Bobby Ellsworth
 |
Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth | |
|---|---|
 Ellsworth live at Jalometalli in Finland, August 2008 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Robert Ellsworth |
| Also known as | Blitz |
| Origin | New Jersey, U.S. |
| Genres | Thrash metal, speed metal, groove metal, heavy metal |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, bass guitar |
| Years active | 1980–present |
Robert Ellsworth, best known as Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth, is the lead vocalist of New Jersey thrash metal band Overkill. He has been the lead vocalist of Overkill since its inception in 1980, and he and bassist D.D. Verni are the only constant members. Although a bassist, he focuses on vocals in the band.
He also did the vocals for the band The Cursed featuring Dan Lorenzo (Hades and Non Fiction) in 2007.
Personal life
In 1998, Ellsworth was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of nose cancer and underwent immediate surgery. It was caught before it spread.
Ellsworth suffered a focal seizure in Germany in June 2002, right in the middle of the song "Necroshine". Ellsworth commented, "The beauty of a stroke is that you don’t remember. I don’t know what it changed, because I forget how it used to be (laughs). Occasionally I piss my pants when somebody turns a microwave on (laughs). I’m riding my motorcycle. I still swim, I work out. The idea is that when you have a problem, there’s two ways to look at it – you can live in the problem or you can live through the problem. For me, I just lived through it. I thought very soon afterwards if it had actually killed me, I said “Wouldn’t it be something to die in the middle of an Overkill show? (laughs).” [1]
Ellsworth is critical of the Obama administration. In a 2010 interview, Ellsworth was asked if he felt that Obama would spawn any songs about political awareness, and Ellsworth replied "You could probably just do one record and call it 'Liar' (laughs)" He continues to explain instances of hypocrisy and called the Democratic Party "just an awful thing."[2]
In 2014, Ellsworth had again been suffering health issues while on tour in Germany battling borderline pneumonia.[3]
References
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-02-06. Retrieved 2009-01-26.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Video on YouTube
- ^ "Overkill's Bobby 'Blitz' Ellsworth Discusses His Health Issues: 'I Think Of Myself As Bulletproof' - Blabbermouth.net".
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