BG: Were you scared shitless when you first started to perform? How about now?

ANON: [laugh] Good question! The members of Anon were never scared when we first performed because some/most of us have been doing this for 10-15 years at this point. BUT…if you want to know about the individual members of Anon and THEIR first time playing in a live band (10-15 years ago)…all we have to say is this: One member shit himself on stage, one member shit 12 times before going on stage, and one member was so excited that he fell off the stage during the set. The moral of the story is…shit happens – don’t sweat it! As far as present day, Anon lives to play live shows. Practice is a necessity, recording is a necessity, business is a necessity, but we would MUCH rather be playing a live show in front of our fans and new audiences.

BG: What about your band has changed since you first started playing? The people? The music?

ANON: Everything has changed! We started with one goal in mind (playing just for fun) and ended up stumbling onto many other opportunities which broadened our horizons way more than we could have imagined. We’ve scrapped some of our early material because we felt it was not a true representation of “Anon”.  Some of our “Throw away songs” ended up being our biggest hits on our album, etc. We have all learned to adapt to each others’ personalities – which is an EXTREMELY hard thing to do – You think you’re just going to join a band and make it big but that doesn’t work unless your band has a STRONG foundation and you can all listen to each other. Also, we’ve all become better businessmen and have grown to understand just how much effort it takes to REALLY pursue your dreams.  Our writing process and standards of musicianship have definitely increased since our early days. Watch out for the next album!

BG: What are some of the band's goals and ambitions? Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

ANON: Our current goal is to have a successful tour this August. I don’t think that any of us had a clue how hard touring would be until we got in to it! We thought “Pack your bags and go!” was the way to do it but learned that we all needed to work our fingers to the bone to even be able to start the engine. As for ten years from now, we want to tour the world and be as successful as possible by showing people that we are who we say we are and delivering quality music. No gimmicks here, no digital bullshit that we can’t perform live, just a pure passion for music and a live show that leaves you thinking “Damn those guys are BETTER live than their CD!”

BG: So what kind of music do you listen to personally? Who's your favorite artist?

ANON: Tage (Vocals) Now – Everything from extreme hardcore to some mellow stuff but mainly hardcore. I grew up on a mix of rock (Sabbath, The Police, Led Zeppelin), underground gangster rap, and R&B. My favorite artist would have to be…I dunno…a cross between Chino Moreno (Deftones), Jaime Jasta (Hatebreed), and Tim Williams (V.O.D. / Bloodsimple). Dan (vocals) – Everything from Motown to Hardcore. I listen to the heaviest hardcore in the world to the music that I was raised on (Sabbath, Doors, etc). I love the Doors, Alice in Chains, Hatebreed, Chimaira, etc. My favorite artist would have to be Ozzy – Black Sabbath.Ron (Guitar) – Everything from Irish drinking songs to current metal! My favorite music though is the sound of opening a frosty beer! My favorite artist would have to be Stevie Ray Vaughn.Joe (Bass) – Everything from Jazz to Reggae to Hardcore. My favorite artists would be Salvador Dali, Led Zeppelin, and Robert DeNiro.Craig (drums) – Hip Hop, Doo-Wop, Motown, 70’s rock, 80’s glam, 90’s grunge, some R&B, and metal / Hardcore. I will have a favorite artist when Journey, Alice in Chains, The Doors, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Slayer, Led Zeppelin, Deftones, Ultraspank, Sade, Tool, Foreigner, Onyx, The Platters, The Stylistics, Dokken, and Anon collaborate on a Christmas album!

BG: What are someof Anon's greatest accomplishments?

ANON: Samples of Anon’s music have been featured on MTV and MTV2 on many different shows including “Dimebag Remembered”. Anon has played with the following national acts: Accident Experiment (Former P.O.D.), Agents of Man, American Head Charge, Autumn Offering, Blood Simple (former Vision of Disorder & Downset), Candiria, Dredg, Element Eighty, E-Town Concrete, Shai Hulud, Black Market Hero (formerly 40 Below Summer) and Otep. Anon won The New Jersey Battle of the Bands in 04’. This was a seven month long competition between hundreds of acts from all around the Tri-State area. As the only band in the contest’s history to achieve a perfect score, Anon went undefeated from the first round through the finals, holding First Place until the bitter end. Anon invested their winnings from the New Jersey Battle of The Bands in to their first full-length CD, recorded by Brooklyn’s Purple Light Studios; who has produced such acts as Candiria, E-Town Concrete, 40 Below Summer, 54 Visions, Agents of Man, and many more. The album was mastered at New York’s infamous “Masterdisk” by Roger Lian (Slayer, Mariah Carey, LL Cool J, Faith Hill, and Metallica). Anon blew the doors off of the New York International Music Fest in May of 2006 and got a ton of connections from that show. In October of 04’ and 05’ Anon was nominated for Top Live Act, Top Male Vocalist, Top Bassist, and Top Hard Act by The Asbury Music Awards, at which they were a featured performer.  After an energizing performance in the Twelfth Annual Asbury Music Awards, Anon won the award for Top Live Act of the Year. From the start, Anon has pushed and pulled their way to the top, independent of sponsorship or assistance from outside parties. Taking initiative to reach a larger audience, at their expense, the band members have established and trademarked their own record label, Venom Records.  Anon has also designed and marketed an original merchandise line, as well as a groundbreaking website.  Through blood, sweat and tears, Anon is dominating the scene with no end in sight!