Shinedown's Brent Smith broke his silence following Phil Anselmo's racism controversy.
Phil Anselmo's Nazi salute and racist comments in the past resurfaced this month ahead of Pantera's supposed appearance at Germany's Rock am Ring and Rock im Park festivals. The controversy led the band to be removed from the lineup, and the public continuously slammed Anselmo for his actions.
Amid the condemnation, Smith opened up in a new interview and said people should be "allowed to learn from their mistakes and grow."
He shared his opinion during his appearance on Knotfest's Talk Toomey podcast. Host Joshua Toomey told Smith he was recently called a "casual racist" for continuously being a fan of Pantera despite Anselmo's issue.
On the other hand, the Shinedown member noted Pantera's removal from the German festivals before recalling the Dimebash incident in 2016, during which Anselmo showed a Nazi salute.
"The reality is that Phil... when what happened, happened, he addressed it to the best of his ability," he said. "Most people - I believe - when he addressed it, believed that he was being sincere. Believe me man, I'll be honest with you. I was somebody that when I saw the video, the way that it was presented, it's not good. It's not."
Smith added that a person would not be able to grow if there is a "constant level" of not giving anyone the opportunity to do so.
The musician then noted how Anselmo eventually addressed the issue and denied he supported anything related to white supremacy. However, people rejected his apology because he was reportedly being insincere.
Smith also called music medicine. As fans have been waiting for Pantera for a long time, he said that it proved how the band's music "saved a lot of lives" as it offered a message and was "built on strength and perseverance."
What Happened to Phil Anselmo?
Pantera's removal from the German festivals came after the promoter revealed in a statement that they made the decision following conversations with fans, partners, and other artists.
Initially, Germany's Green Party's council members urged Argo Konzerte GmbH to cancel Pantera's appearances. A spokesperson for the Greens, Réka Lörincz, noted that the decision was not about bashing the band or its music.
Instead, the organization saw Anselmo's recent apology statement as "very problematic," calling it more of a trivialization.
Anselmo sparked the buzz after he was captured making a Nazi salute and showing support for white supremacy during the band's appearance at the 2016 Dimebash in Hollywood. The musician reportedly made a "Sieg Heil" gesture while shouting, "White Power!"
Foo Fighters have since replaced Pantera in the lineup.
READ MORE: Cher Getting Married? Singer's Plans With AE Edwards Surfaced After Engagement Buzz
