Interview w/ Scott Ian of ANTHRAX

I recently caught up with Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian to talk about a new ANTHRAX record in the works, politics and seeing AC/DC live in February...

So having recently checked out the Anthrax website I've noticed that there isn't anything on the calendar for you until next year at Soundwave. What have you been doing to keep busy?

Scott : Honestly not alot has been going on besides working on the new album we've just been enjoying what you could say is a well deserved break.

I was giving "The Sound Of White Noise" a listen just before which a lot of fans would consider to be a classic album. Now at what point in your career as a musician would you consider to be your crowning achievement?

Scott: I never really think of things in that way. It's just an ongoing thing for me personally. It's just what I do. I try not to look back on it too much. I've been more looking back on the scale of the way everything has worked out [with touring] for us this year.

That's a great attitude to have. So just having fun with your music?

Scott: That and always moving forward.

Now one of my fondest memories of Anthrax is watching you guys [on the box] program RAGE in terms of your favourite songs/videos but what would you say inspires you now?

Scott: It's all the same. Nothing has changed. We still have the same influences and refuse to change. We're pretty stubborn like that.

[Laughs]

One thing I've noticed with the lyrical content and even with your side project [Damnocracy] that you are pretty switched on in terms of past and present political climates. Thoughts on the current USA administration?

Scott: Nope. [Laughs] Don't get me wrong I'm glad that Obama got to be the President. But is anything going to change? I don't know and I guess that's why I gave up thinking about that stuff a long time ago. I would rather more concentrate on what happens with me, my wife and my friends. Whatever happens, happens. There's not alot you can do about it. You can't change the world. That's why I gave up a long time ago. I really don't expect there to be a dramatic change in my lifetime or for there to be a big revolution. I guess I saw that back in 1989 when the world communism crashed and I guess that was the big moment but I'm not expecting anything more in my lifetime.

You probably get asked this a million times but when you did collaborated on 'Bring The Noise' with Public Enemy how did it help positively towards the band?

Scott: I can't say that there was a huge wave of success that followed that song. All I can is that it was a great song, a great tour and for me it was a great opportunity to work with those guys especially with the creativity we got to explore. From the start I wanted to work with Chuck D [Public Enemy MC] and I thought to myself how can I do that? But once we worked with Chuck there was so much positivity that came out of it ["Bring The Noise"] and so I will always work with Chuck on anything in the future.

Ever get a chance to perform "Bring The Noise" live with Public Enemy these days?

Scott: Yeah we got a chance to perform it with Chuck earlier this year. It's just a matter of whether we happen to be in the same city at the same time and if we are then we call up Chuck and are like "Hey dude want to come down and have some fun?"

With Soundwave there's a big selection of bands as well as diversity when you look at major players like Faith No More, Jane's Addiction and Meshuggah but who are you guys most looking forward to seeing?

Scott: I can't wait. It's the first festival that we would have ever played in Australia so we are really looking forward to that. It's going to be amazing especially from a personal selfishness - I'm a huge Faith No More fan and I keep on missing them everytime but now we get to see them 5 times in a row so I'm really excited!

Anthrax have a diverse fan base in terms of age, everyone who was 16 years old back in the 80s to everyone now who is still 16 years old right now so what can the kids in the audience expect from a live Anthrax show?

Scott: We're just a great live band. I honestly don't know how you describe that to someone. You just have to see it. We've been doing it for so long that there's such strength in each of our live shows.

In relation to your touring Anthrax are pretty relentless.

Scott: Well we used to be. I guess we've just slowed it down but we're definitely looking forward to getting back out there that's for sure.

One thing fans will be happy with is the return of vocalist John Bush.

Scott: Yeah we called him up to do the new record with us and then things just kept moving forward from there. We did a tour in Europe in the summer with Metallica and it went great so we're just expecting Soundwave to be even better. Hopefully with the release of a new album by next year.

What are the plans for after Soundwave?

Scott: Well we have a bunch of stuff organised which I can't really confirm or deny at this point. There's not really much I can say.

Now the Soundwave show at Sydney is actually the day after AC/DC's concert.

Scott: Yeah we're actually planning to go see AC/DC at that show. It's been one of my goals for the longest time is to see AC/DC either in Sydney or in Glasgow.

Can't go past hearing Dirty Deeds live.

Scott: Yeah I saw them back in February with their new material and I would have to say it's one of the best shows of theirs I've seen since the Back In Black tour. They were incredible.

Thanks for your time Scott and when I see you at AC/DC I'll be sure to buy you a drink.