SUPERJOINT RITUAL's PHILIP ANSELMO: 'It's Time To Rise'

SUPERJOINT RITUAL frontman Philip Anselmo recently spoke to KNAC.com about the group's participation in this year's Ozzfest and their upcoming recording plans. Several excerpts from the interview follow:

On when the third album from SUPERJOINT RITUAL will arise:

Philip Anselmo: "Well, we have done an extensive amount of touring since then. I think we’re going to shoot for early next year. It's a very, very important LP — listen to me, 'LP' for God's sake — oh man, I'm stuck on it. I have a record player at home, and I have like NECRODEATH and DARKNESS on vinyl. NECRODEATH was black metal in 1987, before a lot of bands. But I'm not bragging, I'm loving it. But what were we talking about? Early next year. Early next year, because I want a great record. It needs to be the essence of — of violent, over-the-top lesson in life. The cruel world. View. And it must be, because in my mind there will be way more horrific — horrific — attacks by the al Qaeda and copycat terrorist groups, and I think that after a while of chasing their tail, the American government will have to start looking for new sources of information and new sources of power, and that's where some of this could come into play. If we think logically to defend our country — is the most noble cause. Period. I could write music all day and all night, and yes I believe in my heart and soul, that is what I was put here for. But, my mind is telling me, and has been telling me, lately, that not only should I organize something tremendous, as I have things in the past, I should have it be absolutely dangerous and our objective — and main objective — would be to gain all the information and counter attack any al Qaeda. It's time to rise, my brothers and sisters. Mark my words."

On where his views come from:

Philip Anselmo: "This is something I've felt since a young age. That's an impossible question to answer — 'Where did it come from.' It's as natural as hair growing under your arms [laughs]. It's part of you always, and maybe you have suspicions, destiny — everybody has those — and it just beats in my heart… that one day there has to be a way for all of us to get along, and all of us to have peace. That's a hard thing to do. Yes, I do believe it is possible. Well, people can look at me and say, 'Well, he doesn't make any difference anyway.' Look at the guys running, for God's sake. Look at them. They are propped up, hairspray jockeys who aren't going to make any difference AT ALL, and perhaps make things worse. AND, if I were another world leader, I would look into the eyes of these men, and I would know they were not leaders. I would know they were not true leaders. They were not made of strength. And the United States of America needs just that. Especially now."

On why he would take his seemingly underground thrash band on the Ozzfest tour:

Philip Anselmo: "Listen, the Osbournes have asked me in general, my bands in general… PANTERA — they asked us twice to be part of Ozzfest. Of course, we said yes. I have a band called DOWN that they — we had just put out a new record, and they asked us if we’d want to do it, and we were like, 'Of course.' You know? So we ended up headlining 2nd stage. The they asked us to headline 2nd stage, and I believe you asked if that bothered me — you gotta understand, now that I'm in SUPERJOINT RITUAL… we're playing small places — and that is stuff that we expected all along, and wanted. We wanted that BLACK FLAG feeling of small, energetic, intimate audience that could get up on the stage at will, dive into the audience — everybody's dancing counter-clockwise in the pit — the original pit. That part of the mission of SUPERJOINT RITUAL is complete. That is as fun as it gets."

Read Philip Anselmo's entire interview with KNAC.com at this location.