ANTHRAX Drummer CHARLIE BENANTE - "Music Is A Part Of My DNA; I Will Never Stop" 
www.IconsOfPunk.com recently spoke with
ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante. The following is an excerpt from the interview:
IOP : You made a rather big announcement recently with Dan Nelson being named as the new lead singer for Anthrax. How has the reaction been to that announcement? Are things going well?
CB: "Yeah, you know what? To be honest with you, and it sounds funny for me to say this but, I didn’t want to make a big announcement about it, because we are still in the early stages. We were almost kind of forced into making the announcement now because of the internet; it ruins every surprise. One asshole finds out about something and they post it somewhere. You know?"
IOP: Have you guys started recording, and if so, will it be a 2008 release?
CB: "An ’08 release looks right, but we are still in the early stages right now. Dan has kind of jumped into this, so we just want to take it slow. I know that we haven’t had a record out in years but, right now, I just want to not rush into things and take my time."
IOP: Anthrax has had amazing career longevity, playing for more than twenty five years now. At any point have you all ever discussed throwing in the towel or do changes such as this give you a swift kick in the ass and help to reignite that flame?
CB: "I had this conversation yesterday with somebody, which it’s pretty funny that it’s coming up again. When I was born, I came out a musician. I didn’t learn to play or anything like that. It was in me and there is no stopping that. My mother always said that from an early age that you could just tell that it was just in me. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. Between art and music, that’s pretty much my thing. That’s my area, that’s what I know the best, that’s what I want to do. Music is a part of my DNA; I will never stop doing music. It was never a question for me to stop doing it...maybe it was a question to stop in this type of music, this band.
The hardest part for me with this type of music is leaving it, because I have so many other different types of projects that I want to see come to fruition. But, if I sit down with an electric guitar, this style of music comes out of me. If I sit down with an acoustic guitar, it’s a totally different world. So to answer, it never dawned on me to stop. It dawned on others to stop. Others who have come from this band decided not to do this anymore; their priorities changed. I mean, my priorities changed too, since I have a little girl now. It definitely changed for me, but the music that’s inside of me? That just never stops."
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