While recently visiting Metalshop TV, Volbeat frontman Rob Caggiano reflected on his time in Anthrax. Playing guitar in the band between 2001 and 2005, and again between 2007 and 2013, Caggiano is now the guitarist in Volbeat, which he joined after leaving Anthrax for the second time. Looking back on why he decided to leave for good and what his time with Anthrax was like, Caggiano said (transcript via Blabbermouth):
“I decided to leave Anthrax back then because I kind of felt like… At that point, I had been in the band for a long time, and I kind of felt like my role in the band ran its course, so to speak.”
“And I just kind of felt like I was hitting my head up against a glass ceiling a long time. And it just felt like I needed a change. I wasn’t feeling inspired.”
However, he further clarifies that there was nothing wrong in his relationship with other Anthrax members nor the music that they did together. Caggiano said:
“Don’t get me wrong — I love those guys and I loved every minute of my time with them. It was such an amazing, wild ride. But I just felt like I needed to do something else at that time. And the Volbeat thing just happened, and it was organic, and it felt right. So, here I am.”
So far, Caggiano has recorded four albums with Volbeat, with the last one being 2021’s “Servant of the Mind.” Further pressed on what he finds so appealing in Volbeat’s music, he explained:
“I think for me, the thing with Volbeat, it’s like a mixture of all the sounds that I like. [Laughs] It’s a lot of stuff that I grew up listening to all wrapped into one package. When I first Volbeat, I heard the Misfits, I heard Metallica, I heard a little bit of the Ramones…
“There’s some Slayer-vibe riffs. There’s just a lot of different stuff. And it’s all fun — it’s a lot of fun; the music is a lot of fun. And it definitely connects with a lot of people. That’s why I do it.”
Photos: Biha (Volbeat – Rob Caggiano – Nova Rock – 2016-06-11-18-01-50), Ozzy Delaney (Scott Ian (8167175501))
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