME LIVE PERFORMANCE AS WELL AS SOME HUMOROUS BEHIND THE SCENES STUFF. 10. Fans won't have to wait five years for another studio album- will they?! I SURE HOPE NOT. WERE RIDING A LOT OF MOMENTUM RIGHT NOW. THAT SHOULD INSPIRE US TO HURRY UP! HA HA. Optional cheesy bonus question: if Scott Ian was a tree, what kinda tree would he be? A HUGE REDWOOD. Note to self: no more tree-oriented questions. Thank you, John! (I hated to interrupt Seinfeld- that Kramer is a hoot). Rock Vox- your place for the voices of Rock! More Singer/Songwriter interviews to come! 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