Tag Archives: Anthrax
Scott Ian and The Big Five
The Big Four is a subject dear to our hearts here at Dose of Metal. Why? Because all of us respect all four bands a lot, and all of us love at least two of them to death. So whenever we get the chance to talk about them, we do.
Before this website (and therefore, before The Big Four concerts happened), Guido and I wanted to start a Big Four fansite. Our goal was to just get fans together and stop arguing about which band is better, and just treat all four bands with the respect they deserve.
That didn’t happen, and instead we got this shitty metal blog running. However, I still kinda feel defensive about this subject, so here goes:
One of the biggest debates that was going on before the concerts and the DVD , was which bands should really be part of ‘The Big Four.’ Some argued that Metallica shouldn’t be there, since they haven’t been thrash metal for decades. Others wanted Exodus, Testament or Overkill in there. I could never understand why.The term was not up for debate, it wasn’t a chart or a top, it was just a monicker.
The Big Four is just a nickname, it is not supposed to be a factually accurate thesis on thrash metal. It’s a nickname given to four specific bands, period. If you want other thrash metal bands to be part of a celebration of thrash metal, that’s understandable, but call it something else. Call it, I don’t know, “Thrash Metal Celebration.” Do not call it The Big Four, because that name is about four bands, and four bands only.
Even though diehard thrash metalheads still debate the term from time to time, most people just accept the fact that it is what it is, now that there is a DVD out and everything. However, this interview with Scott Ian just made me remember all those useless arguments all over again.
Interviewer: I was wondering whether he thought there were any other bands that should have been considered for that title. Like, should it maybe have been the Big Five instead?
Scott Ian: The only other band really that it would make sense [to include] as far as American thrash-metal would be Exodus, because they were there right at the beginning as well. Their first album came out right at the same time as the rest of us. So I mean, to me, yes — if you were gonna add a fifth band, certainly I would think Exodus would be able to fill that slot very easily.
Scott is not responsible for this, he just gave a hypothetical answer to a very hypothetical question. It’s clearly the interviewer who just happens to wonder what band would be good for “The Big Five.” But what is that? The term doesn’t exist. No one ever thought of that nickname. The nickname and the number four came because of the four bands we all know, not the other way around. It makes no sense to add anyone else to the nickname.
I know there are probably big Exodus fans out there who are gonna call me an asshole and teach me a lesson about what Exodus did for thrash metal. But that’s not the point, I’m not denying their legacy, I’m just saying the nickname “The Big Four” does not necessarily have to be the most accurate description of the origins of thrash metal. It’s simply a nickname that stuck, and it involves certain bands, and there should not be a debate over this. It’s like saying “Wacko Jacko” should not refer to Michael Jackson, but to Jack the Ripper, cause he was way ‘wacker’ than MJ.
The Big Four is Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer and Metallica. That’s it. There is no changing that. If you want to replace any of the bands with other thrash metal acts of the early 80s, you are entitled to do so, but it simply stops being ‘The Big Four.’ Just like operating on my testicles and removing both tumors would put an end to the ‘Big Four’ nickname I gave to my balls.
I heard Kerry King’s diet is also called The Big Four, because of the four supersized meals he gets at McDonald’s every day. It could just be a rumor I just made up though, so don’t take my word for it.
Source of the Scott Ian quote: Straight
Let’s talk about supergroups, baby
I’ve learned about two new “supergroups” this past week. One features David Silveria (former Calvin Klein model/drummer for Korn) and the second features Dani Filth (former Versace model/vocalist for Cradle of Filth). Good thing they’re in separate bands because crossing them in one would probably result in Earth imploding just to prevent the sounds exiting our orbit and doing damage to the solar system.
The band David’s in is called Infinika, and it also features members of Anyone (as in, “Anyone ever heard about this band?), and I gotta say, the music kinda sucks. But hey, it seems they’re doing it to have fun and to pay off whatever debts and drug habits David’s picked up since leaving Korn and selling his drums on eBay. You can listen to and watch a promo clip above.
Dani’s project is called Temple of the Black Moon, and no, it’s not the next Transformers movie, it’s a band featuring Rob Caggiano (Anthrax), King (ex-Gorgoroth) and John Tempesta (The Cult). I didn’t find any clips with music previews, but if you’re really interested and like, really, really bored, you can “like” their Facebook page for further updates.
More bands for Download
Download is trying hard this year, and well, the lineup is already pretty fucking sweet. Besides the three headliners (The Prodigy, Metallica, Black Sabbath), a bunch of other ones have been added to the annual Download festival, namely: Soundgarden, Lamb of God, Machine Head, Tenacious D (if you wanna see Jack Black be funny play music stand there with a guitar), Trivium, Anthrax, Devin Townsend Project, Chase and Status (if you feel like vibing to some raves), Devildriver…
Wait, why the fuck am I wasting my fucking fingers when I can just post the photo. Make the jump and check the poster out, and don’t forget, more bands to be announced.
Slipknot, Anthrax, Slayer, Jane’s Addiction members perform together
No doubt you’ve often wondered what it would sound like if members of Slipknot, Anthrax, Slayer, Jane’s Addiction and various other famous bands all got together and performed classic songs. Well, a couple of days ago at the Avalon in Hollywood, California, that’s exactly what happened.
Henry Rollins recruited various musicians to perform in the for a benefit concert, to raise money for Drop In The Bucket, a Los Angeles- and Gulu, Uganda-based non-profit organization that constructs water wells and sanitation systems at large rural schools in sub-Saharan Africa.
You can watch a video of some of the artists performing the classic track ‘Crazy Train’ together above. And don’t worry, luckily, not only can you barely hear Corey Taylor, but he also doesn’t stop to talk about how much he dislikes Rick Rubin or anybody else.
For more videos, information and the setlist, check out Blabbermouth.
Dan Nelson vs. Anthrax, round 2
We all thought Nelsonthrax drama was over. Dan was out, Belladonna was in, Anthrax finally released Worship Music and Nelson started working on his new band BlackGates. Whenever Ian or Benante were asked in interviews about Nelson, they had nothing but bad things to say about him though. I guess Dan Nelson took notice of that, because he is now suing the band for $2.65 million.
A former lead singer of the band Anthrax filed suit yesterday over the fallout from his 2009 ouster from the popular “thrash” combo founded in New York City.
Dan Nelson says drummer Charlie Benante, bassist Frank Bello and guitarist Scott Ian falsely stated in “numerous interviews” that he had “abruptly resigned” after getting sick, forcing a cancelation of a tour.
The $2.65 million suit also alleges that Benante last month told the rock-news site Blabbermouth.net that Nelson “was a bully.”
The Long Island native says his ex-bandmates’ “intentional defamation” has caused him a loss of income and damaged his reputation.
The Manhattan federal court filing further charges that Nelson co-wrote the tunes on the band’s latest album, “Worship Music,” but hasn’t gotten his fair share of the profits.
Read more: New York Post
As usually, we don’t know all details of the story but, with this suit, there is a good chance we will get to know the details sometime in the future.
I can only say the following. Scott Ian and Charlie Benante did talk a whole lot of shit about Dan Nelson in the press. This is speculation, but maybe the band tried to turn Nelson into the bad guy, the only one responsible for this mess, to save face and get back some of their integrity.
I’ve personally been in steady contact with Dan for quite some time, even though that sadly died down in the past couple of months. I can only say good things about him. He’s been extremely nice to me and shared a lot with me. Be it stories or music. So I can’t share the “Nelson is a monster” view, unless you’re referring to his vocal abilities, with which he shits all over Belladonna.
I can only say this: I can understand why Nelson filed suit, and I hope everyone involved can finally sort this out and put it to rest. This has not just been damaging Nelson’s reputation, but also Anthrax’s.
