Shadowing Practice: Joey Belladonna interview - NAMM 2012 - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
1
Hey, we're at the TC booth NAMM 2012 and we have the pleasure of having the company of Joey Belladonna from Antrax.
2
So, Joey, how has 2011 been for you so far?
3
Well, it's been great.
4
We got the new album out, Worship Music, and we're being in great reviews.
5
And we're back together and everything's pretty smokin', you know?
6
We had Big Four, DVD came out, and Slayer Megadeth, Anthrax, Metallica.
7
That was quite big, all the big shows that we did.
8
We're touring now and kicking off the album, so we're on a roll, you know?
9
You got the voice live too.
10
Have you had time to fool around with it?
11
Yeah, I'm messing with it now, man.
12
I gotta really, really work on it and keep busy with it, 'cause I want to get it so perfect where I can do it on the dime.
13
sing at the same time and I also use it on the floor
14
so it gives me the opportunity to switch with my feet
15
and I love that too
16
so it's not even in on the stage right now it's off the side
17
so it works great for me too you know
18
and we talked about sending you a voice live rack to check out with anthrax
19
and we just talked about it today
20
and I can't wait man I'm psyched I got a little demo of it today
21
and it looks really amazing so and it's such clarity and the gear is so so pristine you
22
quality so it makes for a voice that will project a lot better for me.
23
And what will the plans be for 2012 album touring?
24
Yeah, we're touring now.
25
We've got a whole slew of stuff for this coming year.
26
Japan coming up will be the European tour.
27
And then we also do the Mayhem in the summer.
28
We're going to be doing a whole full six weeks of two stages.
29
a whole year's worth of stuff.
30
So, you know, we go South America on this run too also.
31
So, it's pretty good.
32
You know, we got a full packed, think of touring.
33
So, thank you.
34
We wish you all the best.
35
Killer, man.
36
Thank you.
37
TC rules, man.
38
Thank you.

What You'll Learn from This Interview Clip

Practice real-world casual conversation skills with this clip—perfect for IELTS speaking practice or everyday chats. You’ll pick up how to talk about upcoming plans (like touring) and expressing enthusiasm (e.g., “I’m psyched!”). Plus, learn to keep sentences flowing naturally, even when switching topics—key for sounding confident in interviews or social settings.

Listen For These Sounds

Native speakers often link words or reduce sounds—listen closely for:

  • Connected speech: “got the new album out” becomes “gotthenew album out” (linking “got” and “the”).
  • Reductions: “I gotta really work” shortens “got to” to “gotta.”
  • Contractions: “it's been great” and “we're back together” use contractions to keep the pace casual.
These are common in fast, friendly talks—mastering them will make your English sound more natural.

Say It Like a Native

To mirror Joey’s rhythm, focus on stress and pauses. He emphasizes key words like “great,” “smokin',” and “pristine” to show excitement. Notice how he pauses briefly before big news: “We got the new album out… and we’re getting great reviews.” Copy this flow using the shadowing technique—repeat his lines aloud, matching his speed and emphasis. For extra practice, use a shadowing site to record yourself and compare. It’s like having a native friend to practice with!

Whether you’re using a shadow speak tool or just repeating the video, this clip is a fun way to learn English with YouTube. Keep at it, and you’ll soon sound as confident as Joey talking about his tour!

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.