Former ANTHRAX Singer JOHN BUSH Is Saddened By Lack Of Contact With CHARLIE BENANTE

On October 9, 2014, Argentinean rock journalist Lucas H. Gordon conducted an interview with long-running Los Angeles metallers ARMORED SAINT at T.J. Martell Foundation's Rock 'N' Bowl tournament at the PINZ Bowling Center in Studio City, California. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked about his current relationship with ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian and drummer Charlie Benante, ARMORED SAINT singer John Bush — who fronted ANTHRAX from 1992 to 2005 — said: "It's fine with Scott. I'm gonna see him tomorrow, 'cause he's having a book-release party. He's put out a book and he's having a… I guess he's talking about it and doing some excerpts and he's having a function and I was invited to go… Yeah, everything is cool with Scott. I haven't talked to Charlie. I haven't talked to him in probably a couple of years, actually, which is a little sad, actually, 'cause I was close with him. But, you know, things kind of got weird. And… I don't know… Maybe he doesn't wanna talk or something. I'm cool. It's all good on my end. I think everything that ANTHRAX is doing is the right thing for them. So that's fate and the way that it worked out and it's all good. And I'm happy, and life is good."

In a 2012 inteview with The Nervous Breakdown, Bush stated about his time with ANTHRAX: "I was in ANTHRAX for a long time. From '92 to 2005. Basically, thirteen years. We made four records of original material. I did a lot of touring. And I think we made some really cool albums and some cool music. It was a change in the way things were going. The face of rock and roll was changing, and I think ANTHRAX embraced that and I'm proud of that."

He continued: "For a long time it seemed like we were a band that tried to convince people that we were the same band. But in a weird way, I think we did morph a little bit in the '90s and grew and went with the times, and in retrospect, I think it was the right decision.

"You know, 'Sound Of White Noise' was a record that sounded advanced. It sounded like an ANTHRAX record in the future, and I think it was a cool thing to do, and I think it was the right thing to do, for the band at the time."

Bush added: "I'm proud of everything I did with the band. I think we made some great music.

"It was hard because ANTHRAX was such an important band in the '80s and made their mark in the '80s and it was kind of difficult to compete with yourself in a weird way. I think it was hard for the other guys — let alone myself — to try and overcome what the band did in the '80s and say that this music was equally important. But I think it is and I think in time people will give it a more objective viewpoint."

John Bush temporarily rejoined ANTHRAX for a number of shows in late 2009 and early 2010 but stepped aside in May 2010 in order to make room for the return of Joey Belladonna. Belladonna was the lead singer of ANTHRAX from 1984 to 1992, and was considered part of the band's classic lineup (alongside Dan Spitz, Scott Ian, Frank Bello and Charlie Benante),which reunited and toured during 2005 and 2006.