Anthrax (band)This article deals with the American band called Anthrax. For the British band of the same name see: Anthrax (Anarcho-punk band) Anthrax is a New York City-based heavy metal rock group, who released their first full-length album in 1984. Anthrax was one of the most popular bands from the thrash metal scene in the '80s, and possibly the biggest band to come out of the East Coast thrash scene. The "big-four" of thrash metal invariably includes Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax. They have made several appearances on television shows such as Married with Children and NewsRadio and have appeared in movies such as Run Ronnie Ron (performing as the fictional band Titannica) and Calendar Girls. HistoryAnthrax was formed by guitarist Scott Ian, drummer Charlie Benante, bassist Dan Lilker and vocalist Neil Turbin in the early '80s. After signing with Megaforce Records, they released their first full-length album, Fistful of Metal in 1984. It was an inauspicuous debut for a band that would soon rise to the forefront of the thrash metal scene. By 1985 when Anthrax released their first classic album, Spreading the Disease, their lineup had solidified into cohesive unit. The additions of vocalist Joey Belladonna, and bassist Frank Bello brought a much improved sound to band. Almost immediately Anthrax morphed from a stereo-typical Judas Priest knock-off to the thrash metal style that would garner them so much fame. Mixing equal doses of punk and speed metal along with a generous dose of humor quickly shot them to the fore front of the burgeoning thrash movement. While the other major thrash bands, Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer, were deadly serious, Anthrax wrote songs about comic books and Stephen King novels. Because of this Anthrax appealed to a more general audience even if they were never quite as popular as their contemporaries. Anthrax was always a band prone to experimentation, and in 1991 they collaborated with pioneering rap artists Public Enemy on a joint version of PE's Bring The Noise. While Run-DMC had worked with Aerosmith back in 1986, Bring The Noise is widely regarded as the very first Rap Rock hybrid as this was the first time a Rock band had fully incorporated Rap into a song. Bring The Noise was a hit and the band had a successful joint tour with Public Enemy. Within a few years bands such as Rage Against The Machine, Korn, Limp Bizkit and a host of others had picked up the Rap/Rock or Rap/Metal mantle and gone on to various degrees of success. In 1992 Anthrax parted ways with vocalist Joey Belladonna and replaced him with ex-Armored Saint vocalist John Bush. The band jumped ship from Island Records to Electra Records and released Sound of White Noise on the label in 1993. Bush was a more "serious" sounding vocalist and Sound of White Noise was well received by most of the band's audience. Unfortunately the musical landscape of the early '90s was changing drastically; Alternative Rock was the rage, and metal was no longer being pushed by the music industry. In 1995 the band released Stomp 442 an album which Electra refused to provide real promotion for, and it quickly disappeared without a trace. Obviously upset at what they felt was an attempt by the label to kill the album, Anthrax attempted to sever ties with Electra. During the hiatus long time guitarist Dan Spitz left the band, leaving Anthrax reeling. Anthrax signed with a small independant label, and in 1998 managed to release Vol.-8 The Threat Is Real, a punishing album which had the potential to return Anthrax to the top of the metal heap. Unfortunately, almost immediately after Volume 8's release, the independant label they were signed to went bankrupt and disappeared, making the album extremely difficult to find. Regrouping the band signed with another label and released a greatest hits album although that label soon went out of business as well. During this time period a two vocalist tour featuring both Joey Belladonna and John Bush was proposed and set to go, until Belladonna decided to pull out at the last minute. Despite these hardships and various legal entanglements regarding who had the rights to certain albums, Anthrax managed to soldier on. In 2002 new guitarist Rob Caggiano joined the band and the following year the band released We've Come For You All, an album hailed by the metal press as a long awaited return to form. In early 2004 the band returned to the studio to record Greater of Two Evils, a rerecording of the band's early work with the current lineup. Several members have launched affiliated side-projects, such as Scott Ian's Stormtroopers of Death. Scott Ian is currently engaged to Meat Loaf's daughter Pearl Aday. Discography
Band MembersCurrent members
In March 2004, long-time bassist (and nephew of drummer Benante) Frank Bello left the band amid much speculation. The band has yet to release an official statement about Bello's departure and have recruited Joey Vera (Armored Saint, Fates Warning) as a touring bassist. Former members
Related TopicsDuring the terrorist-related anthrax outbreak in the United States in 2001, the band altered their Website to provide information about the disease because many people had come there simply by entering anthrax.com in their Web browsers. Amid what could have become a PR nightmare for the band, they issued a press release (http://www.anthrax.com/html/ANTHRAX_PressRelease.htm) on October 10, 2001 that jokingly mentioned that they were going to change the name of the band to "something more friendly, like 'Basket Full of Puppies.'" This page about Anthrax includes information from a Wikipedia article. Additional articles about Anthrax News stories about Anthrax External links for Anthrax Videos for Anthrax Wikis about Anthrax Discussion Groups about Anthrax Blogs about Anthrax Images of Anthrax |
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Amid what could have become a PR nightmare for the band, they issued a press release (http://www.anthrax.com/html/ANTHRAX_PressRelease.htm) on October 10, 2001 that jokingly mentioned that they were going to change the name of the band to "something more friendly, like 'Basket Full of Puppies.'". ISBN 0-7126-1827-9. During the terrorist-related anthrax outbreak in the United States in 2001, the band altered their Website to provide information about the disease because many people had come there simply by entering anthrax.com in their Web browsers. Century Hutchinson, London. The band has yet to release an official statement about Bello's departure and have recruited Joey Vera (Armored Saint, Fates Warning) as a touring bassist. And a Voice to Sing With: A Memoir. In March 2004, long-time bassist (and nephew of drummer Benante) Frank Bello left the band amid much speculation. 1988. Scott Ian is currently engaged to Meat Loaf's daughter Pearl Aday. Baez, Joan. Several members have launched affiliated side-projects, such as Scott Ian's Stormtroopers of Death. Toured with Bob Dylan during his 1975 Rolling Thunder Revue tour. In early 2004 the band returned to the studio to record Greater of Two Evils, a rerecording of the band's early work with the current lineup. Joan Baez is not to be confused with the mathematician John Baez, her cousin. In 2002 new guitarist Rob Caggiano joined the band and the following year the band released We've Come For You All, an album hailed by the metal press as a long awaited return to form. She lives in Woodside, California. Despite these hardships and various legal entanglements regarding who had the rights to certain albums, Anthrax managed to soldier on. Her latest album is 2003's Dark Chords on a Big Guitar. During this time period a two vocalist tour featuring both Joey Belladonna and John Bush was proposed and set to go, until Belladonna decided to pull out at the last minute. She then worked with the Indigo Girls and Mary Chapin Carpenter and continued recording throughout the 90s. Regrouping the band signed with another label and released a greatest hits album although that label soon went out of business as well. She didn't have an American release until 1987's Recently on Gold Castle Records, and then switched to Virgin Records for 1992's Play Me Backwards. Unfortunately, almost immediately after Volume 8's release, the independant label they were signed to went bankrupt and disappeared, making the album extremely difficult to find. She then switched to CBS Records briefly, and then found herself without an American label for 1980's European Tour. Anthrax signed with a small independant label, and in 1998 managed to release Vol.-8 The Threat Is Real, a punishing album which had the potential to return Anthrax to the top of the metal heap. With 1972's Come from the Shadows, Baez switched to A&M Records and began flirting with mainstream pop music as well as writing her own songs for her best-selling 1975 release Diamonds & Rust. During the hiatus long time guitarist Dan Spitz left the band, leaving Anthrax reeling. Her 1971 cover of The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (The Band) was a top 10 hit in the US. Obviously upset at what they felt was an attempt by the label to kill the album, Anthrax attempted to sever ties with Electra. Harris, a country music fan, turned Baez towards more complex country rock influences beginning with 1969's David's Album. In 1995 the band released Stomp 442 an album which Electra refused to provide real promotion for, and it quickly disappeared without a trace. In 1968, Baez married David Harris, a prominent anti-Vietnam War protester who was eventually imprisoned for draft evasion. Unfortunately the musical landscape of the early '90s was changing drastically; Alternative Rock was the rage, and metal was no longer being pushed by the music industry. Later in the decade, Baez experimented with poetry (1968's A Journey Through Our Time) and country music (1968's Any Day Now). Bush was a more "serious" sounding vocalist and Sound of White Noise was well received by most of the band's audience. Like Dylan, Baez was profoundly influenced by the British Invasion and began augmenting her acoustic guitar on 1965's Farewell Angelina just after Dylan began experimenting with folk-rock. The band jumped ship from Island Records to Electra Records and released Sound of White Noise on the label in 1993. From the early to mid-1960s, Baez emerged at the forefront of the American roots revival alongside contemporaries like Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell. In 1992 Anthrax parted ways with vocalist Joey Belladonna and replaced him with ex-Armored Saint vocalist John Bush. It went gold, as did 1962's Joan Baez in Concert. Within a few years bands such as Rage Against The Machine, Korn, Limp Bizkit and a host of others had picked up the Rap/Rock or Rap/Metal mantle and gone on to various degrees of success. 2, was released in 1961. Bring The Noise was a hit and the band had a successful joint tour with Public Enemy. Her second release, Joan Baez, Vol. Anthrax was always a band prone to experimentation, and in 1991 they collaborated with pioneering rap artists Public Enemy on a joint version of PE's Bring The Noise. While Run-DMC had worked with Aerosmith back in 1986, Bring The Noise is widely regarded as the very first Rap Rock hybrid as this was the first time a Rock band had fully incorporated Rap into a song. The album was a collection of ballads performed in a traditional style, and it sold moderately well. Because of this Anthrax appealed to a more general audience even if they were never quite as popular as their contemporaries. Baez's professional career began at the 1959 Newport Folk Festival and recorded her debut, Joan Baez, the following year on Vanguard Records. While the other major thrash bands, Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer, were deadly serious, Anthrax wrote songs about comic books and Stephen King novels. Her family was Quaker, and her father Albert Baez, a physicist, refused lucrative war industry jobs. Almost immediately Anthrax morphed from a stereo-typical Judas Priest knock-off to the thrash metal style that would garner them so much fame. Mixing equal doses of punk and speed metal along with a generous dose of humor quickly shot them to the fore front of the burgeoning thrash movement. Joan Chandos Báez (born January 9, 1941 in Staten Island, New York) is an American folk singer and songwriter, known for her distinctive vocal style as well as her outspoken political views. The additions of vocalist Joey Belladonna, and bassist Frank Bello brought a much improved sound to band. By 1985 when Anthrax released their first classic album, Spreading the Disease, their lineup had solidified into cohesive unit. It was an inauspicuous debut for a band that would soon rise to the forefront of the thrash metal scene. After signing with Megaforce Records, they released their first full-length album, Fistful of Metal in 1984. Anthrax was formed by guitarist Scott Ian, drummer Charlie Benante, bassist Dan Lilker and vocalist Neil Turbin in the early '80s. They have made several appearances on television shows such as Married with Children and NewsRadio and have appeared in movies such as Run Ronnie Ron (performing as the fictional band Titannica) and Calendar Girls. The "big-four" of thrash metal invariably includes Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax. Anthrax was one of the most popular bands from the thrash metal scene in the '80s, and possibly the biggest band to come out of the East Coast thrash scene. Anthrax is a New York City-based heavy metal rock group, who released their first full-length album in 1984. For the British band of the same name see: Anthrax (Anarcho-punk band). This article deals with the American band called Anthrax. Neil Turbin, lead vocals. Dan Spitz, lead guitar. Dan Lilker, bass. Greg D'Angelo, drums. Paul Crook, lead guitar (touring guitarist only; never an "official" member of the band). Frank Bello, bass. Joey Belladonna, lead vocals. Rob Caggiano lead guitar. Charlie Benante, drums, guitar. John Bush, lead vocals. Scott Ian, rhythm guitar. 2004 Greater of Two Evils. 2004 Music of Mass Destruction (CD/DVD set). 2003 We've Come for You All. 2001 Madhouse - The Very Best of Anthrax (compilation). 1999 Return of the Killer A's (compilation). 1998 Vol.-8 The Threat Is Real. 1995 Stomp 442. 1994 The Island Years (live). 1993 Sound of White Noise. 1991 Attack of the Killer B's. 1990 Persistence of Time. 1989 Penikufesin (EP, only released in Europe). 1988 State of Euphoria. 1987 I'm the Man (EP). 1987 Among The Living. 1986 Fistful of Anthrax (live). 1985 Spreading the Disease. 1985 Armed and Dangerous (EP). 1984 Fistful of Metal. |