Anthrax mainman Charlie Benante admits he’d given up all hope of a fourth Grammy nomination.
The band went to the brink of collapse after sacking singer Dan Nelson in 2009, which led to the shelving of long-awaited album Worship Music.
Ex-frontman John Bush fronted the band for a number of live shows but didn’t want to commit his future. The lineup finally stabilised when classic-era vocalist Joey Belladonna returned, and Worship Music was reworked and released to acclaim in 2011.
Now the track I’m Alive from that album has been shortlisted for the Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Grammy.
Benante tells Noisecreep: “It was a shock to me. I absolutely, 100% stopped thinking about these kind of things. I didn’t think of the Grammys and us any more as something that was remotely possible.
“To have something so prestigious means a lot to us. We as a band embrace this like an actor would embrace and Oscar or an Emmy.”
The drummer adds: “We put so much hard work into Worship Music and I’m so honoured to be nominated with a group of bands like Iron Maiden and Megadeth. I had lost all hope – but I guess I was wrong.”
Meanwhile, Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian has announced a spoken-word UK tour on the back of his successful one-off show in London last month.
Ian says: “I’m calling it ‘Speaking Words’ because the pretension of saying I’m doing a spoken-word tour is too much to bears.
“It’s an evening of ridiculous truth – it’s me talking about this insane life I’ve led, the people I’ve met and the shit that’s happened. When I’m done swearing you can ask me anything you want.”
Scott Ian Speaking Words Tour
May 24: Oxford O2 Academy
May 25: Cardiff Gate
May 26: Gloucester Guildhall
May 27: Plymouth White Rabbit
May 29: Rugby Vault
May 30: York The Duchess
May 31: Liverpool O2 Academy
Jun 01: Manchester Sound Control
Jun 02: Stoke Underground
Jun 04: Newcastle Cluny
Jun 05: Glasgow Arches
Jun 06: Belfast Limelight 2
Jun 07: Cork Cyprus Avenue
Jun 08: Dublin Button Factory
Jun 10: Bournemouth O2 Academy
Jun 11: London Garage
-Classic Rock magazine
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