An interesting mix of genres and minds, let alone musicianship, with Red Bull Music Academy’s segment beat:repeat NYC takes an unlikely pairing of musicians and mix-masters, letting the latter dissect the beat of a song to come up with something completely different.
The latest interaction, called beat:repeat NYC – Anthrax “I Am The Law”, brings legendary Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante together with record label Ninja Tune producer Lee Bannon, armed only with a MPC Renaissance drum machine, to dissect, rearrange and manipulate the iconic drums of the song.
The video shows Benante playing the titanic beat of “I Am The Law” in the iconic Electric Lady Studios, explaining he came up with the part during the band’s 1986 tour. “The band thought it sounded like a monster going through a city,” Benante says of the opening section of the song. He plays his parts through the song, while in the control room Lee Bannon starts to show exactly what he can do with all the intricate parts and sounds, running it through a drum machine. Benante looks in genuine awe as he hears the manipulation to his parts, and even says “if Bannon can show me how to use that machine the same way he does, I can make a record. That’s my goal.”
Anthrax recently wrapped up a tour in which they played Among The Living, their 1987 epic which includes “I Am The Law”, in celebration of 25 plus years since its release. Blabbermouth.net noted the thrash pioneers are heading to the studio to record their follow-up to the Grammy nominated Worship Music album.