As previously reported, Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante was forced to sit out the band’s recent live shows in San Antonio, TX and Mexico City, MX. As it turns out, his absence was related to illness.
Benante told MetalRules the following:
“So what had happened — I missed, actually, two shows… So I kind of got sick after that Louder Than Life festival [in Louisville, Kentucky], and I heard from a lot of people that they got sick too from it. But it never came out; it wasn’t like a full-blown illness, like, okay, you get a cold, you know? So we started to do the L.A. shows, the two MAIDEN stadiums [at BMO Stadium on September 25 and September 27], and then we played The Roxy [in West Hollywood on September 26], and I started to feel crappy again. And then we flew from Los Angeles on the Monday to San Antonio. I woke up the next day with the craziest version of vertigo. I’ve never had it before, but this thing felt like I was on the worst rocking ship in the ocean, and I was just a fucking mess. I couldn’t function. I couldn’t even lift my head up, let alone pick up a pair of sticks. So I missed the show in San Antonio.
The doctor came to see me, and our next show was going to be in Mexico City, and the doctor said, ‘I advise you not to get on a plane, and do not go to Mexico City, because with the higher elevation, it’s just gonna make it worse.’ So, I was done. I mean, it was the worst thing I’ve ever felt in my life. Like, you can’t even imagine — the room spinning and not being able to stop it. So I had to miss the two shows, which I was so bummed about, because, God, I love playing Mexico City too. And the San Antonio fans, there’s such a huge metal scene there. And it just bummed me out. But I’m feeling much better now. It was, like, the worst thing I’ve ever experienced.”
[via Blabbermouth]
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