MICHAEL ANTHONY On CHICKENFOOT: 'It's Kind Of Like Being In My First Band Again'

Kristi Singer of TheSunNews.com recently conducted an interview with CHICKENFOOT/ex-VAN HALEN bassist Michael Anthony. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

TheSunNews.com: When did you realize CHICKENFOOT could be something big?

Anthony: Sammy was doing a show with his band, THE WABORITAS, in Las Vegas Super Bowl weekend and invited [drummer] Chad [Smith; RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS) and myself to come up there and jam with him for the encore. Then he got the idea, "Why don't I call Joe [Satriani, guitar]?" He wanted to get — as Sammy would put it — a "proper guitarist." So, he called Joe up and we just had so much fun. We just got up there and jammed and the audience response was great. When something like that happens with the chemistry and the magic — which doesn't happen all that often — we figured let's see where this could take us. So that's when we decided let's get together when we can, write a few songs and see what happens. And, alas, CHICKENFOOT was born.

TheSunNews.com: If you could put together an ultimate rock n roll "supergroup" with any artist in music history, dead or alive, who would you choose?

Anthony: Probably for drums, a guy I really enjoyed watching is Simon Phillips. I've seen him play with THE WHO and with Pete Townshend on his own — a really great drummer. For guitar, I'd probably say Jeff Beck. Throughout his whole career he's been an amazing player. For a singer, there's so many great singers that have been. See, now if I don't say Sammy Hagar and he hears about this, he's going to be all broken-hearted. I won't say Sammy. I'd probably say someone like Roger Daltrey when he was in his prime with THE WHO. He just had an amazing, really strong voice. Now that I'm thinking about the players, I'm thinking that's an odd combination. But then who would've thought with CHICKENFOOT — Joe Satriani playing rock music with these guys — that's kind of odd.

TheSunNews.com: Would you play bass in your ideal supergroup?

Anthony: Of course! I gotta play bass and sing background vocals, too, because that's what I do. Now if I could just step back and manage the band, I'd probably have someone like John Paul Jones from LED ZEPPELIN be the bass player. And you know what, I gotta take back Roger Daltrey. I gotta say Robert Plant.

TheSunNews.com: What's it like playing in CHICKENFOOT versus playing in VAN HALEN?

Anthony: Well, of course, with something as new and fresh as CHICKENFOOT, you kind of re-inspire yourself, especially with Chad and Joe. When we first got together in the studio and were jamming, my jaw was on the floor and my tongue was just wagging, 'cause these guys are just such incredible musicians and it inspires you to play differently. We just had such a great time. It was like the early days of VAN HALEN. There was such a camaraderie; it was more like four friends just hanging out that are also incredible musicians. And we just have a great vibe when we play together. I feel like I did when I first started playing music and why I got into playing music — just to make great music and have fun. It's kind of like being in my first band again.

Read the entire interview from TheSunNews.com.