Dan Spitz
He shredded thrash metal with Anthrax before trading his guitar for a watchmaker's loupe, becoming a master of micro-mechanics.
Born 1963 (age 63)·American guitarist·Birthday: January 28·Baby Boomers
Biography
Dan Spitz played lead guitar for Anthrax on classic albums like 'Among the Living' and 'State of Euphoria,' his technical prowess and melodic sense defining the band's thrash metal sound. He left the music scene at its height and pursued a second career. He earned degrees in micro-mechanical engineering and luxury watchmaking in Switzerland, becoming a certified master watchmaker. He served as Head of Complications for a major Swiss brand and an instructor for Chopard. This pivot from rock stages to watchmaking benches demonstrates a relentless, focused intellect applied to vastly different forms of craftsmanship.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Dan was born in 1963, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1963
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Best Picture
Tom Jones
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Dan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1963Born
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1968Started school
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1976Became a teenager
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Could drive
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1981Could vote
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Turned 21
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1993Turned 30
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 40
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 50
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 60
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 63 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- As Anthrax's lead guitarist, he co-wrote and performed on multiple platinum-selling albums that helped define the thrash metal genre.
- Earned Swiss and American certifications as a master watchmaker and micro-mechanical engineer.
- Served as the Head of Complications at a major Swiss watch company, overseeing the creation of highly complex timepieces.
- Founded the Christian metal project Red Lamb, which addressed themes like autism awareness.
Did You Know?
He is a twin; his brother is actor and musician David Spitz.
Spitz is a devout Christian and has spoken about his faith extensively.
He is a vocal advocate for autism awareness, inspired by his own children who are on the spectrum.
“Precision is everything, in a riff or a watch's escapement.”
