While Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, and Slayer are known as the “Big Four” of thrash metal, if it were expanded to a “Big Five,” that extra slot would arguably belong to Testament.
The Bay Area headbangers, formed in 1986 from the previously named Legacy, still record and tour with 3/5ths of their original lineup. That includes singer Chuck Billy, whose 6’3”, 250+ lb. frame, wild, long black hair, and visceral vocalizing have certainly made a visual and aural impact on audiences over the years.
But as imposing as he may seem, Billy is actually a thoughtful and deep thinker of life and music, and he exemplified when the Houston Press spoke to him earlier this year.
Now, he puts down the story of his music, life, and successful win over cancer in the memoir written with Dave Erickson, Holding My Breath: The Two Testaments of Chuck Billy (204 pp., $28.99, Permuted Press).
Born of a Native American father and Mexican mother, Billy and his four brothers lived a hardscrabble, but enjoyable life growing up in Dublin, California. Mostly playing outside, running free, and getting into random mischief that while common for children of the ‘70s, would seem unfathomable in today’s parenting world.
Billy was an accomplished jock in school but also gravitated to hard rock and heavy metal of Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, and Iron Maiden. A 1976 show by KISS—in which he fought his way to the front of the stage and caught some of Gene Simmons’ “blood” on his body—marked a turning point in his interests.
Originally a guitar player, he soon gravitated toward vocals by chance, even studying with a coach. One of the more amusing anecdotes has a teenage Billy passing his final exam—singing the very non-metal “Alison” by Elvis Costello—and nailing it. A series of bands followed as Billy partook strongly in the party life.
And when a friend left the band Legacy to front Exodus (another thrash group from the fertile Northern California/Bay area), Billy took the slot. The band would change its name to Testament after it was discovered that a long-defunct English group by the same name still held the rights to it.
They were quickly on their way with a series of ferocious live shows and albums (beginning with the appropriately-titled The Legacy in 1987). Though not without some looking-back-hilarious mishaps.
On the band’s first day in New York City after signing to Megaforce Records to lay down that debut album, they were picked up by label publicist Maria Ferrero in her sketchy 1978 green Chrysler Cordoba (with its “fine Corinthian leather” of TV commercial claim).
When cops pulled the group over, Ferrero told the dumbstruck Billy to shove a bag of her weed into his pants to hide. When that was discovered and it seemed that Billy was headed to jail, Ferrero copped to the drugs and was whisked away. Leaving the band with her car in a strange city, pre-cell phones.
As records led to tours which led to more records, Testament was caught in the cycle, but Billy engaged in his fair share of Road Behavior. Fractures were showing, and guitarist Alex Skolnick (who Billy calls “the adult in the room”) was wanting to lean into of all things, jazz. Even while the band tried to soften/add more melodies to some material to be more radio friendly and nod to the rising culture of grunge music.
At one point the band switched gears to even harder, more guttural music, but it wasn’t selling. And when Billy’s wife Tiffany was hit by a drunk driver and out of work for a year, Billy eventually ended up working at a friend’s trucking yard, looking at fuel pumps and spreadsheets instead of set lists. Testament could still play on weekends.
Billy’s life was turned upside down in 2001 when, at age 38 he was diagnosed with cancer. A squash-sized tumor lodged between his heart and lungs. Chemo and surgery followed, but Billy totally credits his recovery to the work he did with a Native American healer that involved feathers, focus, sweat, energy, wind, a ceremony, wolves, and…defecation (once chapter is actually called “The Night I Shit Out the Cancer”). A final surgery would remove the remaining cancer cluster.
And when COVID shut down the on-the-rise-again Testament in 2020? Billy pivoted into real estate, house flipping, and commercial voice over work. Picking up touring and record as the pandemic faded and taking its place as a legacy, but still powerful, act today.
Throughout the book, he also recounts encounters with fellow musicians like Gene Simmons (KISS), Rob Halford (Judas Priest), Ronnie James Dio, and Dave Mustaine (Megadeth).
The “Two Testaments” of the book’s title, Billy explains, are the Chuck Before Cancer and Chuck After Cancer. Both are still with him, and in Holding My Breath, they both have their say.
