In a new conversation with The Delz Show, Dan Spitz reflected on why he left Anthrax in 1995.
“In the late ’90s, mid-’90s, I was the only one in the band that had been married for a long time, and I was already on to my second child,” the guitarist said. “And the other guys, I don’t even think anyone was even engaged or anything like that.”
He also noted, “So I was years and years ahead of them, and it was very difficult for me to say goodbye to my children for those lengths of time that we toured, which was forever. And I had been on in vans and buses starting when I was 13. Before [I played with] Overkill, I was playing all through Rockland [County and] New Jersey, opening up for Twisted Sister and all that kind of stuff.”
“So I had kind of had enough. There was no animosity or anything,” Spitz clarified. “If everything I have is not in something, I need to take a break and clear my head. And then I headed down this path. I immediately [went] to school for watchmaking, then ended up in Switzerland for many years, going to school over there and then heading up to some really big watch companies.”
Spitz left Anthrax to become a luxury watchmaker. He got a full scholarship to attend Wostep, earned degrees in micro-mechanical engineering, and started his own watch service. In 2012, he was named the top interview of the year by Hodinkee. In 2016, Great Big Story made a documentary about his watchmaking work.
The musician rejoined Anthrax for a reunion tour in 2005 and appeared on the tour DVD ‘Alive 2.’ He left the band again in 2007 to focus on watchmaking. In 2010, he started a new Christian rock/metal band called Red Lamb with Don Chaffin and Chris Vrenna. In 2017, Spitz formed another Christian metal band with former Journey drummer Deen Castronovo.