Anthrax FIRED Him… He Ended Up MOWING LAWNS!

The story of why Anthrax fired Joey Belladonna in 1992.

Anthrax-Public Enemy Bring the Noize collaboration
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What happens when you’re the voice of one of the biggest metal bands in the world, and then one day, it’s all gone? For Joey Belladonna, frontman of Anthrax, that was reality. He went from commanding tens of thousands of fans to mowing lawns at a horse barn, in one of the strangest rise-and-fall stories in metal.

By 1991, Anthrax were one of the “Big Four” of thrash alongside Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth. Their dark, acclaimed album Persistence of Time hit number 24 on the Billboard charts, and they were co-headlining the massive Clash of the Titans tour. Fronting them was Joey Belladonna, whose melodic tenor stood out in a genre of guttural barkers. After he joined in 1984, their trajectory went vertical with Among the Living, followed by State of Euphoria and the Grammy-nominated Persistence of Time. From the outside, Anthrax looked bulletproof. Inside, things were cracking.

Their usual writing method had Charlie Benante on music, Scott Ian and Frank Bello shaping arrangements, Scott on lyrics, and Joey working out vocals. This time, it wasn’t clicking. The Persistence sessions felt strained. Scott’s lyrics were deeply personal, and he felt Joey’s interpretations didn’t match his intent. On top of that, the band had already confronted Joey about drugs and alcohol back in 1988 and quietly floated Armored Saint’s John Bush as a possible replacement.

During the “Bring the Noise” collaboration with Public Enemy, Scott saw Joey looking out of place while the rest of the band dove into rap-metal territory. It raised a hard question: where did Joey fit in the future of Anthrax? Meanwhile, money and tour offers were rolling in, but Scott felt the core of the band was “rotten.” Firing Joey became, in his words, a slow burn rather than a single explosion.

Complicating everything, Anthrax were in the middle of signing a huge deal with Elektra Records reportedly worth $10 million. They’d already decided to let Joey go, but feared telling the label. When they finally did, Elektra backed them, and Joey still received an equal share of the advance as recognition of his role in getting them there.

The actual firing was handled by their manager Jonny Z, something Scott later regretted not doing himself. Joey was blindsided. “I didn’t quit!” he said later. “It was unexpected and it wasn’t my idea.” The band moved on with John Bush, scoring their highest Billboard debut with 1993’s Sound of White Noise.

Joey’s path was very different. Instead of spiraling, he took a maintenance job at a horse barn with his wife. His main duty: mowing the massive grounds. He later said he didn’t need the money, but wanted purpose and structure. At the same time, he kept playing in his solo project and cover band Chief Big Way, staying musically active without bitterness.

Years later, the classic lineup reunited for tours and eventually brought Joey back permanently. Anthrax’s 2011 album Worship Music and 2016’s For All Kings proved the chemistry was still there. Yet for Joey, the past never fully disappeared. He’s admitted it’s hard being around people who once decided he shouldn’t be there at all. Still, he’s back where he always wanted to be—front and center with Anthrax, after one of the strangest detours in thrash metal history.

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