Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante has been forced to sit out the band’s upcoming tour of Australia, with “personal issues” preventing him from leaving home.
He’ll be replaced again by Jon Dette, ex of Testament and Slayer, currently with Animetal USA. He manned the drumkit for Anthrax’s European tour with Motorhead last year after Benante bowed out for similar reasons.
Guitarist Scott Ian reports: “Charlie is dealing with personal issues right now and can’t leave. He’s really bummer about not being able to head down there.”
It’s not known whether the “personal issues” referred to are connected with an incident in July last year when Benante and his wife were arrested and charged with domestic battery in front of a child.
The drummer said he’d been “assaulted several times during an altercation that sent him to the emergency room with a gash at the back of his head that required several staples to close.”
He also missed a series of shows in February last year while caring for his terminally-ill mother, who died that month.
Anthrax are currently touring with guitarist Jon Donais of Shadows Fall, after Rob Caggiano quit the band and soon afterwards joined Volbeat – a move that Benante described as looking “a bit sketchy.”
-Classic Rock
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