PHILIP ANSELMO: 'I Think About DIMEBAG Every Day Of My Life'

Jason Price of Icon Vs. Icon recently conducted an interview with Philip Anselmo (DOWN, PANTERA, SUPERJOINT RITUAL, ARSON ANTHEM). A few excerpts from the chat follow.

Icon Vs. Icon: We obviously can't talk about PANTERA without talking about Dimebag Darrell's untimely passing. It has been five years and you guys are putting together this commemorative release together. It is clear that his death has had a major impact on you. Is it getting any easier for you as time passes?

Anselmo: No. As a matter of fact, in a strange way, you kinda just took the words out of my mouth and asked the right question. No. Every year gets harder. Every year, when the dates roll by it gets harder and this past year has been the hardest year of all. I think initially, the first year, two years … [pauses] I don't know how long. It was just such a shock. It is very hard to comprehend, but I get it now. I get it now. I understand. Sure, I think about what could be. Yes, I think about Dimebag every day of my life. Every waking day of my life, man. So, no. It doesn't get any easier.

Icon Vs. Icon: You have had a love/hate relationship with the "rock media" for years? What are your thoughts on that part of the industry these days and your relationship with it?

Anselmo: Well, honestly it has a whole lot to do with my attitude. I think for many, many, many years I was a wounded animal lashing out. I was making a lot of mistakes with medication, drugs and alcohol. I was just fucking … [pauses] pardon the F-bomb … but I was just fucking out of my mind and I was really lashing out. After major back surgery, and that is a heck of a struggle, to come back from that both physically and mentally, today I am in a much better place. It is like what I give is what I get back. With the press, when I would fly off at the mouth, the press would eat it alive. Good or bad. I learned that lesson a few different times after being suckered into different confrontational things via different articles or different things in magazines and whatnot. Hence my silence after Dimebag's passing. There was no way I was ready to have a microphone shoved in my face. That is why I shut myself off for a long while. I have had interviewers, not many, I have definitely had a couple that try to wind me up with questions that are designed to do just that. But hey man, it is tough to fool the ol' fat now. You can't fuck … with me.

Icon Vs. Icon: You have been working on your autobiography. Is that your way of shedding some light on the man behind the person we see in the limelight?

Anselmo: Sure! That is an interesting thing to bring up. Writing a book is a very interesting process because you get to go through and find out for yourself what fueled the man as a youngster and all the little different things that happened in succession where you put one foot in front of the other and the next thing you know, you are doing the 20-year anniversary of your first record, ya know?! So it's like "How the heck did I get to be 42 years old?!" It's a hell of a story.

Icon Vs. Icon: Definitely.

Anselmo: I guess the biggest misconception will be deduced by the people from whatever I put out, because I am going to tell the truth. I'm going to be subjective and I am going to come from the gut and from the heart. Look forward to reading that sucker. I have been working tediously on the thing but I am very particular, so don't look for it next week or anything, but it's coming.

Icon Vs. Icon: There have been rumors of a solo album from you circulating in the fan community. Can you elaborate on that at all and how do you envision a Phil Anselmo solo album sounding?

Anselmo: Well, it's vicious. I have been in so many different side projects, I like to say that not all of them sound alike. With that being said, there is no way I would want to rehash anything traditional, so to speak. I'm gonna touch on tradition, ya know. Tradition is distorted guitar, drums, bass. But yes, I have been writing new stuff. Yes, it is super motherfuckin' aggressive. It's at its beginning points man but I got over 10 things that are close. I can't give you a timeline, but I think, little by little, I might leak some here or there when it is done. I will just let people take it in how they want but, once again, I know heavy music. I see where heavy music is. I want to take heavy music like a ball of clay and reshape it, if you catch me. Reshape it differently than it has been shaped before. That is where I am at right now.

Read the entire interview from Icon Vs. Icon.