Chuck Billy - Holding My Breath

In this episode, Chuck sits down with the legendary Chuck Billy of Testament to discuss his upcoming autobiography, Holding My Breath: The Two Testaments of Chuck Billy, dropping November 10th. We dive into the process of translating a Chuck’s fiercely private life into an open book, and how his journey is split cleanly into the “Old Testament” (his early life, athletic background, and the early days of Testament) and the “New Testament” (his triumph over a devastating cancer diagnosis at 38 and his revitalized musical career).Key Topics Covered:* The Power of the Pre-Fame Years: Why it was essential for Chuck to explore his childhood, his athletic background, and his teenage years.* From Sports to the Stage: How getting kicked out of high school pivoted Chuck toward a life in music, and how he translated his aggressive athletic mentality into becoming the frontman for Testament.* The KISS Influence: Chuck recalls seeing KISS live in 1976 and how Gene Simmons’ theatrical performance inspired him to rock out in his garage.* Beating the 38-Year Deadline: Chuck’s childhood premonition that he would “sell his soul” for rock and roll and only live to 38, the exact age he was diagnosed with cancer, and how surviving it reignited Testament.* The Meaning of “Holding My Breath”: The literal and metaphorical meaning behind the book’s title, tracing a stubborn childhood habit to the way Chuck navigated his entire career and life.* Guest Forewords: Why it was crucial to have Metal God Rob Halford (representing the “Old Testament” era) and Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe (representing the “New Testament” era) pen the foreword and afterword.* The Ultimate Question: Does Chuck Billy put pineapple on his pizza?Chuck BillyPre-order the book: ChuckBillyBook.com (Keep an eye out for special editions signed by Chuck, Rob Halford, and Randy Blythe!)Follow on Facebook, InstagramTestament: Website, Facebook, Instagram, YoutubeFans With BandsSubscribe to Fans With Bands on your favorite podcast service such as Apple, Youtube, Spotify, Audible, or Amazon Music. Be sure to rate the show and please send us feedback. We would love to hear from you.You can also follow Fans With Bands on Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, and BlueskyFor samplings of music by artists featured on Fans With Bands, check out our playlist on Spotify Get full access to Fans With Bands at fanswithbands.substack.com/subscribe