Late final month, ANTHRAX introduced that, as a result of private causes, bassist Frank Bello won’t be able to accompany the band on its upcoming South American tour, set to kick off April 13 at MXMF The Metallic Fest in Mexico Metropolis. Filling in on these dates, in addition to two U.S. pageant exhibits in Could, will likely be ANTHRAX founding member and authentic bassist Dan Lilker, marking his first look with the band in 40 years. Lilker, who co-wrote and performed on ANTHRAX‘s debut album “Fistful Of Metallic”, was additionally a member of STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH with ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante and guitarist Scott Ian.
Earlier at present, ANTHRAX shared a brand new photograph of Lilker alongside Ian, Benante, singer Joey Belladonna and guitarist Jon Donais, and included the next message: “Hola amigos!!! We simply completed rehearsal in Mexico Metropolis and WE ARE READY TO RAGE! Danny is killing on bass – this tour goes to tear! You do not need to miss this! See ya quickly amigos!”
Requested in a latest interview with Metal Mayhem ROC when he was first approached about reuniting with ANTHRAX for the aforementioned exhibits, Lilker mentioned: “I used to be truly contacted, I assume, a couple of month in the past… I had much more advance discover than when all people simply discovered a few days in the past. It was simply that is when the press launch went public. So, yeah, a couple of month, ‘trigger I wanted a while to be taught among the materials, clearly, to play it accurately and play it with authority, too. You do not wanna simply be taught it; you wanna play it with confidence and appear like you are up there being steel and never tentative. So, yeah, you could possibly say late February, early March, one thing like that.”
Pressed about whether or not there was a purpose given as to why Bello is not capable of commit to those exhibits, Dan mentioned: “Effectively, we’re simply saying private causes. I’m not at liberty to say. However Frank is ok and the image of well being, and it is nothing like that. However [it’s] nothing I can go into; it is not my place.”
Relating to what his preliminary response was to being requested to play these ANTHRAX exhibits, Lilker mentioned: “I acquired a textual content from Scott when he was in Japan on tour with MR. BUNGLE. And I used to be truly at work. I work in precision optics [at the Rochester, New York-based company called Sydor Optics], as a result of I’ve realized that enjoying the kind of music I performed for essentially the most half wasn’t profitable sufficient to not have a job. However level being that, yeah, I used to be simply [having] somewhat smoke break at work at, like, 8:13 a.m. on a Monday or one thing, and I acquired a message from Scott going, ‘Do you assume yo’d be capable to do some exhibits with us subsequent month?’ So, yeah, it will have been the very starting of March. And it is humorous. I simply checked out my boss who’s additionally a metalhead — that is that is how I ended up working for the corporate — and mentioned, ‘Hey, I simply acquired requested to be do some ANTHRAX exhibits subsequent month.’ And he goes, ‘You would be fucking loopy to not.’ And so I knew it will be cool there. And I mentioned, ‘Positive. Seems like enjoyable.’ I regarded on the tour dates and mentioned, ‘I’ve by no means been to Uruguay earlier than,’ so I can cross that off the listing.’ All people at [the] firm [I work for] has been actually tremendous supportive about that. So I am very fortunate in that facet.”
On the subject of how lengthy it took him to simply accept the invitation, Lilker mentioned: “Oh, I simply just about mentioned, ‘Positive, that sounds cool.’ I knowledgeable my spouse, however I can not think about that she would have mentioned, ‘No, do not do this. That is loopy.’ So, I am fairly positive the order of issues was replied and mentioned, ‘Yeah, that sounds cool.’ After which I went about clearing it with the individuals I’ve to speak to right here [at home and at work].”
Requested what he’s most enthusiastic about in terms of enjoying with ANTHRAX once more, Lilker mentioned: “Effectively, one factor that is cool is since we’ve not performed S.O.D. for some time, it was at all times enjoyable jamming with Scott and Charlie, as a result of the opposite guys are cool, however keep in mind in ‘Fistful Of Metallic’, that was pre-Joey [Belladonna, current ANTHRAX singer] and the whole lot like that. So we had been just like the nucleus of the early, early ANTHRAX and, after all, S.O.D., which had one guitar, so in that facet, jamming with these guys. But in addition the opposite dudes — I’ve by no means been on stage with Joey or something like that. And, after all, Jon, the brand new [ANTHRAX guitarist], who’s been very useful with displaying me riffs. So it’s going to be that. And likewise, among the stuff on [ANTHRAX‘s third album, 1987’s] ‘Amongst The Residing’, it is actual heavy, quick thrash steel — I even have a few riffs I wrote on a few of that stuff — so it’s going to be enjoyable to truly play that stuff too. And, after all, the latter-day stuff from the ’90s is enjoyable as a result of it was truly very easy to be taught as a result of it was extra form of gradual. So, clearly, for me, enjoying grindcore and demise steel and black steel, some of these items goes to be good and straightforward. I’ve to verify I do not begin daydreaming.”
Relating to what followers can count on from the setlist for the ANTHRAX exhibits that he will likely be part of, Dan mentioned: “I’d simply say that in the event you take a look at latest ANTHRAX setlists, subtract a tune or two and add one other tune or two, that may be fairly shut. And so far as subtracting songs, no person’s going to be rapping on stage an excessive amount of.”
After one of many interviewers expressed hope that ANTHRAX will play a “Fistful Of Metallic” deep minimize like “Subjugator”, Dan mentioned: “That is a reasonably deep fucking minimize, dude. You would possibly get one thing else that ends with an ‘R.'”
Lilker later confirmed that ANTHRAX will carry out some materials from “Fistful Of Metallic” on the upcoming exhibits. “I imply, that is not many beans to spill there,” he mentioned. “They’ve at all times performed ‘Metallic Thrashing Mad’, and since I already [said] we’ll be doing one other tune that ends in ‘R’, that may be the tune earlier than it [‘Deathrider’] on ‘Fistful Of Metallic’. And, yeah, that is form of our one factor towards acknowledging me doing the stuff, as a result of that was a reasonably primitive album for what ANTHRAX ended up progressing into, a few of that having to do with my writing model.”
Requested about his present relationship with Scott, Charlie and Frank, having attended Ian‘s Sixtieth-birthday get together this previous New Yr’s Eve in Van Nuys, California, Dan mentioned: “Effectively, we have at all times had a relationship. It is simply been extra form of like a type of off-on issues since you’re not touring in the identical circles or no matter; they’re out doing one thing and I am doing one thing else. So [at Scott‘s birthday party], it was extra simply form of like attending to see outdated buddies once more, catching up with them. Frank, I hadn’t seen Frank for a very long time; I’ve seen Scott extra just lately than that, I imagine. And, yeah, it was a extremely good time going on the market with my spouse and celebrating his birthday and enjoying a number of tunes.”
He added: “However, normally, yeah, I am wanting ahead to sharing a stage with these guys, serving to them out and having some enjoyable, enjoying some steel. ‘Trigger I am not likely enjoying in bands anymore, which is by selection, and so simply attending to do occasional little forays like which can be cool with me.”
Requested if there are any long-term future plans for him to play with ANTHRAX once more, Lilker mentioned: “Effectively, so far as I do know, I am simply doing the ten exhibits that I used to be requested to do — the eight which can be in Central and South America after which the 2 U.S. fests. It is simply filling in for Frank — I wanna be sure that and stress that. I’m not [rejoining] the band, regardless that I shaped it earlier than. This is not gonna be, ‘Lastly after 40 years, my plan…’ I am doing my buddies a favor. And if that state of affairs adjustments sooner or later, it is not going to have something to do with me taking any steps to take action, let’s put it that means.”
Lilker has not been idle over the previous 4 a long time, having performed in all kinds of bands. He was the bassist for the thrash/steel band NUCLEAR ASSAULT and the grindcore band BRUTAL TRUTH. He additionally performs bass for EXIT-13, MALFORMED EARTHBORN, THE RAVENOUS, OVERLORD EXTERMINATOR, VENOMOUS CONCEPT, and extra.
Lilker will play the next exhibits with ANTHRAX:
April 13 – MXMF The Metallic Fest, Ciudad De México, Mexico
April 15 – Cancha Diamante, San Salvador, El Salvador
April 17 – Pepper’s, San Jose, Costa Rica
April 19 – The Metallic Fest, Quito, Ecuador
April 21 – The Metallic Fest, Santiago, Chile
April 23 – Sala de Museo, Montevideo, Uruguay
April 25 – El Teatro Flores, Buenos Aires, Argentina
April 28 – Summer season Breeze Open Air, São Paulo, Brazil
Could 09 – Welcome to Rockville, Daytona Seaside, FL
Could 17 – Sonic Temple Pageant, Columbus, OH
To have a good time ANTHRAX‘s fortieth anniversary in 2021, the band’s social media accounts supplied a collection of video testimonials despatched in by former bandmembers, fellow musicians, colleagues, and business veterans sharing behind-the-scenes tales of working with the band and what ANTHRAX‘s legacy has meant all these years on. These movies honored every album in chronological order starting with the unique launch, “Fistful Of Metallic”. The 11-week collection included video contributions from former ANTHRAX bandmembers Lilker, Dan Spitz, John Bush, Neil Turbin and Rob Caggiano.
Lilker, who performed bass on “Fistful Of Metallic” and wrote a lot of the music for the document, advised Knotfest about ANTHRAX‘s fortieth anniversary: “I am undoubtedly pleased with that complete factor. I believe it is nice that these guys are nonetheless going… That was actual good reminiscences again then. I do know individuals go, ‘Oh, they fucking threw you out after that,’ and blah blah blah. However, clearly, I acquired over that and shaped NUCLEAR ASSAULT. And subsequent yr we had been doing S.O.D. So I am not the form of man who stays bitter ceaselessly. However, yeah, the reminiscences of these occasions, writing that document and recording it and the whole lot was… ‘Trigger there was no blueprint or something; we simply had influences and simply tried to place our personal stamp on ’em again then. So, yeah, it form of sucks being thrown out three days earlier than [it got] launched, however it gave me an excuse to do one thing else.”
When interviewer Daniel Dekay famous that it was “actually cool” of ANTHRAX to permit Lilker to inform his facet of the story within the above-mentioned documentary collection, Dan mentioned: “There was occasions up to now the place I might need been somewhat uncared for on among the stuff. So I believe they wished to verify to only have a pleasant, inclusive vibe and never overlook any specific particulars. Like the truth that I wrote 75 p.c of ‘Fistful Of Metallic’. , a minor element.”
Quite a few years in the past, Lilker advised Voices From The Darkside that he was fired from ANTHRAX as a result of “a battle” with the band’s then-vocalist Neil Turbin. “He was an egotist (like most singers, haha) and it bothered him that I used to be taller than him,” Lilker defined. “Additionally, he had no humorousness, so in the event you busted his balls he took it severely. So, he advised the opposite members, ‘I can not take Lilker anymore. It is him or me.’ They determined he was extra vital as a well-recognized frontman to the followers, so that they threw me out, regardless that I wrote 75 p.c of the music on ‘Fistful…’. Oh properly. He was, after all, thrown out seven months later, and I performed with Scott and Charlie in S.O.D. the following yr.”
In his 2014 autobiography “I am The Man: The Story Of That Man From Anthrax”, Ian described Lilker‘s dismissal from ANTHRAX 30 years earlier as “the worst second for me within the historical past” of the band. He went on to say that the choice to kick Dan out ANTHRAX was made by Turbin and never the opposite members of the group.
“The largest dick transfer Neil ever pulled was when he fired Danny Lilker behind our backs after ‘Fistful…’ got here out in January 1984,” Ian wrote. “The principle purpose he did it, in my view, was as a result of Danny is taller than him. He actually did not assume somebody ought to be taller than the frontman onstage. He thought it made him look dangerous, so he tried to face as far-off from Danny as attainable, which was exhausting once we had been enjoying phases the dimensions of ping-pong tables.”
Lately, Ian has voiced his appreciation for the position “Fistful Of Metallic” performed in giving ANTHRAX its begin, telling Metallic Hammer: “Let’s face it, ‘Fistful Of Metallic’ gave us our profession. It acquired the band some consideration, made individuals everywhere in the world conscious of what we might do — and for that purpose alone I’ve to be grateful to everybody concerned. The document was important in launching us, and the whole lot we have performed, and change into, since stems from that debut document. I could also be important of it in some methods, however I might by no means do something apart from admit we owe all of it to ‘Fistful Of Metallic’. If that had by no means occurred… properly, maybe you’d by no means have heard of ANTHRAX.”