JOEY BELLADONNA - "How Can You Tell Them They're Wrong?" Page 2
by Martin Popoff

Did I say we talked a while? Well, yeah, and the below looksee into the mindset of Anthrax, and the friction between Joey and the band... this is just a portion. This was a weird interview, and through all the circular logic, Joey really got across what goes wrong in this oil and water band. Very interesting.

"I don't think they know how to go, 'Geez, you know what? This is a great lineup, and we need to do this because it's the best way to go, and let's share the business together and not...' They just don't; they don't want to do that. They want everybody, they want their own people, they want their own box, and they don't want anybody in that box. And if you're not willing to accept the box being closed, but you get to hang around, but you can't be in there, so if you don't want to accept that, I think we can still get it done without you. And it doesn't make sense to me. You can't be greedy. I don't want to use the word greedy like that. I don't have all the elements, and with the lineup we had, I mean, we played a day and a half, and we were going. It was stupid, we were so good, and we were going the whole time, so I don't think it's because... it's just the way they do it together."

"Nobody wants to open that door very much," continues Joey. "Management, everything, it's just a business, and if you got a guy who is a hired guy, who's barely there, you know, really wanted a gig, and OK, yes, maybe. I mean, it isn't about money and all that stuff. I could still do better, I mean if I could go do Anthrax and be a hired gun, but I don't want to do that. There's no reason for me to do that. Nor do they welcome me enough to even be in that situation where it is suitable for me."

"Partly too is the charisma of the band as a whole, the way it works, which is better than getting someone up there and just going through the motions and see if they can fit in that element. And I still think they think they can get it done. Which... they are going to get it done, but they're going to take the long road around to get there. Maybe there's only two or three of them sharing in all the goodies, and it's sufficient, then that suitable, then you can't beat that. How can you tell them they're wrong? I'm not going to tell them they're wrong. I just wouldn't want to fight that. I don't want to be there if you don't want me there. If you don't think I'm worthy of being there, or whatever the hell it is. It's unreal. I mean, again, getting up there and doing what we do, at least it's up there in that same vein - it's part of being in a band and it's fun. Obviously we still have our same moments of being a little bit edgy on the road, but overall, it's sufficient enough. I mean, it's definitely starting over. But I didn't worry about it."

See www.joeybelladonna.com for more.