PHILIP ANSELMO: There's No Way I'd Be Able To Sing PANTERA's 'Cemetery Gates' Again

On July 18, John Doan of MusicFrenzy.net conducted an interview with former PANTERA and current DOWN and SUPERJOINT singer Philip Anselmo in Lancaster, Pennsylvania during SUPERJOINT's "It Takes Guts" tour. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On the evolution of his singing style over the years:

"Well, I'll tell you what: [proper] singing is a way different animal than, say, the death metal or hardcore singing or… whatever… Like SUPERJOINT, that's hardcore singing, to me… Heavy metal singing, hardcore singing… whatever. But actually carrying a note and singing song after song… DOWN… DOWN is a band where I have to be in key. That requires a lot more early nights, a lot more, 'Good night, dickhead. Put the fucking bottle down. The party's over, son.' A lot of sleep, a lot of rest, warming up… shit like that. So, I find it funny, 'cause I know there is a contingency of people out there that say, 'Ah, Phil can't do this and that anymore.' And you're damn right — there's no way I'd be able to sing [PANTERA's] 'Cemetery Gates' or something like that again; not that I'd want to. It's, like, I purposely moved on from that style of vocal, because, really, I felt that that style of vocal had been beaten to death, you know, beaten into the ground. And I know there's a contingency of people who… I guess, they prefer the singing voice over extreme vocals or something like that — because I can do both. I say it's all about the mood I'm in. I can fucking sing — I've got soul, Jack. I've got a little 'brother' in me, if you know what I'm saying. I'm from New Orleans… But, I don't know… I find power and beauty and purity in a lot of different styles, man, a lot of different genres. So, anybody who doesn't think 'the kid' can still sing and whatnot, or I'm copping out or whatever, I've just gotta say… you're wrong."

On keeping his musical projects separate and the importance of each band having its own identity:

"As far as chemistry goes, on the stage, and shit like that, it's imperative, it's important and it comes with time. I mean, I've been jamming with [the SUPERJOINT] guys in separate bands, in different bands, and this and that, for a very long time, but still, each band has to be its own thing — has to be… vocally, style-wise, attitude, everything like that, because, other than that, you'll just get the same Phil Anselmo up there every fucking night. And, to me, it's, like, each thing has to be so separated from one another, because it's important. If DOWN kind of sounded like SUPERJOINT and vice versa, it would be, like, why? Why don't I do a joint venture? It's, like, well, I'm not. I think I've got the 'in between' pretty well, fucking splitting-the-bands thing pretty well. So each band has its own distinct character, distinct goal and sound."

SUPERJOINT RITUAL — now known simply as SUPERJOINT for legal reasons — played its first-ever European show at this year's Hellfest on June 21 in Clisson, France.

SUPERJOINT has just embarked on its first tour in over a decade. Presented by Anselmo's own Housecore Records, "The It Takes Guts Tour" commenced on July 10 in Oklahoma City and will ravage its way through more than a dozen cities.

SUPERJOINT's current lineup includes Anselmo alongside guitarists Kevin Bond (CHRIST INVERSION, ARTIMUS PYLEDRIVER) and Jimmy Bower (DOWN, EYEHATEGOD),drummer José Manuel Gonzalez (WARBEAST, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS) and bassist Stephen Taylor (PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, WOVEN HAND, 16 HORSE POWER).