Anthrax bass player Frank Bello says his short spell with Helmet made him a better musician.
Bello left Anthrax in 2004 and hooked up with his friends in Helmet for an 18-month spell. He says he needed a break from Anthrax and that the band probably needed a rest from him too – but the separation proved fruitful for everyone involved.
He tells Hangar 19: “It’s just like a marriage. We decided to take a little break from each other. I went to go jam with Helmet for a year and a half of fucking the best fun. Page Hamilton, John Tempesta and Chris Traynor, we had a ball.
“Great musicians in that group — absolutely great musicians. And you know what? I think it made me a better bass player. It made me dig in with a pick, and it was a different form of playing for me. And I really enjoyed it. Everything is meant for a reason, but that was a great time in my life.”
Anthrax are currently recording a new album, set for release in 2015. Bello previously described the new material as “thrashier” than the band’s most recent album, 2011’s Worship Music.
