Phil Anselmo has embarked on a new project with the album Walk Through Exits Only and is currently on tour in the States. I had 15 minutes (literally) to catch up with him and ask as much as I could. In the end, I think I succeeded in balancing questions about his new band with those about Pantera in the short time we had.
I've typed out some highlights below, but you'll also find the full audio there as well.
I've typed out some highlights below, but you'll also find the full audio there as well.
This interview is a Metal Meltdown exclusive, and text and audio are not to be used without permission. Blabbermouth, this means you.
Interview Highlights (full audio above)
On working with lesser known musicians in Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals: You know, it's always fun, when you build something from the ground up and you get a reaction of sorts. It's always interesting to do something like that and then I guess another rewarding side of it is getting these lesser known guys out there, because really, when you have new people and whatnot, it's like the tip of the iceberg for them as far as their careers go. It does give them a bit of visibility, because I still do tour with Down as well, so it's like when I'm off with Down, this gives them the opportunity to maybe get that phone call, get the opportunity to jam with other bands, other people, just be noticed. So all that stuff feels good and I love to give back to heavy metal in general, man, because heavy metal has been very, very kind to me. So my knee-jerk reaction is just to give back.
How do you deal with high expectations for a new project? It's not tough for me at all, because all the bands I've been in--I think everybody knows the successful ones or the ones that left a dent. Look at Pantera and Down and Superjoint Ritual - those are the types of bands I got off my ass and toured with, traveled the world, and made a little bit of a dent for sure. But, you know, all the other bands that I've done, whether it be Arson Anthem or Chris Inversion or Body in Blood or Viking Crown, that was really just for fun, and I never really had plans to tour any of that stuff on a great or grand scale at all. Look, people are always going to remember Pantera and Down and, to a certain level, Superjoint, too, so I guess it comes with the territory. So I don't feel any pressure at all, man. Really, I'm a music fan first and foremost, and honestly everything comes so organically and naturally. I'm just going with the flow, man. So everything feels real, everything feels very honest, and we'll see where it goes from here.
In looking to other autobiographies for a model in writing his own: No, I don't read music books at all. I think the only music book I've ever read was David Lee Roth's book, and that was years and years ago. I don't know why. It doesn't do anything for me. So I don't read any fucking music books.
Will there be more Pantera reissues? I would think so. Yes. There's been talk of it, and there is a great, great side of Pantera that is still very much a thriving business and amazingly 20 years later. It's amazing. There's a lot of business there, and I would expect a rerelease. Actually, an amazing percentage--I read in an email the other day--52% of all things sold that are Pantera are from people between the ages of 15 and 25. To me, chalk that up to great parenting. Let's hear it for the fucking parents of the 90s!
Any more unreleased tracks? Man, that's tough, because Pantera very rarely wasted any riffs, and I think after a while, the demoing and whatnot, came to a screeching halt and whatever we wrote we kept. That's a tough question. I have in my personal collection some pretty trippy stuff me and Dimebag used to do, but as far as Pantera stuff, man, I don't know. We'd have to really go digging through vaults for that.
Did he realize that Pantera was doing something revolutionary at the time? Not at all, man, believe me. When you're that close to a band and you're part of something like that--first and foremost, I'm a pessimist. When you create music, I'm the type of guy who does not like to put lofty expectations or whatever on anything. Really, man, it's been an incredible journey. I could have never in a million years foreseen the popularity of Pantera and how it would grow. Once again, I've always said that Pantera fans were rabid and loyal, loyal, loyal, and honestly, the greatest fans I've ever encountered in all my years. In certain ways, it's not surprising, because they're so fucking loyal. What better word could I use than loyal and honest? They're great, great fans. The fans make the band, really. The band can't force themselves upon an audience. Man, it's incredible, it's a trip, and once again, nothing I could ever have imagined when I was a mere youth, 19, 20 years old. No way.
On working with lesser known musicians in Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals: You know, it's always fun, when you build something from the ground up and you get a reaction of sorts. It's always interesting to do something like that and then I guess another rewarding side of it is getting these lesser known guys out there, because really, when you have new people and whatnot, it's like the tip of the iceberg for them as far as their careers go. It does give them a bit of visibility, because I still do tour with Down as well, so it's like when I'm off with Down, this gives them the opportunity to maybe get that phone call, get the opportunity to jam with other bands, other people, just be noticed. So all that stuff feels good and I love to give back to heavy metal in general, man, because heavy metal has been very, very kind to me. So my knee-jerk reaction is just to give back.
How do you deal with high expectations for a new project? It's not tough for me at all, because all the bands I've been in--I think everybody knows the successful ones or the ones that left a dent. Look at Pantera and Down and Superjoint Ritual - those are the types of bands I got off my ass and toured with, traveled the world, and made a little bit of a dent for sure. But, you know, all the other bands that I've done, whether it be Arson Anthem or Chris Inversion or Body in Blood or Viking Crown, that was really just for fun, and I never really had plans to tour any of that stuff on a great or grand scale at all. Look, people are always going to remember Pantera and Down and, to a certain level, Superjoint, too, so I guess it comes with the territory. So I don't feel any pressure at all, man. Really, I'm a music fan first and foremost, and honestly everything comes so organically and naturally. I'm just going with the flow, man. So everything feels real, everything feels very honest, and we'll see where it goes from here.
In looking to other autobiographies for a model in writing his own: No, I don't read music books at all. I think the only music book I've ever read was David Lee Roth's book, and that was years and years ago. I don't know why. It doesn't do anything for me. So I don't read any fucking music books.
Will there be more Pantera reissues? I would think so. Yes. There's been talk of it, and there is a great, great side of Pantera that is still very much a thriving business and amazingly 20 years later. It's amazing. There's a lot of business there, and I would expect a rerelease. Actually, an amazing percentage--I read in an email the other day--52% of all things sold that are Pantera are from people between the ages of 15 and 25. To me, chalk that up to great parenting. Let's hear it for the fucking parents of the 90s!
Any more unreleased tracks? Man, that's tough, because Pantera very rarely wasted any riffs, and I think after a while, the demoing and whatnot, came to a screeching halt and whatever we wrote we kept. That's a tough question. I have in my personal collection some pretty trippy stuff me and Dimebag used to do, but as far as Pantera stuff, man, I don't know. We'd have to really go digging through vaults for that.
Did he realize that Pantera was doing something revolutionary at the time? Not at all, man, believe me. When you're that close to a band and you're part of something like that--first and foremost, I'm a pessimist. When you create music, I'm the type of guy who does not like to put lofty expectations or whatever on anything. Really, man, it's been an incredible journey. I could have never in a million years foreseen the popularity of Pantera and how it would grow. Once again, I've always said that Pantera fans were rabid and loyal, loyal, loyal, and honestly, the greatest fans I've ever encountered in all my years. In certain ways, it's not surprising, because they're so fucking loyal. What better word could I use than loyal and honest? They're great, great fans. The fans make the band, really. The band can't force themselves upon an audience. Man, it's incredible, it's a trip, and once again, nothing I could ever have imagined when I was a mere youth, 19, 20 years old. No way.
RSS Feed