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Anthraxin Scott Ianin suorapuheinen elämäkerta on pakollista luettavaa kaikille metallimusiikin ystäville ja perinteisen muusikkoelämäntyylin etsijöille.
I Am the Man sisältää kaikki vakavasti otettavan musiikkielämäkerran viihdyttävimmät elementit: nyrkkitappeluita, irstailua ja hajotettuja hotellihuoneita. Ian kertoo Anthraxin perustamisesta ja vaiheista avoimesti, eikä päästä itseäänkään helpolla. Elämäkerta on samalla katsaus metallimusiikin kenttään. Ian on seurannut läheisesti muun muassa Kissin ja Slipknotin vaiheita ja hänellä oli eturivin paikka, kun Metallica päätti erottaa riveistään Dave Mustainen.
Anthraxin Scott Ianin suorapuheinen elämäkerta on pakollista luettavaa kaikille metallimusiikin ystäville ja perinteisen muusikkoelämäntyylin etsijöille.
I Am the Man sisältää kaikki vakavasti otettavan musiikkielämäkerran viihdyttävimmät elementit: nyrkkitappeluita, irstailua ja hajotettuja hotellihuoneita. Ian kertoo Anthraxin perustamisesta ja vaiheista avoimesti, eikä päästä itseäänkään helpolla. Elämäkerta on samalla katsaus metallimusiikin kenttään. Ian on seurannut läheisesti muun muassa Kissin ja Slipknotin vaiheita ja hänellä oli eturivin paikka, kun Metallica päätti erottaa riveistään Dave Mustainen.
361 pages, Hardcover
First published September 30, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
June 16, 2016
I was first introduced to Anthrax exactly 3 years ago when I saw them live at a festival. Shame on me, I had never heard their music before and I probably never would have if they hadn't of been playing right before another band I wanted to see. I fell in love with Anthrax the moment the first song started and I've been a huge fan ever since. I've seen them live again since then and will be seeing them again in 1 week which is why I decided to finally pick this book up after staring at it on my TBR shelf for the longest time. I'm glad I read it before seeing them again because knowing the history behind the making of the band and their journey to make it to where they are now is going to make the show even better! I loved Scott Ian's story, it was thoroughly entertaining and I could not put it down! And it was refreshing to read a rock autobiography that didn't prominently feature drugs. There was debauchery and partying but mostly with alcohol so there was less of a dark aspect to the book than other autobiographies I've read.
March 31, 2019
I’m not really able to write this review without a bit of autobiographical background for context. I am lucky to have grown up in one of the most exciting times in rock music history. Born in 1964, the year the Beatles first hit American shores, I was washed in sounds from the time I was little. My mother in particular was a music fan, and she was young and curious enough to explore all of the musical counterculture of the day. As I grew older it seemed like I always had a little AM radio glued to my ear. In 1973 I was cognizant of my first exposure to what might be called “heavy” rock, Alice Cooper’s “No More Mr. Nice Guy” from the “Billion Dollar Babies” album. In 1976 I saved my lawn mowing money and made a beeline to the record store to pick up the first Boston disk. Then it was Deep Purple, the Stones, Bowie, Queen….goodness, so many great bands. By 1977 I had begun to discover the magic of punk with the Sex Pistols and The Ramones, and in 1978 my world was changed by Van Halen’s debut album. Fast forward to the early '80s and my college days, and there was a serious musical movement on to reconcile the DIY ferocity and speed of punk with the power and virtuosity of heavy metal. This moment in time would give birth to what would be called “thrash” metal, and the bands who would be responsible for popularizing this trend would be Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax. And there is where I stop this trip down memory lane, for I could write my own book of how I came to be literate in so many camps of rock music. Surely I missed my calling in my youth, I do believe in my heart that I was truly destined to write for Creem magazine, swilling beers and doing some sort of a Hunter S. Thompson impersonation and…...oh, to hell with it. Nowadays I still listen to all the stuff I grew up with, a graying metalpunkhead but now with added jazz tendencies. And I’m also lucky enough to now live in era when so many of the artists who fed my ears and my head back in the day are writing chronicles of their lives and adventures.
(Good grief…..I just read that intro paragraph back to myself. What a windbag I am. There is no way to distill 4+ decades of musical history into a paragraph that makes any sort of sense. And I also forgot to give my brother Gerold enough credit. My mother surely guided my early years, but it was he who opened my eyes to glam and punk and the Stones….)
New York City gave birth to the band Anthrax in 1981. They released their first album, “Fistful of Metal” in 1984. Rather than burden you down with background information that you can easily get on the internet or by reading “I’m the Man,” I will stop there. Scott Ian, the rhythm guitarist for the band as well as principal lyricist, gives us the full story of the band in this book, co-written with author Jon Wiederhorn. It seems pretty obvious that Wiederhorn did a good job of transposing the notes and/or audio recordings that Ian provided for this memoir. Having read and heard enough interviews with Scott Ian over the years I will say that it certainly SEEMS like his genuine voice and reminiscences driving the narrative.
Ian begins the book with his birth and some early familial background. He documents his formative years in school and tells of his early attempts to form cover bands and imitate his idols in KISS and Iron Maiden. From there he expounds upon the formation of Anthrax and the already much-chronicled meetings with first manager Jonny Z. and a bunch of scruffy unknowns from the West Coast who called themselves Metallica. He hurtles headlong into the first few albums and the creation of the thrash metal scene. Then onward through the lineup changes and the record company disputes that always seemed to plague the band. It’s a solid history of Anthrax, especially interesting if you really don’t know much about them. That said, there really isn’t much here that hasn’t already been written elsewhere. It’s a sort of long-form written version of a VH1 “Behind the Music” episode, which is fine I suppose. That’s what most of these rock memoirs end up being, anyway. In that sense they are great for the average fan who might benefit from a detailed look behind the scenes, but for those of us who have followed these bands for decades….well, not so much. Ian carries the story of the band through the low times and on into the current renaissance of the group, through to the “comeback” album, “Worship Music.”
The memoir REALLY bogs down when Ian goes into depth regarding his personal relationships. Between two failed marriages and a lot of dalliances in between, the reader is treated to an exposition of Scott Ian’s love life, which I suppose is fine from an autobiographical standpoint. I personally found all of the relationship material sort of burdensome and a distraction from the meat and potatoes of the book.
The highlight of the book for me was actually a section dropped into the middle, fortunately between chapters. Illustrated comic-book style, this fun part of the book details an adventure that Scott had during his first meeting in England with the mighty Lemmy, of Motorhead fame. It’s bawdy, disgustingly honest, and downright hilarious. I almost wish that the entire book had been done this way. Fortunately there is not an excess of excess in this memoir. There is copious alcohol, and an interesting ingestion of psychedelic mushrooms. The chapter describing Ian’s attempt to become a “professional alcoholic” by trying to keep up with Pantera’s guitarist, Dimebag Darrell, is by turns sad and funny, and it’s as close as this book gets to derailing itself on backstage craziness. Yes, there are the usual groupies, and the usual tales of hotel room demolition, but thankfully they never overshadow the main thrust of the narrative.
Ian usually comes off as something of an overgrown adolescent. His decision-making is often impaired, but he seems to be lucky to eventually recognize his mistakes and take personal responsibility for them. He appears to be a basically honest and stand-up kind of guy. There is no doubt whatsoever that he has an incredible drive and commitment to his band, and that has allowed Anthrax to continue standing some 36 years later as a respected and active originator of one of heavy metal’s most important subgenres.
End result? It’s a fun book if you are a casual fan, where a lot of this material will seem fresh and new to you. If you have been following the band for decades, as I have, it will just feel more like a rehash of stories that you already know. I guess it’s nice to have it all in one place, and I will admit that I enjoyed the two photograph sections. I somehow missed seeing Anthrax in their first heyday, but I was lucky enough to be able to take my daughter to see them last year when they toured with Lamb of God. They tore the stage up and were everything that I expected and needed them to be. That was a five-star night for my daughter and I, and “I’m The Man” is a solid three-star effort from Scott Ian. Keep on rocking, guys.
(Good grief…..I just read that intro paragraph back to myself. What a windbag I am. There is no way to distill 4+ decades of musical history into a paragraph that makes any sort of sense. And I also forgot to give my brother Gerold enough credit. My mother surely guided my early years, but it was he who opened my eyes to glam and punk and the Stones….)
New York City gave birth to the band Anthrax in 1981. They released their first album, “Fistful of Metal” in 1984. Rather than burden you down with background information that you can easily get on the internet or by reading “I’m the Man,” I will stop there. Scott Ian, the rhythm guitarist for the band as well as principal lyricist, gives us the full story of the band in this book, co-written with author Jon Wiederhorn. It seems pretty obvious that Wiederhorn did a good job of transposing the notes and/or audio recordings that Ian provided for this memoir. Having read and heard enough interviews with Scott Ian over the years I will say that it certainly SEEMS like his genuine voice and reminiscences driving the narrative.
Ian begins the book with his birth and some early familial background. He documents his formative years in school and tells of his early attempts to form cover bands and imitate his idols in KISS and Iron Maiden. From there he expounds upon the formation of Anthrax and the already much-chronicled meetings with first manager Jonny Z. and a bunch of scruffy unknowns from the West Coast who called themselves Metallica. He hurtles headlong into the first few albums and the creation of the thrash metal scene. Then onward through the lineup changes and the record company disputes that always seemed to plague the band. It’s a solid history of Anthrax, especially interesting if you really don’t know much about them. That said, there really isn’t much here that hasn’t already been written elsewhere. It’s a sort of long-form written version of a VH1 “Behind the Music” episode, which is fine I suppose. That’s what most of these rock memoirs end up being, anyway. In that sense they are great for the average fan who might benefit from a detailed look behind the scenes, but for those of us who have followed these bands for decades….well, not so much. Ian carries the story of the band through the low times and on into the current renaissance of the group, through to the “comeback” album, “Worship Music.”
The memoir REALLY bogs down when Ian goes into depth regarding his personal relationships. Between two failed marriages and a lot of dalliances in between, the reader is treated to an exposition of Scott Ian’s love life, which I suppose is fine from an autobiographical standpoint. I personally found all of the relationship material sort of burdensome and a distraction from the meat and potatoes of the book.
The highlight of the book for me was actually a section dropped into the middle, fortunately between chapters. Illustrated comic-book style, this fun part of the book details an adventure that Scott had during his first meeting in England with the mighty Lemmy, of Motorhead fame. It’s bawdy, disgustingly honest, and downright hilarious. I almost wish that the entire book had been done this way. Fortunately there is not an excess of excess in this memoir. There is copious alcohol, and an interesting ingestion of psychedelic mushrooms. The chapter describing Ian’s attempt to become a “professional alcoholic” by trying to keep up with Pantera’s guitarist, Dimebag Darrell, is by turns sad and funny, and it’s as close as this book gets to derailing itself on backstage craziness. Yes, there are the usual groupies, and the usual tales of hotel room demolition, but thankfully they never overshadow the main thrust of the narrative.
Ian usually comes off as something of an overgrown adolescent. His decision-making is often impaired, but he seems to be lucky to eventually recognize his mistakes and take personal responsibility for them. He appears to be a basically honest and stand-up kind of guy. There is no doubt whatsoever that he has an incredible drive and commitment to his band, and that has allowed Anthrax to continue standing some 36 years later as a respected and active originator of one of heavy metal’s most important subgenres.
End result? It’s a fun book if you are a casual fan, where a lot of this material will seem fresh and new to you. If you have been following the band for decades, as I have, it will just feel more like a rehash of stories that you already know. I guess it’s nice to have it all in one place, and I will admit that I enjoyed the two photograph sections. I somehow missed seeing Anthrax in their first heyday, but I was lucky enough to be able to take my daughter to see them last year when they toured with Lamb of God. They tore the stage up and were everything that I expected and needed them to be. That was a five-star night for my daughter and I, and “I’m The Man” is a solid three-star effort from Scott Ian. Keep on rocking, guys.
April 1, 2015
First checked this book out from the library cause I really liked Anthrax and it always seemed as though Scott Ian had so much energy on stage. I really loved the book. To have someone who has had so many experiences in their life, many of them negative ones, and to continue to persevere is just amazing! You can really feel his frustration at times as well as making mistakes that anyone could make. Some of it seemed like he was learning along the way. I was just able to connect with his passion for his music and his drive to be the best. I would highly recommend this book!
August 5, 2018
It took me quite a while to read it, but I don't mind. I loved every word here. The way Scott talks about the past makes me wanna be there and experience it all. And I am an introvert.... I am not doing crazy things like that. The history of Anthrax and thrash metal in general is very interesting. I loved learning new things about the band and this whole scene. Metalhead inside me is very, very happy right now :)
Can't wait for more books written by Scott! He's the best.
Also kudos to Robert Filipowski for amazing translation ;)
My full review: https://myshelfandbooks.blogspot.com/...
Read
January 2, 2015Though it’s more about the subject matter than anything else, I could not put this book down. So fascinating to read about the formative years of Anthrax and a lot about other bands too--especially Metallica. Here are just a few of the things I found really interesting:
* State of Euphoria, Anthrax’s 4th record--which came out when I was in Jr. High--was rushed and the band was never really happy with it, outside of a few songs. They were offered a spot touring with Maiden (a tour I attended at Rosemont Horizon) on the condition that they had a new album to promote. I found this really interesting because I’d always felt State of Euphoria was not great and a disappointment after the masterpiece, Among the Living.
* The way success as a musician is defined. To my mind, at age 13--well, and now--success as a musician was and is being able to make a living with your music and have people hear and respond to the things you create. But Scott Ian regrets some of the decisions Anthrax made and feels it cost them chances at even bigger successes: making a video for one song and not another one, the crappiness of State of Euphoria (see above)
* Some people (Scott estimates 30%) absolutely would not follow the band once they changed lead singers. The funny thing is I was one of them, but it wasn't because I loved Joey Belladonna's voice so much. It was that it felt to me like they were on the decline, and changing singers was a pretty clear indicator. In the 80's, the thrash metal bands (the Big 4: Slayer, Megadeth, Metallica, Anthrax) seemed to be in the driver's seat; they were in perfect control of the genre, knew its conventions, pushed the conventions, and came out with 4 of the best heavy metal albums of all time: Reign in Blood, Peace Sells...But Who’s Buying, Master of Puppets, and Among the Living respectively. Things changed in the 90's with the rise of grunge. The metal bands no longer seemed to know what they were doing and they seemed reactive and unsure.
* The collaborative nature of their songwriting. They didn't write like the Beatles where everyone brought in a complete song. But they didn't just jam like the Deftones until they had a song. They had a strange divide and conquer. Charlie (the drummer) wrote the riffs. Scott wrote the lyrics and arranged the riffs Charlie had written. He'd also work with the singer on the vocal melodies. This worked out well early but with Persistence of Time, because they were deeply personal, he was frustrated by how Joey sang the songs. It's hard to remember that, even with intimate material, you are in a band of different people, not 4 or 5 copies of you.
* Scott began to feel silly performing I’m The Man and thought “Would Metallica be doing this?” He also didn't like Dan Spitz’s cartoon-heavy outfit for the “Antisocial” video. I remember wondering that too. How silly can you be and still be serious?
* There’s an odd section where Scott talks about auditioning an unknown vocalist, then tells the reader to check Wikipedia as “accurate or inaccurate” as that may be. WTF?
Things I didn't find interesting:
* The biggest snoozer of any autobiography is when the author describes his current relationship. It’s always in the most glowing terms, and it’s always perfect, and they’re always so in love and barf, barf and bullshit.
* State of Euphoria, Anthrax’s 4th record--which came out when I was in Jr. High--was rushed and the band was never really happy with it, outside of a few songs. They were offered a spot touring with Maiden (a tour I attended at Rosemont Horizon) on the condition that they had a new album to promote. I found this really interesting because I’d always felt State of Euphoria was not great and a disappointment after the masterpiece, Among the Living.
* The way success as a musician is defined. To my mind, at age 13--well, and now--success as a musician was and is being able to make a living with your music and have people hear and respond to the things you create. But Scott Ian regrets some of the decisions Anthrax made and feels it cost them chances at even bigger successes: making a video for one song and not another one, the crappiness of State of Euphoria (see above)
* Some people (Scott estimates 30%) absolutely would not follow the band once they changed lead singers. The funny thing is I was one of them, but it wasn't because I loved Joey Belladonna's voice so much. It was that it felt to me like they were on the decline, and changing singers was a pretty clear indicator. In the 80's, the thrash metal bands (the Big 4: Slayer, Megadeth, Metallica, Anthrax) seemed to be in the driver's seat; they were in perfect control of the genre, knew its conventions, pushed the conventions, and came out with 4 of the best heavy metal albums of all time: Reign in Blood, Peace Sells...But Who’s Buying, Master of Puppets, and Among the Living respectively. Things changed in the 90's with the rise of grunge. The metal bands no longer seemed to know what they were doing and they seemed reactive and unsure.
* The collaborative nature of their songwriting. They didn't write like the Beatles where everyone brought in a complete song. But they didn't just jam like the Deftones until they had a song. They had a strange divide and conquer. Charlie (the drummer) wrote the riffs. Scott wrote the lyrics and arranged the riffs Charlie had written. He'd also work with the singer on the vocal melodies. This worked out well early but with Persistence of Time, because they were deeply personal, he was frustrated by how Joey sang the songs. It's hard to remember that, even with intimate material, you are in a band of different people, not 4 or 5 copies of you.
* Scott began to feel silly performing I’m The Man and thought “Would Metallica be doing this?” He also didn't like Dan Spitz’s cartoon-heavy outfit for the “Antisocial” video. I remember wondering that too. How silly can you be and still be serious?
* There’s an odd section where Scott talks about auditioning an unknown vocalist, then tells the reader to check Wikipedia as “accurate or inaccurate” as that may be. WTF?
Things I didn't find interesting:
* The biggest snoozer of any autobiography is when the author describes his current relationship. It’s always in the most glowing terms, and it’s always perfect, and they’re always so in love and barf, barf and bullshit.
May 12, 2021
Thank fuck that’s over.
March 29, 2015
I have always been a huge Anthrax fan and was excited as hell to read this book. As a fan it peels back the curtain a bit and gives you the full story or at least Scott's version of them. This is the good, the bad, and the ugly. The answers to a lot of questions have finally been answered except for who that guy was that sang for Anthrax for awhile after the reunion tour. There's a lot of great stories in here, but what you don't get is the drugs and debauchery that fill a lot of band bios. It's there but not in a way that you would think or expect. There are tales of paint ball wars with Slayer and of course the lean years when 'Thrax couldn't get arrested.
You do learn about how Scott learned to drink with Dimebag, his arrest in Tampa, and of course the early years with Neil Turbin and how awful it was. Of course we have Neil's side on the interwebs which totally contradicts Scott's version, but does anyone give a damn about Neil turbin? I didn't think so.
The interesting thing about the book is why they fired Joey and the changes that the band went through with John Bush. The problem with some of the book is that Scott loves to say that the reason that the records after White Noise failed was due to the record label losing interest in the band. In his mind he felt that Anthrax was releasing music that they were proud of but Anthrax had changed their sound so drastically that a lot of fans felt alienated. The albums just weren't that good. I only listened to a couple of Bush era releases.
This is an inside story of a band that has endured a lot throughout their career. The music business changing didn't kill Anthrax and that in itself is a testament to Scott's belief in the band. They never quit even though they should have and that is what makes this such an interesting read. You have the entire tale of Anthrax and while Scott may at times come of as whiny and his reasoning for bringing Joey back was all about business and the last gasp of a band on the verge of crashing and burning.
For fans of the band this is an interesting read that isn't mired in sex or drug addiction. It's not a hair band bio and that's what makes it so interesting. Scott is the guy from Anthrax and he hasn't allowed success to inflate his ego to Godzilla sized proportions. For fans of Anthrax this is a must read and while it does lose a bit of momentum it never becomes boring. Scott's determination is the glue that holds it all together.
You do learn about how Scott learned to drink with Dimebag, his arrest in Tampa, and of course the early years with Neil Turbin and how awful it was. Of course we have Neil's side on the interwebs which totally contradicts Scott's version, but does anyone give a damn about Neil turbin? I didn't think so.
The interesting thing about the book is why they fired Joey and the changes that the band went through with John Bush. The problem with some of the book is that Scott loves to say that the reason that the records after White Noise failed was due to the record label losing interest in the band. In his mind he felt that Anthrax was releasing music that they were proud of but Anthrax had changed their sound so drastically that a lot of fans felt alienated. The albums just weren't that good. I only listened to a couple of Bush era releases.
This is an inside story of a band that has endured a lot throughout their career. The music business changing didn't kill Anthrax and that in itself is a testament to Scott's belief in the band. They never quit even though they should have and that is what makes this such an interesting read. You have the entire tale of Anthrax and while Scott may at times come of as whiny and his reasoning for bringing Joey back was all about business and the last gasp of a band on the verge of crashing and burning.
For fans of the band this is an interesting read that isn't mired in sex or drug addiction. It's not a hair band bio and that's what makes it so interesting. Scott is the guy from Anthrax and he hasn't allowed success to inflate his ego to Godzilla sized proportions. For fans of Anthrax this is a must read and while it does lose a bit of momentum it never becomes boring. Scott's determination is the glue that holds it all together.
October 16, 2016
This started off well. I was never a huge Anthrax fan, but I really liked Among the Living back in the day and Scott Ian always seemed like a genial, fun, intelligent guy. The early parts of this book followed this path. His childhood - the instability of his mother, his exposure to music, getting the band together. I was finding it interesting going.
I think I started losing interest when we got to the road stories - pranks they pulled, hotel rooms they destroyed, the whole groupie thing. I've read all this stuff before, and the older I get, the stupider it all seems. I know there are lots of people who probably want to hear this stuff, but it just seemed kind of dumb. I hate to hold anything that Motley Crue has done as a benchmark, but once you've read The Dirt you kind of feel you've hit the nadir of self-destructive, obnoxious rock star behaviour.
That said, I figured that once I got past the sophomoric hi-jinks, the book would pick up again. Unfortunately, it never did for me. Scott Ian just didn't come across as that interesting. There's a lot of name-dropping, there's a lot of whining about how record labels screwed him and the band, there are two failed marriages that probably could have been prevented, and there is a general lack of insight. And although he pays some lip service to his own culpability in some of his misfortunes, I never got the sense that he ever blamed himself. It was the record company releasing the wrong single, or forcing them to record an album before it was ready, or not putting enough money behind their albums. The lineup changes were inevitable and all out of his control.
I think, based on my perception of Scott Ian going into this book, I expected more insight. I thought he'd be someone who's been there for many years, and being fairly intelligent and a bit of a fan, would be little bit more self-aware and intellectual. None of that came out in this book. He's more Sammy Hagar than Dee Snider. So it's basically just the story of a guy plugging along, doing his best to evolve and put out the best music he can, and being denied the success that he so richly deserves because of the failings of others. Disappointing.
I think I started losing interest when we got to the road stories - pranks they pulled, hotel rooms they destroyed, the whole groupie thing. I've read all this stuff before, and the older I get, the stupider it all seems. I know there are lots of people who probably want to hear this stuff, but it just seemed kind of dumb. I hate to hold anything that Motley Crue has done as a benchmark, but once you've read The Dirt you kind of feel you've hit the nadir of self-destructive, obnoxious rock star behaviour.
That said, I figured that once I got past the sophomoric hi-jinks, the book would pick up again. Unfortunately, it never did for me. Scott Ian just didn't come across as that interesting. There's a lot of name-dropping, there's a lot of whining about how record labels screwed him and the band, there are two failed marriages that probably could have been prevented, and there is a general lack of insight. And although he pays some lip service to his own culpability in some of his misfortunes, I never got the sense that he ever blamed himself. It was the record company releasing the wrong single, or forcing them to record an album before it was ready, or not putting enough money behind their albums. The lineup changes were inevitable and all out of his control.
I think, based on my perception of Scott Ian going into this book, I expected more insight. I thought he'd be someone who's been there for many years, and being fairly intelligent and a bit of a fan, would be little bit more self-aware and intellectual. None of that came out in this book. He's more Sammy Hagar than Dee Snider. So it's basically just the story of a guy plugging along, doing his best to evolve and put out the best music he can, and being denied the success that he so richly deserves because of the failings of others. Disappointing.
June 27, 2018
Enjoyable read. Big fan of the John Bush (Sound of white noise) era and don’t really care about the other eras/singers of the band. This book did not disappoint with respect to the recording and touring for that period.
December 15, 2014
"How did you not know?"- My friends response to my realization that Scott Ian is a jerk. I always liked him until I read this book. Now I tell people I'm team Charlie and Frankie.
April 12, 2023
Scott Ian of Anthrax is the first to check in with his biography and history of the band. And, as the de facto mouth piece of the band of the years, he does not disappoint. This is a solid rock bio. You get way more than you would with a VH-1 Rockumentary without too much mud slinging or bombshell gossip that sometimes goes along with a biography.
Oftentimes, with bands I've loved and followed over the years, theres not a whole lot new to learn about their histories. That's not the case with Scott Ian and his history of Anthrax. Even with the stuff that you do know, you still get more, in-depth behind the scenes looks at what was going at at those moments in the bands history.
In particular, I enjoyed reading about the low years of Anthrax between Sound of White Noise and Worship Music. Those were years I didn't follow them much (nor did many fans seeing as they were the lean years.) Still you get a look at the hard work Ian and the band were putting in, trying to find their way.
The book culminates with the release of Worship Music and their triumphant BIG 4 show at Yankee Stadium. Its a feel good ending to a feel good book. Much love and respect to Scott and 'Thrax. I'm gonna go get caught in a mosh now.
NOT!
Oftentimes, with bands I've loved and followed over the years, theres not a whole lot new to learn about their histories. That's not the case with Scott Ian and his history of Anthrax. Even with the stuff that you do know, you still get more, in-depth behind the scenes looks at what was going at at those moments in the bands history.
In particular, I enjoyed reading about the low years of Anthrax between Sound of White Noise and Worship Music. Those were years I didn't follow them much (nor did many fans seeing as they were the lean years.) Still you get a look at the hard work Ian and the band were putting in, trying to find their way.
The book culminates with the release of Worship Music and their triumphant BIG 4 show at Yankee Stadium. Its a feel good ending to a feel good book. Much love and respect to Scott and 'Thrax. I'm gonna go get caught in a mosh now.
NOT!
February 3, 2023
Awesome
Aptly titled from an Anthrax song, Scott Ian was and is definitely the man where this band are concerned.
Never as commercially successful as the others in the thrash era of the eighties but still a great band back in the day.
Scott Ian not only recalls his humble beginnings but recounts all the tales of trying to make it big,despite being laughed off by record companies and promoters who are willing just to make a fast buck and burn you the minute when things go wrong.
Great read over all.
Aptly titled from an Anthrax song, Scott Ian was and is definitely the man where this band are concerned.
Never as commercially successful as the others in the thrash era of the eighties but still a great band back in the day.
Scott Ian not only recalls his humble beginnings but recounts all the tales of trying to make it big,despite being laughed off by record companies and promoters who are willing just to make a fast buck and burn you the minute when things go wrong.
Great read over all.
November 29, 2021
3.5 rounded up
Audiobook read by Scott was quite enjoyable
Audiobook read by Scott was quite enjoyable
January 1, 2015
I have been an Anthrax fan since I first heard them back in 1984. I have followed them through the Neil Turbin years, the Joey Belladonna years, the John Bush years, and now onto the return of Joey Belladonna to the fold.
Scott Ian, is a very driven man. Sometimes a jerk. Sometimes irresponsible. Sometimes a spoiled brat. He is a musician in a band, so that kind of goes with the territory. One thing for sure though, he has always been passionate about his band and has never, ever given up on Anthrax. He is, I think, open and fairly honest about his past (good or bad) and has more than one funny or humiliating story to tell.
This was a very easy read. Knowing most of the people he talks about, along with almost every one of the bands he mentions, makes for some very interesting background into why certain things have happened throughout the years when it comes to the history of Anthrax.
I learned a great deal about what happened with various band members leaving and joining the band, and also had a few things clarified or outright corrected from what I had thought had transpired on more than a couple of matters. I love hearing about the backstage and off-stage antics, but thankfully it wasn't all just about sex, booze, and drugs (yet he does talk openly about most of those topics too).
This is however, one man's take on the history of his band and the relationships and battles the band has had with various band-mates, managers, record executives, other musicians, family, friends, etc. so take it for what it is worth. One can never tell for sure if all of what you read in autobiographies, biographies, and memoirs is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
So, if you are an Anthrax fan, or just want to read a pretty decent autobiography from a guy that helped start what is considered one of the "BIG 4" of thrash metal bands, pick this one up and give it a read.
Scott Ian, is a very driven man. Sometimes a jerk. Sometimes irresponsible. Sometimes a spoiled brat. He is a musician in a band, so that kind of goes with the territory. One thing for sure though, he has always been passionate about his band and has never, ever given up on Anthrax. He is, I think, open and fairly honest about his past (good or bad) and has more than one funny or humiliating story to tell.
This was a very easy read. Knowing most of the people he talks about, along with almost every one of the bands he mentions, makes for some very interesting background into why certain things have happened throughout the years when it comes to the history of Anthrax.
I learned a great deal about what happened with various band members leaving and joining the band, and also had a few things clarified or outright corrected from what I had thought had transpired on more than a couple of matters. I love hearing about the backstage and off-stage antics, but thankfully it wasn't all just about sex, booze, and drugs (yet he does talk openly about most of those topics too).
This is however, one man's take on the history of his band and the relationships and battles the band has had with various band-mates, managers, record executives, other musicians, family, friends, etc. so take it for what it is worth. One can never tell for sure if all of what you read in autobiographies, biographies, and memoirs is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
So, if you are an Anthrax fan, or just want to read a pretty decent autobiography from a guy that helped start what is considered one of the "BIG 4" of thrash metal bands, pick this one up and give it a read.
March 29, 2015
Anthrax-founder Scott Ian's thrash metal memoir mostly moves at the speed of his native NYC (and Anthrax, itself)--at times, it stalls out, like a Queens-bound 7 train, and gets stuck in inconsequential details. Even so, Ian comes off as rabidly congenial, and "personality plus." His "glass half full" (his words) gestalt seem to sustain him through his band's many set-backs, usually at the hands of a mercurial and corrupt music industry. Ian's personal life is equally rocky--he sloppily cheats his way through a couple of failed marriages. At one point, he's also on a mission to become a full-blown drunk under the tutelage of Pantera's Dimebag Darrell. Ian has an impressive memory for the origins of thrash and all its players, like Anthrax's musical colleagues, Metallica, who drive out from San Francisco to rehearse and congeal in the same decrepit Queens-based music warehouse Anthrax comes to fruition in. Just in time for Passover, readers interested in contemporary American Jewish identity, particularly of the male variety, need to pick this book up. (Ian, unlike many in this industry, full-on embraces his ethnic inheritance, in spite of deleting his last name.) This book's also notable in that this is the first time I've read a depiction of KISS's self-aggrandizing Gene Simmons as the consummate mensch.
November 4, 2015
Just to be clear, I'm not giving this 5 stars because Scott is a pillar of literature. But his rocker's memoir is great. Scott is an intelligent man that wrote a very fascinating memoir about himself and his band Anthrax. The most interesting stories are those of Anthrax the working band, peppered with the career slumps or pitfalls that are much more the norm than typical rock bios...like a general "the Rolling Stones story". Sure the rock icon stories are fun, but Scott "Not" Ian is not that. He's more interesting. His band had ups and downs. They made bad decisions- and not cliche drug problems. Scott and Anthrax weren't about drugs or heavy drinking. This book illustrates the life of a musician In the rock world. How to face a bad album, or a changing audience. What is exciting about a band that keeps getting more and more famous? Where is the drama or the tension? Anthrax helped start a whole sub-genre of heavy metal and never really went away. They had some low moments, but they clawed their way back to success. A great read.
December 2, 2022
I'm on the fence with this one. Almost gave it two stars, but in the end it was entertaining to hear about the history of the band. That said, while I really looked up to Scott Ian as a young teenager and I still respect him for many things these days, there's a lot about him that I have trouble relating to and I have to wonder if he's taken time to do the deep self-introspection it sounds like he could use. He's certainly made some questionable calls along the way but at least he acknowledges those.
June 27, 2023
Anthrax was my least favorite in the Big 4 and I almost never listened to them. After reading this book, I gained an appreciation for their music and now listen to them frequently. Mr. Ian tells a great story and the style of writing is very easy to read. If I have one complaint, it is that he almost never specified a year or time frame that everything happened, only albums that were worked on. Towards the end of a story he'd say something like "this was around like 2005 or something " which, at times, threw my perception off. That aside, this is a fantastic story of the guitarist for one of the first Thrash Metal bands.
January 25, 2025
reading about rock band life in the 80s never gets old and I loved the peek behind the thrash metal curtain
June 23, 2020
Solid read and not a lot of filler. Dude has had an interesting life and career.
December 31, 2020
Interesting humble story from the cofounder of Anthrax. The stories with Metallica, Iron maiden and Kiss in particular are enlightening.
December 7, 2018
A brutally honest insight into highs and lows of being in a band
Scott Ian is an American musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist, backing and additional lead vocalist, and the only remaining founding member of the thrash metal band Anthrax. He also writes the lyrics on all their albums. Ian is also the guitarist and a founding member of the crossover thrash band Stormtroopers of Death (SOD).
Born Scott Ian Rosenfeld in 1963 (name has since been legally changed) to a Jewish family in the Bayside section of the New York City borough of Queens, he has a younger brother named Jason (who was involved briefly with Anthrax) and a half-brother named Sean. Scott attended Bayside High School, with classmates (and future Anthrax bandmates) Dan Lilker and Neil Turbin of the graduating class of 1981.
Witnessing Kiss live at Madison Square Garden in 1977 made a huge impact on Ian, who has been vocal about his love for the band. Ian went on to be influenced by British heavy metal bands such as Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Motörhead and Judas Priest, as well as the punk rock band, the Ramones as an influence. Ian then discovered at the age of 12 that he knew he could become a famous hard rock/heavy metal star. The musical style of his playing and songwriting including fast alternate picking was also largely influenced by the German metal band Accept.
Personally, I’ve always found Anthrax to be a fairly run of the mill thrash band. A band who showed some promise in the 1980s but then fizzled out as time went on. However, they have managed to string early wins along to the present day. And there is no doubt whatsoever that this has been due to the incredible drive and commitment of Scott. This has allowed Anthrax to continue standing some 36 years later as a respected and active originator of one of heavy metal’s most important sub-genres.
I did think that this autobiography wouldn’t be up to much. After all, there have been more successful bands in the thrash genre. I couldn’t have been more wrong. It not only details the story of how Anthrax came to be and survived for all this time, which is an interesting and inspiring read in itself, but more importantly, it takes us through every conceivable aspect of Scott Ian's life outside of Anthrax as well. Scoot is brutally honest about people, places, and events. Scott also reflects on his decisions, in a very self-critical way. He’s not beyond saying that he was wrong. He recognises his mistakes and take responsibility for them.
This all makes for a great autobiography as opposed to the one recently published by Bruce Dickinson. Bruce’s read more of a list of activities he liked to do and was passionate about, kind of like an extended interview. This is where Scott’s autobiography wins hands down over Bruce’s and as such I really liked this book.
We get to hear about his musical projects outside of Anthrax, such as the aforementioned S.O.D. and The Damned Things. We are also told about his dysfunctional home life, abusive childhood, his previous marriages, alcohol binges (not many drugs), affairs, and what he was paid for album deals. It reveals that nothing happens in isolation, how his musical career affected his personal life, and vise-versa. Its amazing just how thin the line between triumph and failure is, not just in the world of music, but in life in general.
In some respects though, Scott is just too honest. What with two failed marriages and his personal relationships in between, the reader is treated to a blow by blow exposition of his love life. At times I thought that this was a little too much of a distraction from the musical aspects of the book. But this is a minor quibble.
Well-written, humorous, moving and downright crazy in places you don’t have to be a fan of heavy metal to enjoy this book. “I’m The Man” is a solid four-star effort from Scott Ian. Keep on thrashing, guys!
Scott Ian is an American musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist, backing and additional lead vocalist, and the only remaining founding member of the thrash metal band Anthrax. He also writes the lyrics on all their albums. Ian is also the guitarist and a founding member of the crossover thrash band Stormtroopers of Death (SOD).
Born Scott Ian Rosenfeld in 1963 (name has since been legally changed) to a Jewish family in the Bayside section of the New York City borough of Queens, he has a younger brother named Jason (who was involved briefly with Anthrax) and a half-brother named Sean. Scott attended Bayside High School, with classmates (and future Anthrax bandmates) Dan Lilker and Neil Turbin of the graduating class of 1981.
Witnessing Kiss live at Madison Square Garden in 1977 made a huge impact on Ian, who has been vocal about his love for the band. Ian went on to be influenced by British heavy metal bands such as Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Motörhead and Judas Priest, as well as the punk rock band, the Ramones as an influence. Ian then discovered at the age of 12 that he knew he could become a famous hard rock/heavy metal star. The musical style of his playing and songwriting including fast alternate picking was also largely influenced by the German metal band Accept.
Personally, I’ve always found Anthrax to be a fairly run of the mill thrash band. A band who showed some promise in the 1980s but then fizzled out as time went on. However, they have managed to string early wins along to the present day. And there is no doubt whatsoever that this has been due to the incredible drive and commitment of Scott. This has allowed Anthrax to continue standing some 36 years later as a respected and active originator of one of heavy metal’s most important sub-genres.
I did think that this autobiography wouldn’t be up to much. After all, there have been more successful bands in the thrash genre. I couldn’t have been more wrong. It not only details the story of how Anthrax came to be and survived for all this time, which is an interesting and inspiring read in itself, but more importantly, it takes us through every conceivable aspect of Scott Ian's life outside of Anthrax as well. Scoot is brutally honest about people, places, and events. Scott also reflects on his decisions, in a very self-critical way. He’s not beyond saying that he was wrong. He recognises his mistakes and take responsibility for them.
This all makes for a great autobiography as opposed to the one recently published by Bruce Dickinson. Bruce’s read more of a list of activities he liked to do and was passionate about, kind of like an extended interview. This is where Scott’s autobiography wins hands down over Bruce’s and as such I really liked this book.
We get to hear about his musical projects outside of Anthrax, such as the aforementioned S.O.D. and The Damned Things. We are also told about his dysfunctional home life, abusive childhood, his previous marriages, alcohol binges (not many drugs), affairs, and what he was paid for album deals. It reveals that nothing happens in isolation, how his musical career affected his personal life, and vise-versa. Its amazing just how thin the line between triumph and failure is, not just in the world of music, but in life in general.
In some respects though, Scott is just too honest. What with two failed marriages and his personal relationships in between, the reader is treated to a blow by blow exposition of his love life. At times I thought that this was a little too much of a distraction from the musical aspects of the book. But this is a minor quibble.
Well-written, humorous, moving and downright crazy in places you don’t have to be a fan of heavy metal to enjoy this book. “I’m The Man” is a solid four-star effort from Scott Ian. Keep on thrashing, guys!
October 13, 2014
Man, Scott Ian is still just about the coolest.
This is definitely one of the best rocker bios I've read in a good long while. The excerpts that are coming out re-release (this book's technically not out till the 14th according to most places, but it was on the shelves at my bookstore on the 7th) seem focused on the tabloidy aspects like Dave Mustaine's firing, but that's barely a blip on the radar. The book's an excellent showcase for Ian's big heart, and is funnier than you might think. His way of addressing the Dan Nelson debacle just about made me put down the book I was laughing so hard.
Bring on the Speaking Words DVD! I could listen to this guy's stories for days.
This is definitely one of the best rocker bios I've read in a good long while. The excerpts that are coming out re-release (this book's technically not out till the 14th according to most places, but it was on the shelves at my bookstore on the 7th) seem focused on the tabloidy aspects like Dave Mustaine's firing, but that's barely a blip on the radar. The book's an excellent showcase for Ian's big heart, and is funnier than you might think. His way of addressing the Dan Nelson debacle just about made me put down the book I was laughing so hard.
Bring on the Speaking Words DVD! I could listen to this guy's stories for days.
January 7, 2021
Been a fan of Anthrax since 1987. Book was good, and informative. Liked learning more about the beginnings of the band, especially how Danny was forced out and Neil was fired. Would have liked a few more stories about their writing a recording process, as well as best touring experiences. Felt like the hotel trashing was overdone, and consequences not fully addresses, or realized. Scott expresses rightful disappointment with the music industry, but does he really not get how earlier touring habits of the band may have caused their label to view them as a liability? Also would like more photos. Maybe that falls on the publisher.
August 25, 2014
I have to admit that Anthrax has been one of my favorite bands since I was 14 so I'm a little biased when I say that I LOVE THIS BOOK!!! The story of Scott Ian and his band was fascinating and I couldn't put it down. I laughed! I cried! I yelled at the book when Scott Ian makes the wrong decisions over and over again! If you're a fan of metal, and thrash in particular, then this is the book for you!
October 15, 2019
This is for serious fans of Anthrax/Ian who will gobble up any content about the band/man that they can. I have plenty of artists that I admire/adore to the point that I want to hear about them grocery shopping. If you are not a serious fan of the band, like "I saw them 17 times in 1987" serious, then this is probably a little too "include everything" for you.
May 8, 2018
This is the story of Scott Ian and all the stuff that he's been through. if you're a metalhead, this book is a must! His story had me laughing at some points. His story proves that metalheads come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.
January 6, 2025
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that none of these guys take accountability. They just write a memoir to explain why they think acting like a manchild at 34 is okay.
July 12, 2022
Kui kunagi kaugetel 80ndatel hakkasid USA lääneranniku vinnilised noorukid mängima heavy metalit enneolematult raskelt aga samas kiiresti, pandi sellele stiilile parema puudumisel nimeks thrash metal. Õige pea kerkisid esile bändid kes tegid seda teistest raskemini, kiiremini aga eelkõige paremini. Tegelikult oli läbilöömiseks vaja ka midagi muud, tabamatut, sest kõik need Exodused, Testamendid, Death Angelid, Overkillid ja Kreatorid mängisid thrashi samahästi, ometi aga peetakse thrashi Suureks Nelikuks Metallicat, Megadethi, Slayerit ja Anthraxi. Anthrax erines teistest kuna oli pärit hoopis Ameerika mandri teisest servast, New Yorgist, ja Scott Ian, kelle memuaarid need on, on Anthraxi kidramees.
Mulle on Anthrax alati tundunud ülejäänust kolmest tunduvalt jurtsum. Mingid kummalised naljalood, ebameeldiv flirtimine neegrite rütmilise rääkimisega (tuntud ka räpi nime all), lavariietus tuntud multikategelaste t-särkide ja lilleliste lühkaritega (vaadake kasvõi Anthraxi teist kidrameest Dan Spitzi videos loole "Antisocial"). Kui päris aus olla siis mulle meeldisid ainult nende ehk kõige legendaarsem album, 1987. aastast pärit "Among the Living" (muuhulgas inspiratsiooni ammutanud Stephen Kingi loomingust) ning 1990. oma "Persistence of Time". Ülejäänud oli rohkem selline leige löga. Vokalistivahetus ei teinud bändile head, ausalt öeldes kuulsin uue vokalistiga tehtud plaate alles nüüd, selle raamatu lugemise ajal. 1990ndatel tuli üldse peale grunge mis mattis metali üsna ära, siis tulid nullindad ja üürikeseks ajaks tärkas metali värdjast poolvend nu-metal. Edasi järgnes alternatiivrocki tõus ja praeguseks on kõik sumbunud segasteks fraktsioonideks. Metal, muide, on kõik selle üle elanud ja on praegu elujõulisem kui kunagi varem. Tegutsevad 3 bändi Suurest Nelikust (Slayer lõpetas vahepeal tegevuse aga ka alles hiljuti), seesama Anthrax tuleb oktoobris isegi Tallinna esinema.
Scott Ian (kelle täisnimi on Scott Ian Rosenfeld, ja oma juutlust rõhutab ta raamatus pidevalt, mitte et see kuidagi teda eriliseks teeks) on - professionaalse kirjamehe abiga - hakkama saanud küllaltki huvitavate memuaaridega. Pilguheit metali sünnilukku ja üsnagi detailne ülevaade 80ndatest kuni siiamaani, ohtralt igasugu muusika, muusikabiznessiga seotud ja muusikutega juhtunud lugusid, taustalood erinevate albumite, bändide ja isikute kohta ja nii edasi. Päris parajalt oli Iani lugudes teatavat naiivsust, näiteks imestasin ma päris kõvasti, kui 1993. aasta Anthraxi plaadi "Sound of White Noise" suhtelises läbikukkumises süüdistab ta plaadifirmat Elektrat, kes olla valinud vale loo sinkuna avaldamiseks. Kui plaadifirma oleks õige loo sinkuna välja andnud oleks nad Iani järgi müünud miljoneid. Seda siis 1993. aastal kui Nirvana müüs rohkem kui Michael Jackson ja metalit ei kuulanud peaaegu keegi. Aga jah, ilmselt ise selles mullis viibides selge vaade ja terav pilk hägustuvad ning ise on väga raske objektiivne hindaja olla.
Kahtlane kas see raamat ka kunagi eesti keelde jõuab, ülitõenäoliselt mitte, aga metalisõbrale on see igati mõnus lugemine, isegi kui Anthrax ei kuulu lemmikbändide esi 50 hulka. Soovitan.
Mulle on Anthrax alati tundunud ülejäänust kolmest tunduvalt jurtsum. Mingid kummalised naljalood, ebameeldiv flirtimine neegrite rütmilise rääkimisega (tuntud ka räpi nime all), lavariietus tuntud multikategelaste t-särkide ja lilleliste lühkaritega (vaadake kasvõi Anthraxi teist kidrameest Dan Spitzi videos loole "Antisocial"). Kui päris aus olla siis mulle meeldisid ainult nende ehk kõige legendaarsem album, 1987. aastast pärit "Among the Living" (muuhulgas inspiratsiooni ammutanud Stephen Kingi loomingust) ning 1990. oma "Persistence of Time". Ülejäänud oli rohkem selline leige löga. Vokalistivahetus ei teinud bändile head, ausalt öeldes kuulsin uue vokalistiga tehtud plaate alles nüüd, selle raamatu lugemise ajal. 1990ndatel tuli üldse peale grunge mis mattis metali üsna ära, siis tulid nullindad ja üürikeseks ajaks tärkas metali värdjast poolvend nu-metal. Edasi järgnes alternatiivrocki tõus ja praeguseks on kõik sumbunud segasteks fraktsioonideks. Metal, muide, on kõik selle üle elanud ja on praegu elujõulisem kui kunagi varem. Tegutsevad 3 bändi Suurest Nelikust (Slayer lõpetas vahepeal tegevuse aga ka alles hiljuti), seesama Anthrax tuleb oktoobris isegi Tallinna esinema.
Scott Ian (kelle täisnimi on Scott Ian Rosenfeld, ja oma juutlust rõhutab ta raamatus pidevalt, mitte et see kuidagi teda eriliseks teeks) on - professionaalse kirjamehe abiga - hakkama saanud küllaltki huvitavate memuaaridega. Pilguheit metali sünnilukku ja üsnagi detailne ülevaade 80ndatest kuni siiamaani, ohtralt igasugu muusika, muusikabiznessiga seotud ja muusikutega juhtunud lugusid, taustalood erinevate albumite, bändide ja isikute kohta ja nii edasi. Päris parajalt oli Iani lugudes teatavat naiivsust, näiteks imestasin ma päris kõvasti, kui 1993. aasta Anthraxi plaadi "Sound of White Noise" suhtelises läbikukkumises süüdistab ta plaadifirmat Elektrat, kes olla valinud vale loo sinkuna avaldamiseks. Kui plaadifirma oleks õige loo sinkuna välja andnud oleks nad Iani järgi müünud miljoneid. Seda siis 1993. aastal kui Nirvana müüs rohkem kui Michael Jackson ja metalit ei kuulanud peaaegu keegi. Aga jah, ilmselt ise selles mullis viibides selge vaade ja terav pilk hägustuvad ning ise on väga raske objektiivne hindaja olla.
Kahtlane kas see raamat ka kunagi eesti keelde jõuab, ülitõenäoliselt mitte, aga metalisõbrale on see igati mõnus lugemine, isegi kui Anthrax ei kuulu lemmikbändide esi 50 hulka. Soovitan.
January 22, 2018
Lainasin muutama viikko sitten kirjastosta dvd-dokumentin nimeltä Get Thrashed, jossa kerrotaan ns. thrash metalin tarina. Siinä on yhtenä tärkeänä osasena newyorkilainen yhtye nimeltä Anthrax. Kyseistä bändiä on kutsuttu yhdeksi thrashin neljästä suuresta (Big 4), joihin kuuluvat lisäksi Metallica, Slayer ja Megadeth. Ja Anthraxin perusti aikoinaan 1980-luvun alussa Scott Ian, tämän kirjan päähenkilö.
Näitä elämäkertoja on mielenkiintoista lukea siksikin, että näissä yleensä kerrotaan paljon sellaista, mistä ei näin kuuntelijana ole ollut mitään käsitystä. Eihän tavalliset fanit tienneet aikoinaan mitään siitä, miksi Anthrax antoi laulajalleen Joey Belladonnalle potkut. Silloin homma selitettiin tutulla "musiikilliset erimielisyydet" -fraasilla. Nyt Scott Ian kertoo syyn. Ja myöhemmin kirjassa harmittelee sitä. Mutta ei vaihtaisi päätöstään. Lisäksi meillä faneilla ei aikoinaan ollut mitään käsitystä siitä, miten bändi joutui taistelemaan jatkuvasti, miten he tekivät muutamia todella vääriä päätöksiä, mutta miten he ovat vain vuodesta toiseen pysyneet hengissä.
Yksi tuollainen homma, mistä en tiennyt oli laulajan vaihdon jälkeen ilmestyneen Sound of White Noise -levyn (1993) sinkkuvalinnat. Itse kuuntelin levyä tuolloin paljonkin, toki olin harmissani ettei se kuulostanut enää vanhalta Anthraxilta, mutta toisaalta kaikki hevimusan alle kategorioitavat tyylit olivat joutuneet ottamaan vaikutteita vallalla olevalta Seattle-soundilta. Tukkahevarit muuttuivat, rokkarit muuttuivat, Metallica muuttui ja niin muuttui myös Anthrax. Siksi en pitänyt lainkaan ihmeellisenä että bändi julkaisi singlenä Twin Peaks -vaikutteisen Black Lodge -kappaleen. Sitähän markkinoitiin juuri tuolla yhtäläisyydellä. Mutta bändin mielestä sinkkuvalintojen kanssa jahkailu söi heiltä mahdollisuuden yltää samaan kuin Metallica mustalla levyllään ja Megadeth Countdown to Extinctionillaan. Itse ajattelin tuolloin että ihan samassa veneessähän ne kaikki metallibändit ovat, Metallica vaan vähän ylempänä.
Aika mukavasti Scott jutustelee ja käy läpi elämänsä. Yksi mikä jäi tosin vaivaamaan oli se, että miksi hän päätyi valitsemaan taiteilijanimekseen juuri Scott Ian. Oikealta nimeltäänhän hän on tosin Scott Ian Rosenfeld, mutta kun kukaan tuon ajan metallimiehistä ei valinnut mitään taiteilijanimeä eikä Scott koskaan ole peitellyt juutalaisuuttaan, niin miksi se sukunimi piti jättää pois?
Näitä elämäkertoja on mielenkiintoista lukea siksikin, että näissä yleensä kerrotaan paljon sellaista, mistä ei näin kuuntelijana ole ollut mitään käsitystä. Eihän tavalliset fanit tienneet aikoinaan mitään siitä, miksi Anthrax antoi laulajalleen Joey Belladonnalle potkut. Silloin homma selitettiin tutulla "musiikilliset erimielisyydet" -fraasilla. Nyt Scott Ian kertoo syyn. Ja myöhemmin kirjassa harmittelee sitä. Mutta ei vaihtaisi päätöstään. Lisäksi meillä faneilla ei aikoinaan ollut mitään käsitystä siitä, miten bändi joutui taistelemaan jatkuvasti, miten he tekivät muutamia todella vääriä päätöksiä, mutta miten he ovat vain vuodesta toiseen pysyneet hengissä.
Yksi tuollainen homma, mistä en tiennyt oli laulajan vaihdon jälkeen ilmestyneen Sound of White Noise -levyn (1993) sinkkuvalinnat. Itse kuuntelin levyä tuolloin paljonkin, toki olin harmissani ettei se kuulostanut enää vanhalta Anthraxilta, mutta toisaalta kaikki hevimusan alle kategorioitavat tyylit olivat joutuneet ottamaan vaikutteita vallalla olevalta Seattle-soundilta. Tukkahevarit muuttuivat, rokkarit muuttuivat, Metallica muuttui ja niin muuttui myös Anthrax. Siksi en pitänyt lainkaan ihmeellisenä että bändi julkaisi singlenä Twin Peaks -vaikutteisen Black Lodge -kappaleen. Sitähän markkinoitiin juuri tuolla yhtäläisyydellä. Mutta bändin mielestä sinkkuvalintojen kanssa jahkailu söi heiltä mahdollisuuden yltää samaan kuin Metallica mustalla levyllään ja Megadeth Countdown to Extinctionillaan. Itse ajattelin tuolloin että ihan samassa veneessähän ne kaikki metallibändit ovat, Metallica vaan vähän ylempänä.
Aika mukavasti Scott jutustelee ja käy läpi elämänsä. Yksi mikä jäi tosin vaivaamaan oli se, että miksi hän päätyi valitsemaan taiteilijanimekseen juuri Scott Ian. Oikealta nimeltäänhän hän on tosin Scott Ian Rosenfeld, mutta kun kukaan tuon ajan metallimiehistä ei valinnut mitään taiteilijanimeä eikä Scott koskaan ole peitellyt juutalaisuuttaan, niin miksi se sukunimi piti jättää pois?
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