Dan Spitz
Encyclopedia
Dan Spitz is a musician best known for his work as the lead guitarist of the heavy metal
band Anthrax
from 1983–1995 and from 2005 to 2007. He is the brother of former White Lion
and Black Sabbath
bassist Dave Spitz
.
as the second son of a lawyer and a highschool substitute teacher. His parents were interested in music, his father liked the music of Dizzy Gillespie
, his mother was into classical music. In the early 1980 David Spitz, the five years older brother of Dan, played bass and guitar. Dan got his brother's guitar and started playing. When he reached seventh grade
his mother bought him his first own guitar. Spitz reached twelfth grade
, went to college
but left it after a few weeks without graduating and started his musical career with Anthrax.
Spitz comes from a Jewish family and converted to Christianity
, Messianic Judaism
in 2000. and is married with Candi. Their 2007 born twins suffer from autism and therefore the pair supports the organization Autism Speaks
.
band Anthrax from 1983–1995 and 2005 to 2007.
Before playing in Anthrax, Spitz was a lead guitarist for local thrash metal band Overkill
, and also Thrasher, at which time he shared the stage with bassist Billy Sheehan
.
In 1995, Spitz left Anthrax, due to a severe disinterest in playing guitar. In the meantime, he attended WOSTEP
on a full scholarship and opened his own watch repair shop.
On April 1, 2005, Anthrax announced an Among the Living
reunion, and Spitz was reunited with the band. They embarked on a world tour and released Alive 2
, a DVD with footage from those performances. Following the end of the reunion tour, Spitz again left Anthrax to concentrate on his watch designs. He has since been replaced by Rob Caggiano
, who was Anthrax's lead guitarist prior to the 2005 reunion.
(he was famous for his custom Jackson Randy Rhoads
model with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
painted on them). But most recently during the Anthrax Reunion tour he has been an endorser of Paul Reed Smith Guitars
. Paul Reed Smith has created a special "Spitz" head stock (a first for PRS) and a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
rendering was painted on this new guitar by tattoo artist and lowbrow painter JR Linton. He possibly terminated his endorsement with PRS after leaving Anthrax in 2007. According to his main website, Dan also uses other brands of guitars; custom built ones by Cyan Guitars and Decibel Guitars, and an 8 string built by Jaden Rose Guitars. All of his 6 strings are now loaded with pickups by DiMarzio
that were made to his specifications.
In the early days of Anthrax, Dan used Marshall amplifiers, using a JCM800. Later on around the time of Among the Living, he switched to Mesa/Boogie, using their Mark III heads. He could also be seen using a Mark III combo amp on top of a Mesa/Boogie 4x12 cabinet on the music video for Got the Time. It's unknown what amplifiers he used before he left Anthrax in 1995, he was possibly still using Mesa/Boogie Mark heads. During the Anthrax Reunion in 2005 - 2007, Dan used Matchless heads and Marshall Plexi-style heads he hand-built himself that were pushed by a Keeley-modded
Boss DS-1
. According to his official website, Dan is now an endorsee of Carol-Anne Amplifiers, having his own custom amp built by them.
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Anthrax
Anthrax (band)
Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
from 1983–1995 and from 2005 to 2007. He is the brother of former White Lion
White Lion
White Lion is an American/Danish hard rock/heavy metal band that was formed in New York City in 1983 by Danish vocalist Mike Tramp and American guitarist Vito Bratta. Mainly active in the 1980s and early 1990s, the band achieved double platinum status with their #8 hit "Wait" and #3 hit "When the...
and Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
bassist Dave Spitz
Dave Spitz
Dave "The Beast" Spitz is a musician best known for having played bass guitar for the heavy metal group Black Sabbath from 1985 to 1987, appearing on the albums Seventh Star and being credited for The Eternal Idol...
.
Personal life
Spitz was born in a small town in Rockland County, New YorkRockland County, New York
Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
as the second son of a lawyer and a highschool substitute teacher. His parents were interested in music, his father liked the music of Dizzy Gillespie
Dizzy Gillespie
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
, his mother was into classical music. In the early 1980 David Spitz, the five years older brother of Dan, played bass and guitar. Dan got his brother's guitar and started playing. When he reached seventh grade
Seventh grade
Seventh grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The seventh grade is the seventh school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 12–13 years old. Traditionally, seventh grade was the next-to-last year of elementary school...
his mother bought him his first own guitar. Spitz reached twelfth grade
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
, went to college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
but left it after a few weeks without graduating and started his musical career with Anthrax.
Spitz comes from a Jewish family and converted to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, Messianic Judaism
Messianic Judaism
Messianic Judaism is a syncretic religious movement that arose in the 1960s and 70s. It blends evangelical Christian theology with elements of Jewish terminology and ritual....
in 2000. and is married with Candi. Their 2007 born twins suffer from autism and therefore the pair supports the organization Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks is the world's largest autism advocacy organization that sponsors autism research and conducts awareness and outreach activities aimed at families, governments, and the public. It was founded in February 2005 by Bob Wright, vice chairman of General Electric, and by his wife Suzanne, a...
.
Career
Dan Spitz was the lead guitarist of the thrash metalThrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band Anthrax from 1983–1995 and 2005 to 2007.
Before playing in Anthrax, Spitz was a lead guitarist for local thrash metal band Overkill
Overkill (band)
Overkill is an American thrash metal band, formed in 1980 in New Jersey. They have gone through many line-up changes, with singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth and bassist D.D. Verni remaining from the original lineup. Along with Anthrax , the band is one of the most successful East Coast thrash metal...
, and also Thrasher, at which time he shared the stage with bassist Billy Sheehan
Billy Sheehan
William "Billy" Sheehan is an American bassist known for his work with Talas, Steve Vai, David Lee Roth, Mr. Big, and Niacin. Sheehan has won the "Best Rock Bass Player" readers' poll from Guitar Player Magazine five times for his "lead bass" playing style...
.
In 1995, Spitz left Anthrax, due to a severe disinterest in playing guitar. In the meantime, he attended WOSTEP
WOSTEP
The Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational Program is an internationally recognized professional qualification in the maintenance and care of fine-quality watches...
on a full scholarship and opened his own watch repair shop.
On April 1, 2005, Anthrax announced an Among the Living
Among the Living
Among the Living is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Anthrax. The album was released in March 1987 by Megaforce Worldwide/Island and is certified gold by the RIAA. The BBC has described the album as "arguably their big breakthrough", and "often cited by fans as their favourite...
reunion, and Spitz was reunited with the band. They embarked on a world tour and released Alive 2
Alive 2
Alive 2 is the third full-length live album and second full-length live DVD from the band Anthrax. It features the reunion of their lineup from the Among the Living era, including then-former vocalist Joey Belladonna and former guitarist Dan Spitz...
, a DVD with footage from those performances. Following the end of the reunion tour, Spitz again left Anthrax to concentrate on his watch designs. He has since been replaced by Rob Caggiano
Rob Caggiano
Robert Caggiano is an American guitarist and producer best known as the lead & rhythm guitarist of the Heavy Metal band Anthrax. His first professional band was Boiler Room that formed in 1996. The band caught the attention of Roadrunner Records after an opening slot for Orgy in 1999...
, who was Anthrax's lead guitarist prior to the 2005 reunion.
Equipment
Spitz was originally known for his use of Jackson GuitarsJackson Guitars
__FORCETOC__Jackson is a renowned brand of electric guitar that bears the name of its founder, Grover Jackson.-Early years:Grover Jackson obtained ownership in Charvel's Guitar Repair of Glendora, California in the 1970s with a promise to bolster Charvel's business...
(he was famous for his custom Jackson Randy Rhoads
Randy Rhoads
Randall William "Randy" Rhoads was an American heavy metal guitarist who played with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot. A devoted student of classical guitar, Rhoads often combined his classical music influences with his own heavy metal style. While on tour with Ozzy Osbourne, he would seek out...
model with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a fictional team of four teenage anthropomorphic turtles, who were trained by their anthropomorphic rat sensei in the art of ninjutsu and named after four Renaissance artists...
painted on them). But most recently during the Anthrax Reunion tour he has been an endorser of Paul Reed Smith Guitars
PRS Guitars
PRS Guitars is an American guitar manufacturer headquartered in Stevensville, Maryland. PRS Guitars was founded by guitarist and luthier Paul Reed Smith in 1985. The company is one of the leading manufacturers of high-end electric guitars.-Materials:...
. Paul Reed Smith has created a special "Spitz" head stock (a first for PRS) and a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a fictional team of four teenage anthropomorphic turtles, who were trained by their anthropomorphic rat sensei in the art of ninjutsu and named after four Renaissance artists...
rendering was painted on this new guitar by tattoo artist and lowbrow painter JR Linton. He possibly terminated his endorsement with PRS after leaving Anthrax in 2007. According to his main website, Dan also uses other brands of guitars; custom built ones by Cyan Guitars and Decibel Guitars, and an 8 string built by Jaden Rose Guitars. All of his 6 strings are now loaded with pickups by DiMarzio
DiMarzio
DiMarzio, Inc. is an United States manufacturer best known for its revolutionary direct-replacement guitar pickups. The company also produces miscellaneous guitar accessories, such as cables, straps and hardware.DiMarzio became known for its Super Distortion model, which was the first after...
that were made to his specifications.
In the early days of Anthrax, Dan used Marshall amplifiers, using a JCM800. Later on around the time of Among the Living, he switched to Mesa/Boogie, using their Mark III heads. He could also be seen using a Mark III combo amp on top of a Mesa/Boogie 4x12 cabinet on the music video for Got the Time. It's unknown what amplifiers he used before he left Anthrax in 1995, he was possibly still using Mesa/Boogie Mark heads. During the Anthrax Reunion in 2005 - 2007, Dan used Matchless heads and Marshall Plexi-style heads he hand-built himself that were pushed by a Keeley-modded
Robert Keeley (instrument maker)
Robert Keeley is a British creator of effects pedals. He modifies pre-existing pedals made by companies such as Boss Corporation and as well as creating his own stomp boxes.-Pedals:...
Boss DS-1
Boss DS-1
The Boss DS-1 is a distortion pedal for guitar, manufactured by the Roland Corporation under the brand name Boss since 1978. The first distortion unit made by Boss, it has become a classic effect, used by many notable guitar players. Boss produced a successor, the DS-2.-Circuit design:The DS-1 has...
. According to his official website, Dan is now an endorsee of Carol-Anne Amplifiers, having his own custom amp built by them.