“It brought me to tears,” confesses Testament‘s Chuck Billyto Full Metal Jackie when speaking to her about Rob Halford‘s contribution to the forward and Randy Blythe‘s contribution to the afterword for his new memoir, Holding My Breath: The Two Testaments of Chuck Billy.
The Testament frontman was the guest on Full Metal Jackie’s weekend show, discussing his new memoir and he was moved when it came time to discuss the book’s special contributions.
“I was a big Judas Priest fan and cut school to play guitar and learn all those records,” recalled Billy. “To tour with them and to have Rob in my early years before the first Testament and before my illness and tour with them [meant a lot].
“And then after my illness, getting to meet and tour with Lamb of God and becoming friends with Randy and surfing with them and things like that, that made sense to me as far as the way I split the book, you know?”
The singer admitted he felt it was difficult to ask for the contributions, but admits, “When I got them back, itbrought me to tears, the words and the things they had to say. And I was like, “Wow, it’s amazing.'”.
Within the discussion, Jackie and Chuck discuss why now was the right time to share his story, the decision to break the story down into his pre-cancer diagnosis and the life he’s lived after and what the support of the metal community meant while he was going through his battle.
Billy also reflects on what it was like coming up in the Bay Area thrash community. And he gives us an update on Testament’s status as they prepare for a new album.
It’s Full Metal Jackie and it is always a pleasure to welcome back Chuck Billy, the legendary vocalist of Testament. This time Chuck is promoting his new memoir, Holding My Breath: The Two Testaments of Chuck Billy. Chuck, you have lived an eventful life filled with triumph and tribulations, both playing a big part of your story. But here we are in 2026 doing some of your best work with the Para Bellum album, having survived a cancer battle and still going stronger than ever. What does it mean to you to get to this point in life where there’s a great story to tell and a life lived full of accomplishment? And also what makes this the right time to tell the story?
It is all about timing, but once I guess you reach a certain age… because I’ve always told my Testament stories, but never really went back to who Chuck was growing up and what part of that Chuck influenced the band. So at this point in my life, even though I’m kind of a private guy, I thought maybe it’s time to tell the story, especially because, for me, the two testaments of Chuck Billy, there’s the Chuck Billy before the cancer, the Chuck after cancer.
So there’s also two lives of Testament: the Testament before cancer and the Testament after, which is two different stories. So it was kinda interesting the way the crossroad happened between those two stories and the native healings I went through with the cancer and what came of that cancer. And so it was, it was just interesting thinking back about it, but it was just even more interesting starting to talk about it.
It was really therapeutic in a way and it’s really weird. Sometimes you’re thinking about yourself, rehashing some of these stories, and man, you’re kind of a jerk. You know? So it’s just really weird talking about especially going that far back.
I mean, the book starts out at eight months old.
Oh, wow.
That’s kind of where it all starts, like, holding my breath. There’s a whole story in itself about that at eight months old. And that kinda sets the tone for the book and me and how I hold my breath and howholding my breath is kinda getting my way at that age. And I’ve kind of used that holding our breath throughout my whole life and career. I’ve learned talking about it how that’s kind of played into my music life and band life and business life and all that. So it was really therapeutic actually to going back and talking about it and reflecting on it all.
Chuck, as you mentioned,the new book cleverly is broken into two testaments: the early years getting into music and Testament’s ascension and then your life going through the cancer diagnosis and what came after. From a narrative perspective, that works great. But when viewing one’s own life, does it feel like it’s been one continuous journey? Or do you feel like your life is a series of chapters with who you are as a person almost starting from scratch based off certain life events?
Well, I think for me, it’s kind of chapters because the part of it was, and I don’t know if I’ve ever told you about it, but when I was younger, I thought my life expectancy was gonna be 38 for reasons and I can explain it later in the book.
People will find out. But when I hit 38, that’s when I was diagnosed, so I thought everything was over at that time. And living now 25, six years plus past it, reflecting back on it and what I’ve done after, it’s just an interesting life in the way my career as being in this band for so long, one band, one set of guys, one band partner the whole time.
READ MORE: Testament’s ‘Para Bellum’ Named Loudwire’s Best Metal Album of 2025
I look back and I’m very fortunate because I thought life was gone at 38. And to live a whole nother life after that was the story. So that’s kind of what made me say I think it’s time. I’m in my 60s, maybe it’s time to kinda tell it all, especially ’cause now I’m looking back on it all.
It’s like, yeah, wow. It’s the way things connected talking about it. And again, ’cause I got almost, like, four months of therapy every day, so it, was kind of interesting.
It’s Full Metal Jackie. Chuck Billy of Testament with us talking about his memoir, Holding My Breath: The Two Testaments of Chuck Billy. And Chuck, the book offers us some insight on your youth. What was it about music that first pulled you in and when did you know that you might have a future in it as a career?Was there a turning point moment where it just clicked for you?
Well, the clicking point had to be when I got into this band because everything else was just finding my way, demos and trying to find bands. But once I landed this band, they had a record deal and that was the target and that was it.
Chuck, it is rare that you realize it in the moment that you’re part of something special. But years later much has been made about the Bay Area thrash scene of the ’80s. What are your recollections of the scene that you came up through and what to you made Testament stand out from the competition of bands who were coming up at that time?
I don’t know if it was just Testament alone. I think all the bands that came up in our area, in the same genre, same timeframe, we all seemed to find our own identity. I probably had a different approach maybe vocally opposed to some of the other bands.
Maybe I was a little older, maybe just different style. Maybe just for me, my background and where I was, that’s just what set me apart, I think, and maybe Testament because it was a different style and different direction definitely than when Zett (Steve ‘Zetro’ Souza) was in the band. We definitely went a different way then.
Testament, “Shallow People”
Chuck, outside of your band, who was the Bay Area band or musician you thought had the most promising future? And did anything surprise you about what eventually happened with the bands from your scene in terms of how it all played out?
Well, of course, it’s Metallica is number one. They played the right time, all the right venues, the right moves, just everything about it.
God, that whole scene just happened and grew so quick. That’s what it was.Every band. and again, I just give credit to that everybody didn’t try to follow suit. Everybody kind of found their own flavor of that thrash metal and kind of came up with their own identities, which I thought was kind of a rarity in itself that we all didn’t just try to be Metallica.
Chuck, a big part of this book delves into your cancer diagnosis. Sometimes it takes the bad in life to see how you’re thought of amongst others. Can you speak to the support you got during that time and what the Thrash of the Titans concert meant to you?
Yeah, I mean, the support was overwhelming. Totally. Just from around the world, support all over. I, right away, dove into my shell and went right into the battle. But when that benefit came along, that in itself was a whole different thing.
I look into it like it’s almost like I took one for the team to actually get Testament back together at that point because that benefit was the first time we all stepped onstage together. Same with Exodus, same with Death Angel, same with Vio-Lence. All these bands put their differences aside and came together for me to support me, you know? And of course the SOD guys coming out and Bill Milano. All the support was just unreal. And again, looking at it, it’s like, wow, that brought Testament back together first of all, but what it did for everything else.
And again, where I was thinking in my head, “I’m 38, I’ve got cancer. I’m gonna probably… This is it,” because of my premonition, you know? And looking now back after it going, “Wow, what a wow.” All those years thinking that was it to where I am now, I’m very grateful, very thankful where I landed.
Full Metal Jackie. Chuck Billy with us talking about his new memoir. Going through that process brought your spirituality into much more focus and dealing with cancer is definitely something that’s gonna stick with you. Can you talk about how that journey altered your life moving forward? Did it impact your music, your interaction with others?
I think everywhere. It’s definitely in the music and the lyrics, but again, seeing things different. Once we started going back, getting the opportunity to go back and tour again … And you know when you go on tour and all my friends, “Oh, you’re going to Europe. You’re so lucky,” It’s like, “Yeah, but I don’t get to see anything,” and I never used to get to see anything. To where it’s almost like that phrase, wake up and smell the roses. Well, I did, you know?
It’s like I appreciated everything and traveled, going sightseeing, doing things that I kinda missed out on and seeing it through a different perspective, I guess. It’s like a “Okay, I’m not gonna miss out this time” kind of attitude.
One might think that writing music would make the transition to writing a book an easy one, but it is a different experience. What did you learn about yourself as a writer over the course of putting this book together? And did the process of scouring over your life bring any new revelations about the person you’ve become today?
I did connect some dots again at the holding my breath thing. That’s a majority of the place in my life from that eight months till today. After I talked about that and then realized what it meant and put it in perspective with the way it played in the rest of my life. That’s a big part of the story for sure. Yeah, and then just that cancer stuff, that was just a big part of my life that when you face it, you gotta go right at it. And I’m very fortunate to come out the other side.
And to come out the other side with something that was very, very special on top of it was like, wow. And I look back at and reflect on it now that very lucky where I’m at with my life, my band, everything.
Chuck, you’ve made many friendships throughout your years in Testament and the metal industry. What does it mean to you to have Rob Halford and Randy Blythe contributing to the forward and afterword? And are there other special relationships you’ve formed with your peers in the industry that have stuck with you throughout the years?
Yeah, so many. So many. But those two in particular were the two sides of my story because I was a big Judas Priest fan and cut school to play guitar and learn all those records and to tour with them and to have Rob in my early years before the first Testament and before my illness and tour with them.
And then after my illness, getting to meet and tour with Lamb of God and becoming friends with Randy and surfing with them and things like that, that made sense to me as far as the way I split the book, you know? That’s another hard thing to ask somebody to do that kind of stuff.
It’s just a weird thing, you know? But when I got them back, itbrought me to tears, the words and the things they had to say. And I was like, “Wow, it’s amazing.” And I’ve had some other people contribute, too.
I’m sure I’m gonna be coming at you to help me out contribute something myself ’cause we still aren’t finished putting some things together, so we can talk.
Yeah, for sure. Absolutely. Anything, anything, anything.
Chuck Billy of Testament with us. Chuck, Para Bellum just arrived last year receiving some of the best reviews of your career. The band seems like it’s clicking better than ever. How does it feel to be a member of Testament in 2026? And is there anything creatively moving and inspiring you at the moment?
It’s such a great feeling. Again, it’s where everybody is in their personal lives. Eric and Chris are on fire. They already have like eight to 10 songs already for the next record ready to go. They’re working very hard cracking at it.
And again, that’s just how good the working relationship’s going with those two right now. So it’s a good time. I’m excited because I’m not have to wait four years. We’re gonna shoot hopefully for next year to get in the studio maybe sometime. We got a busy touring schedule lined up next year. So we’ll see what happens. But we’re moving forward, writing more musicand just gonna keep doing what we do.
Thanks to Chuck Billy for the interview. Holding My Breath: The Two Testaments of Chuck Billy is available now. Stay up to date with Chuck and Testament through their website, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTokplatforms.Find out where you can hear Full Metal Jackie’s weekend radio showhere.
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Gallery Credit: Graham Hartmann, Joe DiVita
