ZAKK WYLDE On PHILIP ANSELMO “I’m pretty much like everybody else, just as bummed out and upset and saddened by the whole thing, man.”
Zakk Wylde has commented on last month’s incident when ex-PANTERA singer Philip Anselmo said “white power” and made the Nazi salute on stage. Anselmo later claimed he was referring to drinking white wine as part of an “inside joke” but has since released a video message, saying that he “deserves completely” the “heat” that he has been getting over his actions and claiming to be “a thousand percent apologetic to anyone that took offense to what [he] said.”
Asked by Fuse for his reaction to Anselmo‘s gesture, Zakk — who performed at the Dimebash event alongside the DOWN frontman — said (see video below): “Phil, what are you doing, man? ‘Cause the Phil I know, Phil‘s always a sweetheart and always hugs and kisses and he is nice to everybody, man. So then I’m watching this, and when I saw the video [of the incident], I’m, like, ‘What are you doing, man?’ But he apologized, and he knows he’s wrong, man. And it just got canceled, that one [DOWN] tour or whatever, and the promoters are gonna be, like, ‘Uh-uh. This ain’t good.’ So we’ll just hit back and see what happens now. I’m pretty much… like everybody else, just as bummed out and upset and saddened by the whole thing, man.”
Several notable musicians have come out and criticized Anselmo for his actions, including MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn, who uploaded an eleven-minute video response to the incident in which he called Anselmo a “big bully” and described Philip‘s behavior as “fucking wrong.”
One musician who stuck up for Anselmo was Adam Crosier of the Arkansas band HYMNS, which is signed to Anselmo‘s Housecore label.
“This slanderous attack against Phil Anselmo in the metal media right now is reaching a despicable level of ugly, inept judgment,” he wrote on his Facebook page. “There are no words that can accurately describe how false the racism claims truly are … I know, without a doubt, that Phil Anselmo is NOT racist. This accusation could not be further from the truth.”
Crosier told BLABBERMOUTH.NET: “I think he has just made some mistakes in the past and obviously at the Dimebash — which, added together, may paint an ugly picture of his personality. It’s very unfortunate, because he truly is a very compassionate and loving person.”
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