If you have watched VH1 over the past fifteen years you’ve seen Scott Ian. He’s the tattooed bald guy with a chin beard that would make a billy goat jealous. Before he was safe for primetime cable television, Ian was the founder and rhythm guitarist for Anthrax, one of the biggest metal bands of the 1980s.
Scott Ian Rosenfeld was born in Queens, New York in 1963. Ian started playing guitar in grade school and after seeing a KISS performance decided he wanted to pursue a life in music. Ian formed Anthrax in 1981 and three years later the band released their debut album, “Fistful of Metal”. Anthrax’s brand of metal and a bit of humor helped them become a leading force in metal and they were soon recognized as a member of the Big Four of thrash metal, along with Slayer, Megadeth and Metallica.
In 1985, Ian started a thrash/hardcore punk side project called Stormtroopers of Death. The band was never a commercial hit but they had a cult following. Their greatest claim to fame is that the popular MTV metal show Headbanger’s Ball used an S.O.D. song as an intro. Ian continued with Anthrax and they were on European tour supporting Metallica in 1986. It was on this tour that Metallica bassist Cliff Burton was killed in a bus accident.
In 1987, Anthrax released the single “I’m the Man” which was the first rap-metal song by a major artist. “I’m the Man” became the band’s biggest hit, selling over one million copies. Four years later Anthrax would collaborate with Public Enemy on a cover of P.E.’s “Bring the Noise”. The two bands toured together and introduced rap and metal to thousands of new fans.
Anthrax brought in former Armored Saint singer John Bush and began to move away from their traditional thrash sound toward a heavier, more melodic sound. The new style resonated with fans and the first album with Bush, “Sound of White Noise”, debuted at #7, which is Anthrax’s highest chart position for any album.
Anthrax also started working with Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell around this time. He was considered the sixth member of the band and Dime recorded with the band but did not tour with them. They went through some additional lineup changes but are still touring and recording. Roger Daltrey from The Who has appeared on an Anthrax album and the band played the Big Four concert tour with Slayer, Megadeth and Metallica in 2009.
In 2011 the band’s original singer, Joey Belladonna, returned and Anthrax released the album “Worship Music”, which debuted at #12. Anthrax will be releasing a new album in February 2016, titled “For All Kings”. Scott Ian has remained the only constant member through Anthrax’s 35 year run. He’s now married to Meatloaf’s daughter, Pearl Aday, and they have a couple of kids. Ian is bit greyer in the beard and longer in the tooth but he can still write and play some killer riffs.
You can find more on Anthrax here: http://www.elevenwarriors.com/forum/anything-else/2015/12/65001/sunday-m...
Anthrax – “Indians” off the album “Among the Living” 1987:
Anthrax – “I’m the Man” off the EP “I’m the Man” 1987:
Anthrax and Public Enemy – “Bring the Noise” off the album “Attack of the Killer B’s” 1991:
Anthrax – “Potter’s Field” off the album “Sound of White Noise” 1992:
Anthrax “She” (KISS cover) off the compilation album “KISS My Ass” 1994:
Stormtroopers of Death – “Milano Mosh” off the album “Speak English or Die” 1985:
Stormtroopers of Death – “Seasoning the Obese” off the album “Bigger than the Devil” 1999:
Stormtroopers of Death – “Bigger than the Devil” off the album “Bigger than the Devil” 1999:
