Phil Anselmo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Phil Anselmo
Anselmo performing with Pantera in 2022
Background information
Birth name	Philip Hansen Anselmo
Born	(1968-06-30) June 30, 1968 (age 57) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Genres	Heavy metal extreme metal hardcore punk
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter musician record producer
Years active	1981 (1981)–present
Labels	Housecore

Philip Hansen Anselmo (born June 30, 1968) is an American musician. He is best known as the lead singer for the groove metal band Pantera. He also sings for the southern metal supergroup Down and the hardcore band Superjoint. Phil Anselmo has been involved in many other musical projects. He also owns his own record label, Housecore Records.

Anselmo is seen as one of the most famous frontmen in metal music history. He is known for his energetic stage presence and strong attitude. This style became a key part of Pantera's image. Early in his career, Anselmo was inspired by traditional heavy metal singers. He used a high singing voice. Later, he developed a more powerful and raw vocal style. He also formed several bands that played extreme metal.

About Phil Anselmo

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Phil Anselmo was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. His family has Italian, French, and Danish roots. He attended several schools in Louisiana and Texas. He left Grace King High School in Metairie during his senior year. His father, Phil, owned a restaurant in Metairie. It closed after Hurricane Katrina. Anselmo often said he was a class clown as a child. As a teenager, he accidentally started a small fire at home while playing a prank. This caused some smoke damage. During his teenage years, Anselmo also worked on a shrimp boat with his stepfather.

In 1981, Anselmo started his first band, Samhain, with friends. He sang and played guitar. In 1985, he joined a band called Vapid Phaze. They later changed their name to Razor White. They mostly played cover songs of popular rock and metal bands. Anselmo left high school around this time to focus on music. After about a year, he left Razor White to explore other musical opportunities.

Joining Pantera and Rise to Fame

By 1986, Pantera had released three albums. However, they had not yet become widely known. The band was looking for a new lead singer to create a heavier sound. Their original singer, Terry Glaze, left the band. In 1986, 18-year-old Anselmo officially joined Pantera. He moved to Texas to record Pantera's fourth album, Power Metal, which came out in 1988.

After Power Metal, the band changed their look to a more casual style. In 1989, Pantera signed with Atco Records. They released their fifth album, Cowboys from Hell, in 1990. This album helped the band become famous. It also helped define a new style of metal called groove metal. A video called Cowboys from Hell: The Videos was released in 1991. It showed parts of their tour for the album.

In 1992, Pantera released their sixth album, Vulgar Display of Power. This album had an even heavier sound. In 1994, they released Far Beyond Driven, which became a number one album in the United States.

In 1996, Pantera released their eighth album, The Great Southern Trendkill. Due to disagreements within the band, Anselmo recorded his vocals in New Orleans. The other band members recorded in Texas. In 1997, Pantera released their only official live album, Official Live: 101 Proof. It included two new songs. In 2000, Pantera released their ninth and final album, Reinventing the Steel. After touring, Pantera took a break in 2001.

In 2003, Pantera released a collection of their best songs. The album featured songs from five studio albums and three cover tracks. A bonus DVD with all the band's music videos was also included. Later that year, Pantera broke up due to communication problems.

In July 2022, it was announced that Anselmo would join bassist Rex Brown. Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante joined them to fill in for Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul. This was for Pantera's first world tour in 22 years, which took place in 2023.

After Pantera: New Musical Paths

After Pantera disbanded, Anselmo focused on his longtime side project, Superjoint Ritual. The Abbott brothers, Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul, formed a new band called Damageplan.

Anselmo had disagreements with Dimebag Darrell after Pantera broke up. Sadly, Dimebag Darrell tragically passed away in December 2004. He was performing with Damageplan at a nightclub in Columbus, Ohio. At the request of Darrell's family, Anselmo did not attend his funeral.

In a video, Anselmo expressed regret for his past behavior. He also wrote music about the loss of Darrell for the Down album Over the Under. The band dedicated their song "Lifer" to Darrell. Anselmo stated he wanted to restart his friendship with Vinnie Paul. However, they did not reconcile before Paul's death in 2018.

In a July 2015 interview, Anselmo discussed Pantera's use of the Confederate flag on their merchandise. He said it was a mistake to use it. Anselmo explained that Pantera originally used the image because they were big fans of Lynyrd Skynyrd. He said it was never about promoting hate. However, he stated he would not want to use it today, acknowledging that it is seen differently by many people.

Other Bands and Projects

Down: A Supergroup's Journey

Anselmo performing with Down in 2008

Down is a heavy metal supergroup. It formed in 1991 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The band includes members from Pantera, Corrosion of Conformity, Crowbar, and Eyehategod.

Down has released three studio albums: NOLA, A Bustle in Your Hedgerow, and Over the Under. They also released two EPs and one live album. The band has taken breaks twice for members to focus on their other bands.

Superjoint: A Mix of Styles

Anselmo with Superjoint Ritual at Ozzfest 2004

Superjoint Ritual is a New Orleans metal band. Anselmo, Joe Fazzio, and Jimmy Bower formed it in the early 1990s. Later, Hank Williams III and Kevin Bond joined. Their music mixes sludge metal and hardcore punk. Anselmo wrote most of the band's music. They released three albums: Use Once and Destroy (2002), A Lethal Dose of American Hatred (2003), and Caught Up in the Gears of Application (2016).

Arson Anthem: Hardcore Punk Sounds

Arson Anthem is a Southern hardcore punk band. It started when Eyehategod singer Mike Williams moved into Anselmo's apartment. This happened after Hurricane Katrina. They spent hours listening to early hardcore bands. They began playing music with Hank Williams III and Collin Yeo. The band features Mike Williams on vocals, Anselmo on guitar, Hank Williams III on drums, and Collin Yeo on bass.

Christ Inversion: Darker Music

Christ Inversion formed in 1994. It was a short-lived black metal/sludge metal project. Anselmo played guitar under the name "Anton Crowley." Wayne Fabra, known from Necrophagia, sang. Most of their lyrics explored dark and mysterious themes. The band recorded two demo tapes in 1994 and 1995. They then broke up without recording a full album. Years later, songs from the first demo were released on a compilation through Anselmo's Housecore Records in 2008.

Southern Isolation: Acoustic Side

Southern Isolation released one EP called Southern Isolation on October 30, 2001. It had four songs and was re-released in 2002 with a bonus track. The band included Anselmo's then-girlfriend Stephanie Opal Weinstein on vocals. Anselmo provided vocals, backing vocals, and guitars. "Big" Ross Karpelman played keyboards, and Sid Montz played drums. A rare song called "Faded" by Southern Isolation appeared on a film soundtrack.

Viking Crown: A Solo Project

In the mid-1990s, Anselmo started recording for several side projects. He used the name "Anton Crowley." One notable project was Viking Crown. This was a short-lived, mostly solo project by Anselmo. The band members were Anselmo (as Anton Crowley) on guitars, bass, and drums. Killjoy sang, and Opal Enthroned (Stephanie Opal Weinstein) played keyboards. On their first album, Unorthodox Steps of Ritual, Anselmo played all instruments and sang. The band never performed live.

Eibon: A Unique Collaboration

Eibon was a short-lived supergroup that Anselmo joined from 1998 to 2000. The group included Killjoy, Fenriz, Satyr, and Maniac. The project is currently on hold. So far, they have only released one song, "Mirror Soul Jesus." It appeared on a compilation album in 2000.

Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals: Solo Work

Anselmo performing with the Illegals in 2019

From 2011 to 2012, Anselmo wrote and recorded a solo album. It was called Walk Through Exits Only. His backing band, The Illegals, played on it. The album was released on July 16, 2013. In October 2017, a second album, Choosing Mental Illness as a Virtue, was announced. It was released on January 26, 2018. The band includes Anselmo on vocals, Stephen Taylor on rhythm guitar, Joey Gonzalez on drums, Mike DeLeon on lead guitar, and Derek Engemann on bass.

Scour: Extreme Metal Sounds

In May 2016, it was announced that Anselmo would front a new band called Scour. The band plays black metal music. Anselmo uses a lower, growling vocal style instead of the higher vocals often heard in black metal. Critics described the band's sound as a powerful mix of black metal, grindcore, and thrash.

The band's first EP, Scour, was released in July 2016. It had six songs, each under three minutes long. Scour's second EP, Red, came out in September 2017. Their third EP, Black, was released on November 27, 2020. Scour's debut album, Gold, was released on February 21, 2025.

En Minor: Gothic Rock Influences

In a September 2017 interview, Anselmo announced a new project called En Minor. He said it was inspired by classic 1980s gothic rock artists. The band released a single on August 2, 2019. It featured the songs "On the Floor" and "There's a Long Way to Go."

Their first full-length album, When the Cold Truth Has Worn Its Miserable Welcome Out, was released in September 2020. It came out through Anselmo's Housecore label in the US and Season of Mist in Europe.

Guest Appearances and Collaborations

In 1993, Anselmo produced Crowbar's self-titled album. He also sang backing vocals on some tracks. Anselmo's voice can be heard in the 1997 film The Manson Family. He provided the voice of a character. The film's soundtrack also features music from some of Anselmo's bands. In 1998, Anselmo sang on Soilent Green's album Sewn Mouth Secrets. He was thanked in the album notes.

In 1997, Necrophagia frontman Killjoy reformed his band with Anselmo on guitars. Anselmo appeared on their 1998 album Holocausto de la Morte. He also played on two EPs in 1999 and 2001. He left the band in 2001.

In 1998, Anthrax released Volume 8: The Threat Is Real. Anselmo sang backing vocals on one song. His Pantera bandmate Dimebag Darrell played guitar solos on two other tracks. Anselmo also sang a duet on Vision of Disorder's Imprint album in 1998.

In 2000, Tony Iommi released an album with various famous singers. Anselmo and Iommi wrote and recorded three songs together. One song, "Time Is Mine," was chosen for the album. Another, "Inversion of the Saviours," was never officially released. In 2001, Anselmo provided extra vocals for a song on Biohazard's Uncivilization album.

On March 6, 2006, Anselmo performed with Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan and members of Alice in Chains. This was at a concert honoring the band Heart. In 2008, Anselmo recorded vocals for the Mahakali album by Jarboe.

Anselmo (right) performs with Voivod in 2013

In 2014, Anselmo appeared in the YouTube comedy series Metal Grasshopper. He taught comedian Dave Hill how to "be metal."

In January 2016, Anselmo sang lead vocals in a band with Foo Fighters singer Dave Grohl, Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo, and former Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo. They performed "Ace of Spades" to honor the recently passed Lemmy Kilmister. In 2017, Anselmo released an EP called Songs of Darkness and Despair with Bill Moseley. They both sang on the six songs, which were created in three days.

Housecore Records: His Own Label

Anselmo started his own record label, Housecore Records, around 2001. He first partnered with his friend Killjoy's label, Baphomet Records. They called it "Baphomet/Housecore Records" and made deals to distribute music. Anselmo wanted to release music from all his different bands. He said it was a way to express different parts of himself beyond Pantera. After three releases, Anselmo and Killjoy ended their business partnership. Anselmo's label returned to its original name, Housecore Records. Today, Housecore actively releases music by Anselmo and other bands he supports.

Musical Inspirations

Anselmo has many musical influences. These range from classic rock to black metal. He was mainly inspired by bands like Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Slayer, Black Flag, Agnostic Front, Hellhammer, and Venom. Singers like Rob Halford, David Lee Roth, Dee Snider, Ronnie James Dio, Ozzy Osbourne, Roger Miret, and Henry Rollins also influenced him.

Anselmo stated that Judas Priest singer Rob Halford was his main vocal influence. He later decided to explore his own singing style. Anselmo is also a big fan of hardcore punk, especially music from the 1980s. In 2016, Anselmo mentioned enjoying recent concerts by Morrissey, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and Stevie Wonder. He described seeing Stevie Wonder perform his 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life as "like watching a living, breathing miracle."

Phil Anselmo's Life Outside Music

Anselmo signing an autograph for a fan

On October 31, 2001, Anselmo married his longtime girlfriend, Stephanie Opal Weinstein. That same year, they formed an acoustic duo called Southern Isolation. They released a four-song EP.

As of 2011, Anselmo lives in rural Louisiana. He is in a relationship with Kate Richardson, who also helps manage his record label, Housecore Records. He identifies as an atheist.

Interests

Anselmo owns a collection of thousands of horror films. He has a vast knowledge of horror movies and culture. With friends, he started a Halloween attraction called House of Shock. It began in a backyard and later moved to a large warehouse. This warehouse was turned into an interactive haunted house with many volunteers. The attraction raised money for local charities. Anselmo sometimes acted in the attraction when his schedule allowed. However, he is no longer involved with House of Shock.

Anselmo is also very interested in boxing. He owns many fight DVDs and used to travel with a boxing trainer. He has written articles as a columnist for a boxing website. He is also a fan of the NFL team New Orleans Saints. Anselmo has interviewed Saints player Jeremy Shockey. He also helped coach a youth team at the request of Saints team ambassador Michael Lewis.

Discography

See also

In Spanish: Phil Anselmo para niños