Anthrax’s Charlie Benante Announces All-Star Rush Tribute EP
Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante has announced a star-studded Rush tribute EP titled Moving Pitchers, which he'll release on this Saturday's Record Store Day.
The five-song EP, which is limited to 1,500 copies, includes two tracks off Moving Pictures, from which it derives its name: "Red Barchetta" and "YYZ." It also features "Subdivisions," "Freewill" and "La Villa Strangiato." You can see the track listing below.
Benante is joined on Moving Pitchers by Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick, Suicidal Tendencies bassist Ra Diaz, Crobot singer Brandon Yeagley and Trans-Siberian Orchestra keyboardist Mee Eun Kim. The rockers shared several of their Rush covers on YouTube back in 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic forced musicians to become adept at remote recording.
The drummer revealed Moving Pitchers' baseball-themed cover art on Instagram yesterday. "One year ago I had this idea to make a video while in quarantine," he wrote on the EP's back cover. "I was feeling pretty down about the passing of Neil Peart and about the pandemic. ... I needed to be creative and play! I contacted Alex Skolnick (Testament) and Ra Diaz (Suicidal Tendencies) about doing a Rush song and video and they both liked the idea. We ended up doing 'YYZ.' I felt that they were probably feeling the same way I was and that this would be a great way of jamming and entertaining while we were stuck at home."
Moving Pitchers marks Benante's second pandemic-era covers collection behind 2021's Silver Linings, whose diverse track listing included songs by the likes of U2, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Billie Eilish, Living Colour and several other artists. He said he didn't include the Rush songs on Silver Linings because he wanted them to be on their EP.
"What you are holding in your hand is the culmination of emotion, determination, great friends, wonderful musicians and the love of Rush and of course Neil Peart," Benante concluded on the back of Moving Pitchers. "This is dedicated to the Professor."
Charlie Benante, 'Moving Pitchers' Track Listing
"Subdivisions"
"Red Barchetta"
"Freewill'
"La Villa Strangiato"
"YYZ"
Watch Charlie Benante and Friends Cover Rush's 'Freewill'