Former MANOWAR Drummer SCOTT COLUMBUS Discusses His Departure

U.K.'s Classic Rock magazine recently conducted an interview with former MANOWAR drummer Scott Columbus. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Classic Rock: You've recently issued a press release announcing you are playing some dates with former MANOWAR guitarist Ross The Boss.

Scott Columbus: Ross and I have been in pretty close contact over the years and recently over the past year we've been talking about playing together again. Talk turned into reality and we're playing a bunch of shows over the summer in Europe and the United States and we're going to have a good time.

Classic Rock: Where does this leave your current status in MANOWAR?

Scott Columbus: My current status is… (pause) Well, if you look at their website my picture is still up there, I don't know why. I'm not currently in the band MANOWAR anymore.

Classic Rock: When did the split occur?

Scott Columbus: I'd say it was about April 2008. When Mr. DeMaio [Joey DeMaio, MANOWAR bassist/mainman] and myself agreed to disagree on a few points of interest. That leads us up to today. You know what? I had a long and wonderful career with MANOWAR; I have no regrets, it's just life moves on.

Classic Rock: Would you classify the reasons for the split personal, financial or musical?

Scott Columbus: Yes [laughs]. My answer is yes to all of the above.

Classic Rock: MANOWAR has stated that you are still in the band and just taking time off for personal tragedies. What is your take on that?

Scott Columbus: Well, you can refer to a few questions ago when I agreed to disagree with Mr. DeMaio. In other words, maybe that's a question he will answer if you ask him. I am not in the band. Period. There you go.

Classic Rock: You left the band for a period in the early '90s and MANOWAR contributed the time away to your son's health problems. Was this the case?

Scott Columbus: It was the very end of 1989 leading into 1990. I was officially gone in 1990, the first time. I can just tell you and the world that my son was never sick. So you can deduce from that what you may. However, that's what I'll tell you [concerning the official statement].

Classic Rock: Have you had any contact with the band since your departure in April of 2008?

Scott Columbus: Yes, I speak quite often with the singer [Eric Adams] who is a dear, dear friend of mine. He and I hung out on the road all the time for many years, so I speak to Eric all the time. Joey [DeMaio] I speak to periodically. Some of the ancillary people I speak with because we've always had a great relationship, so why let something professional interrupt something personal. I tend to make friends for life. Once people get to know me they realize I wear my heart on my sleeve, there's no bullshit about me. I can do a lot of things very well but one thing I really suck at is lying.

Read the entire interview from Classic Rock.