Bobby Ellsworth

Robert Ellsworth (born May 3, 1959), 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.

Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth
Ellsworth live at Jalometalli in Finland, August 2008
Background information
Birth nameRobert Ellsworth
Also known asBlitz
Born (1959-05-03) May 3, 1959[1][2]
OriginNew Jersey, U.S.
GenresThrash metal, speed metal, groove metal, heavy metal
Occupation(s)Musician
InstrumentsVocals, bass guitar
Years active1980–present
Associated actsOverkill, The Cursed, BPMD

He also did the vocals for the band The Cursed featuring Dan Lorenzo (Hades and Non Fiction) in 2007, and is a member of the supergroup/cover band BPMD.[3]

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)." [4]

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."[5]

In 2014, Ellsworth had again been suffering health issues while on tour in Germany battling borderline pneumonia.[6]

References
  1. OVERKILL (3 May 2019). "Happy 60th to our very own BB pic.twitter.com/XnA5LwPc7p". twitter.com. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
  2. "Overkill". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
  3. "BOBBY 'BLITZ' ELLSWORTH, MIKE PORTNOY, PHIL DEMMEL And MARK MENGHI Join Forces In BPMD: 'American Made' Album Due Soon". Blabbermouth.net. January 31, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-02-06. Retrieved 2009-01-26.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. Video on YouTube
  6. "Overkill's Bobby 'Blitz' Ellsworth Discusses His Health Issues: 'I Think Of Myself As Bulletproof' - Blabbermouth.net".
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