TESTAMENT Singer Chuck Billy - "Music Is Important, But It Is Not No. 1 In My Life Anymore - My Family And Friends Are The Things I Cherish Most"
July 15, 2007, 17 years ago
The following interview is courtesy of Scott McLennan from Telegram.com:
The classic lineup of TESTAMENT, a band that blossomed during a heavy-metal renaissance in the 1980s around the San Francisco Bay Area, is back and doing great business. It is a second chance welcomed by Testament singer Chuck Billy. But Billy is far more thankful for another kind of second chance. In 2001, Billy was diagnosed with rare form of germ-cell seminoma, a type of cancer that required the singer undergo extensive treatment including radiation therapy.
“Music is important, but it is not No. 1 in my life anymore. Now my family and friends are the things I cherish most,” Billy said. “Besides, the road is not a fun place to be. The playing is fun, but it’s mostly crappy hotels and dirty venues.”The reunited Testament, which now includes drummer Nicholas Barker (ex-DIMMU BORGIR, CRADLE OF FILTH), is at work on a new studio album and enjoying the sort of conquering-hero status of the sort that led to a special-guest headlining gig at a recent Sounds of the Underground festival-tour stop in New Jersey. The band is also touring globally, having recently completed dates in South America and Europe and looking forward to more shows at European summer festivals and dates in China, Taiwan and Korea later this month.
Not only is there renewed interest for the band, but Billy said there is likewise renewed appreciation within the band.
“It’s just a lot more enjoyable to be in the band. And it’s great that Alex (Skolnick - guitar) and Greg (Christian - bass)can see the fan appreciation that exists for the older songs,” Billy said.
To read the entire interview head to this location.
