by Former Anthrax vocalist John Bush recently shared his perspective on why the band rarely performs material from his tenure. He explained his decision to honor those records through his own performances in an interview with A&P Reacts.
Bush’s comments came in response to a question about his motivation for performing songs from his Anthrax era live.
Bush provided insight into both his personal feelings and the band’s current approach when asked about the driving force behind taking these songs live and whether it stemmed from nostalgia or tribute to that part of his career.
“I’d say all of it really. It is a little nostalgia for sure. Those records are now 20 to 30 years old, so that’s definitely nostalgia,” Bush said. “They don’t play the material and pretty much the only song they really have played since I’ve left is ‘Only.’ So it’s really a way to honor those records and say, you know, if I don’t do it I mean they’re really going to just become like almost extinct you know if you will.”
Bush expressed pride in his work with the band while acknowledging the diplomatic complexities involved.
“It’s a part of my career that I’m really proud of. And I think they are too. You know, I just think that there’s some diplomatic circumstances where you can’t like, they want to keep peace and I don’t think Joe is too keen on playing some of these tunes and and I get it,” he continued. “I really do. Like they’ve made a lot of old records and they have made a lot of new records and I think they have a new record coming out next year of new material. So, you know, they have enough material where maybe they don’t want to go there or maybe he doesn’t want to go there, whatever it is.”
The former vocalist emphasized his commitment to preserving this musical legacy.
“But the reality is we made these records and they’re there and if I don’t acknowledge them, then like I said, they’re going to just kind of fade away,” Bush said. “I’m proud of them and I want to play these tunes ‘cuz I’ve been singing them lately and there’s some really great songs.”
Bush’s concerns about his era being overlooked reflect a significant chapter in Anthrax’s history that many fans consider essential to the band’s evolution.
Wikipedia reported that Bush’s tenure with Anthrax spans four studio albums: The Sound of White Noise (1993), Stomp 442 (1995), Volume 8: The Threat Is Real (1998), and We’ve Come For You All (2003), marking an important decade in the band’s history. This period represented a significant shift for the band as they moved away from their thrash metal roots toward a more alternative and groove-oriented sound.
The quality of Bush’s work with Anthrax has not gone unnoticed by critics and fans. MetalSucks noted that many fans and critics recognize that this body of work contains some of the band’s strongest material, as evidenced by rankings highlighting the sixteen best songs from the John Bush years, including fan favorites such as “Superhero” and “Inside Out.”
Bush has taken concrete steps to preserve this musical legacy through live performances. Blabbermouth revealed that Bush has announced special shows celebrating his tenure with Anthrax, aiming to reconnect audiences with this music rarely played live by the band today. These events underscore his ongoing dedication to keeping this era’s legacy alive. He is working with members of his other projects to bring these songs to fans who may never hear them performed live otherwise.
The situation highlights the complex dynamics that can emerge when bands undergo significant lineup changes, particularly when different eras of a band’s catalog receive varying levels of attention in their current live performances.
