PHILIP ANSELMO Discusses Upcoming Solo Project, Autobiography

Shannon Joy of the LA Music Blog recently conducted an interview with Philip Anselmo (DOWN, PANTERA, SUPERJOINT RITUAL, ARSON ANTHEM). A few excerpts from the chat follow below.

LA Music Blog: There have been rumors of a solo effort on the horizon. Can you confirm, and possibly elaborate, at all on that?

Anselmo: I'm just writing new material and by no means is it finished. It's really just in demo form right now. It's just me and a drummer, this kid from around here, nobody that anybody knows, just a session guy that learns real fast and does what I say. So yeah, if this stuff comes around like I think it's going to come around, then definitely, I think people should be hearing this stuff. And that's exciting. It's an exciting prospect right there.

LA Music Blog: Is there any sort of specific musical direction you'll be going with it? I know it's not going to be PANTERA, it's not going to be DOWN…

Anselmo: It's not going to be anything else I've ever done. If you're going to start a band, and I've said it ten million times — and I should know, figuring I've been in so many different bands — not one of them is aimed to sound alike. So I'm going to definitely try and keep things fresh here. But to answer your question, it's fucking aggressive.

LA Music Blog: I know that there's an autobiography in the works, although it's not intended to spotlight your musical endeavors. While obviously, that's something that will have to be covered to some extent, what will be the actual basis of the book?

Anselmo: Well, it's taken so many different forms here. Of course, like you mentioned, I've got to definitely go over some music history. Some stuff that we did. PANTERA, DOWN, all the bands, but especially PANTERA, that's understood. But it's really a lot about dealing with physical pain. When you're in your strongest body, you're young, and you're in that position that I was in…you know, pain has taught me many, many, many valuable lessons, many of them, and I definitely need to share that with people. By no means is pain a scapegoat for any of my ridiculous actions over the years or crazy bullshit I might've said or done. No, no, no, it's a broader point to make. You can learn many different lessons from pain, and I guess you're going to have to buy the book to understand those lessons. There is life after pain as well. I can only write as much as I know. Because things — big, fantastic things — happen every week, everyday, possibly. So it's like, when do you decide to put the final period or punctuation on a book? That's really where I have to figure, "This is as far as I'm writing," because tomorrow, and probably after I hang up this phone, the next part of a whole different book is about to be written. There is resolution after the pain; I just want people to know that. So I'm going to touch on a lot of different stuff.

LA Music Blog: I know you've been misrepresented for years in the media, and you seemed to somewhat avoid the press through the earlier part of this decade. Then you completely opened up with the Loyola interview last year. What led you to speak so candidly on topics that you've been deflecting for so many years?

Anselmo: It's not that I've deflected, actually, I've been talking to the press for quite awhile again. Honestly, when I shut myself down from the press originally, I was still in PANTERA, and I guess I was going through a lot of turmoil in my life; dealing with pain and dealing with everything that comes with pain. I was lashing out pretty angrily in any direction I possibly could. So it was probably best to not have a fucking recorder around me, and I knew this. I had read some bad interviews and when people read things there in plain black and white, they don't know or feel the sense of humor or whatnot said behind the quote. The second time I cut myself off from the press it was after Dimebag got murdered, and I just needed to digest that particular time of my life alone. I was not about to get into a pissing contest that'd ultimately lead to nowhere, only uglier things. That's not my game, man. Sure, there's a distrust of certain elements of the press, but I also have to take some credit here for a) not recognizing it and letting my heart speak for the better sense of my brain, and b) you just have to understand, I had to really go through a lot before I could open up again. I guess my feeling and my take on things these days is as long as I shoot straight, tell the fucking truth without any grudge or without a sided perspective, and just let it be a life experience man — everyone makes fucking mistakes, everyone goes through tumultuous times, very trying times, in life on every fucking level. I'm not different from anybody else when it comes to making these [mistakes]. You know, life is life. We all got one. Mine gets examined closely because I've been successful. I'm no different from any other motherfucker out there in a band or starring in movies or whatnot. Shit, there's people out there that have got it a million times harder than my ass. So I'm OK, man. I'm as cool as a kitten. I don't mind speaking, telling the truth, admitting my faults, and moving forward. So bring it on. I've got questions, you've got questions, let's figure it out.

Read the entire interview from LA Music Blog.