Charlie Benante

Charlie Benante ( born November 27, 1962 in New York City ) is an American musician and drummer for the thrash metal band Anthrax In addition to drums, he plays guitar and keyboard and has worked as a music producer. Benante is considered one of the fathers of the blast beat, a very fast played drums technique.

Life and work

Benante comes from a middle-class American family, his mother and his grandfather played guitar. He has two older sisters. At the age of five years Benante should start with the drums game. After being rejected by several music schools because of his age, gave him after a trial game a jazz drummer private lessons. A little later died Benantes father. After a few years of teaching, he took over the drums at a girl band from the neighborhood after the original drummer had gone to college. As Benante was 14, drew Frank Bello, the son of his older sister Rose, to his family. Both jammed together and it was Benante, Bello moved to to switch from guitar to bass.

The first live performances played Charlie Benante at the age of 15 years as a member of a cover band, which had up to four appearances in the evening and played pieces by The Who or The Cars. Playing cover versions presented Benante not satisfied and he left the band to start an education at an art school. In May 1983 he became the drummer for Anthrax. Even with little share of the songwriting for their debut Fistful of Metal, he was from the 1985 album Spreading the Disease to the main songwriters of the band. In addition to his commitment to Anthrax, he was one of the founders of the SOD project, which is one of the pioneers of metalcore in April 1985. With S.O.D. wanted originally derived from the metal musicians transpose their idea of ​​how hardcore punk sound has their opinion.

In addition to his membership with Anthrax and SOD Benante is active as a session musician and music producer. For the hard rock band Heavy the Fall Chicago, he played the drums one of the 2007 EP, which he also produced. In addition, he performs since 2008 as a live drummer on several concerts of the band. The end of 2009 it was announced that he will produce the debut album of Heavy the Fall and import the drum parts.

Benante is married and has a daughter and a stepson. The family lives in the U.S. state of Illinois. He is a supporter of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, which is committed against the abusive use of firearms. The passionate coffee drinkers offered in 2008 to its own line of coffee products and autographed cups through the online shop of the wife of Dave Mustaine. Early 2010 Chalie Benante Signature Snare Drum appeared in the brand Tama drums.

Discography

• Speak English or Die (Album, 1985)
• Bigger Than the Devil ( album, 1999)

• Heavy the Fall (EP, 2007)