Anthrax has announced they will temporarily reunite with their original bassist for their upcoming South American tour next month. This means the band will be replacing Frank Bello with Dan Lilker.
Lilker left the band about forty years ago. The bassist was one of the original members until after Anthrax released ‘Fistful of Metal’ in 1984. After that, he joined several other bands like Nuclear Assault, Brutal Truth, and Stormtroopers of Death.
The band noted Bello’s temporary split as ‘personal reasons.’ He shared the news on their Instagram:
“Due to personal reasons, Frank will not be able to accompany the band on its upcoming South American tour, set to kick off April 13 at MXMF the Metal Fest. Filling in on those dates, as well as two U.S. festival shows in May, will be Anthrax founding member and original bassist Dan Lilker, marking his first appearance with the band in 40 years. Lilker, who co-wrote and played on Anthrax’s debut album Fistful of Metal, was also a member of Stormtroopers of Death with Charlie Benante and Scott Ian.”
Lilker added:
“I’m really looking forward to jamming with Anthrax again. When we parted ways back in 1984, they told me to stick around because they might need me in 40 years.”
What Caused Lilker’s Departure?
Lilker is one of the co-founders of Anthrax alongside Scott Ian. Although he played a big role in getting the band started back in 1981, his time with the band ended right before they dropped their debut album ‘Fistful of Metal’ in 1984.
In an interview with Talk Louder, Lilker opened up about being ‘asked to leave and having no choice’ due to clashes with the then-vocalist Neil Turbin. He explained what caused the clashes:
“Let’s just say that Neil and I had different definitions of what professional meant. I was more into making sure that the songs were good and well played and rehearsed. It wasn’t just about what you looked like and how you appeared.”
Turbin left Anthrax in August 1984 seven months after Lilker’s departure. This period saw a lot of fights, conflicts, and a lack of clear direction in the band.
You can see Anthrax’s statement here.