Testament’s Chuck Billy says he’s “feeling better” after coronavirus diagnosis

Chuck Billy
Chuck Billy (Image credit: Roy Rochlin - Getty)

Earlier this week, it was reported that Testament frontman Chuck Billy, his wife Tiffany and some of the band’s crew had all been diagnosed with coronavirus.

The news came through weeks after the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy forced the cancellation of the band's show with Exodus in Milan.

Billy has now spoken about what it’s been like living with the virus in a new interview with The Metal Voice, and revealed that he’s been feeling better as the days go on.

Asked what his symptoms were, Billy says: “My body just ached: headaches, achy, wiped out. At first, I thought it was just jet lag and travelling, but then it came on like you knew you were sick – and it didn't really let up. It was just a lot of not sleeping. 

“I really didn't get the fever, just the coughing and the headaches and being tired. And then we got to take our test. We did the drive-through test, where you roll down your window, they swab you and you're on your way. It takes seven days to get your results. 

“So, from the day we got tested until getting the results, we started feeling better – still not sick, but definitely that headache and the tiredness and achy and just feeling really bad was starting to go away.”

Billy says he felt it in the first couple of days when he was “huffing and puffing” just walking to the bathroom and back. But he adds: “It didn't get any worse. We just kind of chilled, we weren't over-exerting ourselves. We really just took it easy and got a lot of rest."

He continues: “It all depends on how your body reacts and your health. My wife and I feel like we're in pretty good health. Right away, we isolated ourselves, quarantined and just haven't left and we're just riding it out and feeling better as the days go on. 

“I think today was probably our most active day. We're up and out, trying to get out and do some things, where before, we were just shut down, stuck on the couch.”

Testament's upcoming album Titans Of Creation will be released on April 3. The band have already released the singles Children Of The Next Level and Night Of The Witch.

Testament: Titans Of Creation

<a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=38569&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.co.uk%2FTitans-Creation-Explicit-Testament%2Fdp%2FB083G9BKCQ%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-21%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-21" data-link-merchant="Amazon UK"" target="_blank" rel="">Testament: Titans Of Creation
Testament will release their 13th studio album Titans Of Creation in April. The follow-up to 2016's Brotherhood Of The Snake features the lead singles Night Of The Witch and Children Of The Next Level.

Testament: Titans Of Creation
1. Children Of The Next Level
2. WWIII
3. Dream Deceiver
4. Night Of The Witch
5. City Of Angels
6. Ishtar's Gate
7. Symptoms
8. False Prophet
9. The Healers
10. Code Of Hammurabi
11. Curse Of Osiris
12. Catacombs

Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent more than 30 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving to the e-commerce team in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, scouts out the best deals for music fans and reviews headphones, speakers, books and more. He's written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog and has previous written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.