What is Phil Anselmo's Net Worth?
Phil Anselmo is an American musician with a net worth of $4 million. Best known as the vocalist for Pantera, Anselmo has also worked with bands such as Down, Superjoint, and Ritual. He owns Housecore Records and is celebrated as one of heavy metal's most iconic frontmen, known for his animated and aggressive on-stage antics.
Early Life
Philip Hansen Anselmo was born on June 30, 1968, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Raised in a family with Danish, Italian, and French heritage, Phil grew up as a self-described "class clown." A prank gone wrong at age 15 led to a fire in his family home, causing considerable damage. He spent much of his youth working on a shrimp boat with his stepfather.
Career
Anselmo's musical career started in the early '80s when he co-founded the band Samhain and later joined Rapid Phaze (renamed Razor White). He wrote songs, played guitar, and sang during this period. Phil dropped out of high school to focus on his music but eventually left Razor White to explore new opportunities.
Pantera began as a Glam Metal band but shifted towards Thrash Metal by the time Anselmo joined in 1986. They released their fourth album, "Power Metal," in 1988. This led to a transformation in image and sound, achieving commercial success with "Cowboys from Hell." Anselmo's guttural vocal style became a hallmark of their sound.
Pantera pioneered "groove metal" with albums like "Vulgar Display of Power" and "Far Beyond Driven," the latter debuting at number one on the charts. They released "The Great Southern Trendkill" in 1996 and their final studio album, "Reinventing the Steel," in 2000 before disbanding. Anselmo was often blamed for communication issues and neglecting his duties within the band.
After Pantera, Anselmo focused on projects like Superjoint Ritual and founded Housecore Records in 2001. This label primarily releases Phil's older, unreleased material. Housecore briefly merged with Baphomet Records but soon returned to its original form.
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Health Issues
In the mid-'90s, Phil suffered a severe back injury, leading to chronic pain. He turned to substance abuse for relief and eventually underwent successful surgery for degenerative disc disease.
Substance Abuse
Phil initially abused painkillers and muscle relaxants, later becoming addicted to heroin. This affected his musical career and led to a cardiac arrest in 1996 due to a heroin overdose. By 2005, he quit hard drugs to qualify for back surgery, which was successful. Phil has remained clean, requiring months of rehab. In 2016, he also quit drinking alcohol.
Controversy
Despite Pantera's anti-racist songs, Anselmo has faced accusations of racism throughout his career. In 2016, he gave a Nazi salute and yelled "white power" during a performance, which he later claimed was a joke about white wine. He stated that the gesture was a response to heckling by audience members accusing him of racism, and clarified that he does not identify with Nazism.
