Pantera’s Phil Anselmo keeps shows ‘real’ with new solo project
January 9, 2014
Former Pantera frontman Phil Anselmo isn’t in the mood for any small talk. He wants to cut to the chase and talk about “Walk Through Exits Only,” his first release with Philip H. Anselmo and the Illegals. Called his debut solo record, “Walk Through Exits Only” is laced with brash, brutal guitars that cut through punishing percussion. Anselmo screams with uncompromising ferocity.
Anselmo—who’s also a veteran of Down and Superjoint Ritual, among others—wanted to make music at its hardest.
“I wanted to dabble in something a little more harsh than Down or anything else I’ve done lately,” Anselmo says via telephone from his New Orleans home, stressing the word “lately.” “It’s just something I did. It felt natural and that’s about it.”
“Walk Through Exits Only” was inspired by “real-life events, down-to-Earth true events” and “real stuff” that Anselmo deals with daily. Although he had been working on the album for years, he just kind of went with the flow.
“I had some time,” says Anselmo, who brushed off the much-written-about notion that he’s writing an autobiography. “There was no real fucking big master plan or anything. It felt natural so I did it.”
Produced by Anselmo and Michael Thompson, and recorded over the past couple of years at his New Orleans studio, Nosferatu’s Lair, the collection features his Illegals—Marzi Montazeri on guitars, and drummer Jose Manuel “Blue” Gonzalez. They are guys that the formidable frontman has known for years.
“I’ve known the guitar player for almost 20 years,” he says. “The drummer’s from Warbeast and they’re one of my bands on (Anselmo’s label) Housecore Records. He’s a talented, good kid. The bass player, who played on the record, is a local New Orleans guy, Bennett Bartley. The guy we tour with is Steve Taylor. Sweet guy, tight, tight tight musician and really, really easy-going guy. He’s easy to work with.”
When he’s not working with Philip H. Anselmo and the Illegals, he’s recording the new Down album.
“It’s cool,” he says, describing the new material. “I’ve finished my vocals on that sucker. We got all the basic tracks down.”
The new Down record should be ready to drop in the first quarter of 2014, Anselmo says.
Now that he’s wrapped his part, Anselmo and his band will hit the road again, playing Pub Rock Live in Scottsdale on Friday, January 24.
“I feel like in live situations, I’m really most comfortable as far as pumping the thing up,” he says.
Anselmo could play larger theaters or even, maybe, arenas. But he chose to perform in small clubs like Pub Rock Live.
“It’s my choice, man,” he explains. “The smaller the better. It’s fucking real. I don’t prepare for it any differently—not from a musical standpoint, not from anything I’m going to personally do or say or anything like that. Not at all. We just fucking buck up, get in there and jam the set and really that’s how I’ve thrived really over the years. I just go with the flow and feel it out when you get there. And let things be off the cuff. Same old, same old every single night is boring. I let the situation dictate itself and deal with it from now on.”
The show at Pub Rock Live should attract a virtual who’s who of the Arizona metal scene, he says.
“Arizona’s always been fantastic—always, always, always,” he explains. “No matter what band I’ve been with. We have a lot of excellent friends in Arizona. Shit, man, the Sepultura guys used to live there—or maybe they still do. The Slayer guys used to live there. Phil from Sacred Reich always comes out. It’s a blast. The audiences are always really receptive and they’re great heavy metal fans. I’m looking forward to it.”
Philip H. Anselmo and The Illegals w/Author & Punisher, Hymns, Pub Rock Live, 8005 E. Roosevelt Street, Scottsdale, 480.945.4985,pubrocklive.com, Friday, January 24, 7 p.m.., $25-$30
