Melbourne ‘grindingdeathrock’ veterans Blood Duster are on track to rival Dave Mustaine’s Megadeth as the metal band with the biggest pile of ex-members. But you shouldn’t tell them that, or they might fire you. That’s pretty much what happened to guitarist Scott ‘Beltsy’ Pritchard, who just became the 13th bandmate ousted from the group.
According to the band, Pritchard’s firing was the result of some disturbing musical proclivities, which the guitarist had failed to reign in, despite “numerous warnings”.
“We would love to say the differences were musical but they were not as they pertained to his interest in the heavy metal band Anthrax, the most unmusical band ever,” remaining members Tonebone, Jason PC, M-Lo and Matt Rizzo proclaimed in a notice of dismissal, posted to Facebook.
“The 12” single released by Anthrax I’m the Man was found to be playing at his house on more than one occasion and he had been warned about listening to them and especially to their later output (with later output determined as anything after Fistful of Metal). He was warned that listening to Anthrax could undermine his ability to judge music with any objective sense of good or bad,” they said.
“It got to the point where he was coming to rehearsals in big shorts and saying ‘not’ well after it was amusing (which was of course a few hours after it was first said in the mid-80s)…” self-proclaimed ‘basstard’ Jason PC continued. “And it’s not just that his riffs turned to shit, he was trying to introduce rap into Blood Duster and growing really stupid goatees.”
“Despite these repeated warnings he continued to be caught in a mosh”.
Vocalist, Tonebone added: “I reiterated the band’s view that former Anthrax guitarist Dan Spitz is not someone to be looked up to but he simply put more ninja turtles stickers on his guitar and ignored us.”
“We really do wish Scott the best of luck with his future little endeavours and we don’t want to sound too bitter about US deciding to give HIM the boot,” the group concluded. “Last we heard he will be starting a hardcore band with just about anyone.”
Now Blood Duster has commemorated the milestone by announcing an east coast tour. Blood Duster’s East Coast tour will kick off in Sydney next week, before hitting Brisbane and Melbourne. Check out the tour dates below. Just don’t let them catch you wearing a Big Four T-shirt when you turn up.
Watch: Blood Duster – Piss Stomper
Blood Duster Tour Dates
Friday, 6th Feb
Factory Theatre, Sydney
w/ Summonus, Bastardizer & Fat Guy Wears Mystic Wolf Shirt
Tickets: Factorytheatre.com.au
Friday, 13th Feb
The Underdog, Brisbane
w/ Bloodgin, Coffin Birth, Bitter Lungs, Wartooth, Decapitated Mum, Malakyte
Tickets: Oztix
Friday, 20th Feb
The Tote, Melbourne
w/ The Blacklist, Chaingun and Blunt Shovel
Tickets: Oztix
