Mr. Bungle:
We’re heading back east this September for a couple weeks on the road with our friends in Battles. We haven’t seen some of you in a while, so hope you are able to join us!
Tickets on sale this Friday with local pre-sales happening on Thursday.
On the Panthrax tour back in 97/98 I had the most important job in the show – the Whammy pedal part in Becoming. Under Grady’s tutelage I went from Padawan to master and was given this great responsibility. The other day in Santiago I was given the opportunity to perform this key task for Father Zakk. It had been many years since I had been charged with this principal duty. I swept my initial trepidation away with a swift Black Tooth and took on the job of all jobs at a Pantera show. With a deep breath and a loosening of foot I shrugged off the years and Whammy’d away and NAILED IT. Thanks Grady!
Speaking to Revolver with a brand new Jackson American Series Soloist in his hands, Ian first tells us the players who inspired him to pick up a guitar, and then he names his personal favorite metal rhythm guitarists — including who he thinks are the best and most underrated of all time.
“For me, my favorites are the dudes I learned from,” Ian says. “[AC/DC’s] Malcolm Young, [The Ramones’] Johnny Ramone and [Scorpions’] Rudy Schenker. That’s where I really learned how to play songs and how to keep it locked down. Those were the dudes for me.”
He continues, “For me, in the world of metal, I think the most underrated rhythm player is Kirk Hammett. Because he’s in a band with James [Hetfield,] who, when it comes to metal, is the best. There’s no better right hand [than Hetfield’s].
“Frederik [Thordendal] from Meshuggah [might actually] have the best right hand. I’m convinced he was a Terminator sent back [in time]. But instead of killing Sarah Connor, he was here to make all other rhythm guitarists feel bad about their right hands. So technically, he’s the best, but James is James, he’s the fucking god.
“And Kirk’s in a band with James and he’s the lead guitar player, so nobody ever talks about Kirk as a rhythm guitar player. But he’s gotta go fucking note for note with James. And he can’t cheat. There’s no fucking cheating, he’s down-picking all those fucking parts. Nobody talks about that.
“So Kirk, to me, is the most underrated. I’ve established that James is the best, Frederik is from another planet — so he doesn’t count, he’s an alien. But I’ve gotta give it up for [Slayer’s] Kerry King.
“Because I’ve watched him close up so many times, standing with him for an hour doing shots before they go on, and he’s warming up the whole time. It’s just jaw-dropping sometimes, the ability and the stamina … I remember talking to [Exodus guitarist] Gary Holt when he joined Slayer and he’s like, ‘My fucking forearms are dying.'”
Source: Revolver
Metal Hammer:
Hair plugs, cancel culture and the song he refused to play on: you ask the questions, Anthrax riff king Scott Ian answers them.
You can read the entire feature @ this location. An excerpt from the interview has been provided below.
If S.O.D. released Speak English Or Die today, would you be cancelled? Valerie Ellison (email)
“If it had never existed in 1985 and we tried to put that out today, no matter how hard we tried to explain the joke, yes, certain sections of people would cancel it. It’d have a much harder time now. We didn’t have internet back then! If people don’t know, Sargent D is a character I created because I wanted to try and make a comic book. I didn’t know how to write a comic book, so I wrote songs about this character who’s dead! He’s unliving and hates anything alive. We explained it a few times in interviews back then, but either people want to hear it, or they don’t.”
Will you ever re-record John Bush-era songs with Joey? Or the Neil Turbin ones? @dsjanasiak (Twitter)
“Well, Joey did re-record the [original Anthrax singer] Neil Turbin ones when he first joined the band. If you go back to the Armed And Dangerous EP, Joey sings Metal Thrashing Mad and Panic. But I don’t know that we would do any more re-recording. Of course, playing live, the opportunity is always there for us to play anything from our catalogue. We’re going out in the States soon, and people might be pleasantly surprised at the setlist. I’ll just leave it at that!”
When was the last time you were properly star-struck? Hazel Thorp (Facebook)
“In 2001, there was the concert for 9/11 at Madison Square Garden, and Jon Bon Jovi introduced me to Paul McCartney. I shook hands with him for a solid minute, because while he was still shaking my hand, Jon introduced him to Lonn Friend, who used to run Rip Magazine, and the whole time he was saying hi to Lonn, he never let go of my hand. I wasn’t going to let go of his hand – it was fucking Paul McCartney!”
From one bald dude to another, ever considered hair plugs? @raw_tom (Twitter)
“Ha ha ha! If you truly are a bald dude, you’d never consider hair plugs. God, fuck no! That’d be the worst, dumbest, lamest thing ever. On every level, no.”
Anthrax’s new live album/Blu-Ray, XL, is out now via Nuclear Blast. Their UK tour begins on September 27th.
You can read the entire feature @ this location.
Guitar World: Warren DeMartini, Steve Stevens, Lita Ford and an all-star panel share their guitar highlights of the ‘80s. You can check out the entire all-star panel @ this location.
An excerpt from the feature has been provided below.
‘
Scott Ian (ANTHRAX)
GREATEST GUITAR SOLO: Mr. Crowley, Randy Rhoads. His 1-2-3 punch of chops, technique and melody make this solo the one that not only stands out above all his other work, but above everyone else’s in the Eighties. And it’s fun to “air guitar” to!
BEST RIFF: AC/DC’s Back in Black came out in 1980 and set the tone for the rest of the decade.
ULTIMATE GUITAR ALBUM: Blizzard of Ozz by Ozzy. Randy tops Eddie [Van Halen’s] Women and Children First by a nose hair – and only because he was the new kid and it was all very exciting to hear someone come along A.E. – after Ed – and give us all ear boners.
PIECE OF GEAR THAT SCREAMS ’80s: The Floyd Rose! Eddie, Randy, Alex, Kirk, Dave, Steve, Joe, Neil, Kerry, Jeff, Vernon, me! etc., etc. They’re all first-name basis guitar players who used Floyd’s – and this is only the tip of the iceberg.
GUITARIST OF THE DECADE: Randy Rhoads
GREATEST SHREDDER: Steve Vai
UNDERAPPRECIATED HERO: Ty Tabor of King’s X. Ty’s playing on their two Eighties albums is wholly original. His tone is incredible, his feel, his sense of melody. He’s a monster. You need to listen to King’s X.
BEST MOVIE: Raging Bull
GREATEST HAIRSTYLE: Mike Score of A Flock of Seagulls
ULTIMATE EIGHTIES ACCESSORY: My Walkman Sport
Adam Jones (TOOL)
GREATEST GUITAR SOLO: Ozzy Osbourne’s Crazy Train (Randy Rhoads)
BEST RIFF: Ratt’s Lay It Down – drop D!
ULTIMATE GUITAR ALBUM: David Bowie’s Scary Monsters
PIECE OF GEAR THAT SCREAMS ’80s: ADA MP-1 preamp with a Roland AX-7 Keytar
GUITARIST OF THE DECADE: Eddie Van Halen
GREATEST SHREDDER: Yngwie Malmsteen
UNDERAPPRECIATED HERO: [Gang of Four’s] Andy Gill. [He had a] huge influence on me. His style was so passionate and raw, very unique at the time. When I mention him, most people say, “Who?”
BEST MOVIE: Blade Runner
GREATEST HAIRSTYLE: Any member of Kajagoogoo
ULTIMATE EIGHTIES ACCESSORY: Sony Walkman
John 5 (ROB ZOMBIE)
GREATEST GUITAR SOLO: Beat It. It really is just pure perfection.
BEST RIFF: Lay It Down by Ratt
ULTIMATE GUITAR ALBUM: Rising Force by Yngwie Malmsteen
PIECE OF GEAR THAT SCREAMS ’80s: My Boss Heavy Metal pedal.
GUITARIST OF THE DECADE: Steve Vai
GREATEST SHREDDER: Paul Gilbert came on the scene with Racer X and changed my life forever.
UNDERAPPRECIATED HERO: Vinnie Moore
BEST MOVIE: Crossroads with Ralph Macchio and Steve Vai – one of the best!
GREATEST HAIRSTYLE: My good friend Nikki Sixx had the coolest haircut in the Eighties.
ULTIMATE EIGHTIES ACCESSORY: My record collection. Without it, I wouldn’t be who I am today.
Lita Ford
GREATEST GUITAR SOLO: The Ripper by Lita Ford
BEST RIFF: Close My Eyes Forever by Lita Ford and Ozzy Osbourne
ULTIMATE GUITAR ALBUM: Lita by Lita Ford
PIECE OF GEAR THAT SCREAMS ’80s: B.C. Rich guitars
GUITARIST OF THE DECADE: Eddie Van Halen
GREATEST SHREDDER: Eddie Van Halen
UNDERAPPRECIATED HERO: Lita Ford – because she is/was a badass “female” guitarist. Not many people could handle that.
BEST MOVIE: Arthur
GREATEST HAIRSTYLE: Nikki Sixx
ULTIMATE EIGHTIES ACCESSORY: A guitar!
Warren DeMartini (RATT)
GREATEST GUITAR SOLO: (Jake E. Lee) Bark at the Moon by Ozzy Osbourne
BEST RIFF: Welcome to the Jungle by Guns N’ Roses
ULTIMATE GUITAR ALBUM: Blizzard of Ozz by Ozzy Osbourne
PIECE OF GEAR THAT SCREAMS ’80s: MXR Flanger
GUITARIST OF THE DECADE: Stevie Ray Vaughan
GREATEST SHREDDER: Yngwie Malmsteen
BEST MOVIE: The Blues Brothers
GREATEST HAIRSTYLE: Tommy Lee
ULTIMATE EIGHTIES ACCESSORY: Vitamin B12
Mark Tremonti (CREED)
GREATEST GUITAR SOLO: Jeff Beck’s People Get Ready, a great example of the pure emotion that one of the best players that ever lived is capable of laying down.
BEST RIFF: Lay It Down by Ratt. It is just that classic Eighties metal-era iconic riff that everybody’s learned over the years.
ULTIMATE GUITAR ALBUM: Stevie Ray Vaughan, Texas Flood
PIECE OF GEAR THAT SCREAMS ’80s: The ADA MP-1, a rack-mounted guitar processor. I never got the MP1, but I did have the MP2.
GUITARIST OF THE DECADE: Eddie Van Halen, hands down.
GREATEST SHREDDER: Eddie Van Halen. He’s the godfather of shred guitar and put that style of playing on the map.
UNDERAPPRECIATED HERO: Neal Schon.
BEST MOVIE: Crossroads was one of the reasons I wanted to start playing guitar. The “cutting heads” scene is one of the most iconic guitar movie scenes of all time.
GREATEST HAIRSTYLE: Dee Snider
ULTIMATE EIGHTIES ACCESSORY: The Rockman Sustainor rack that Tom Scholz created.
Marty Friedman (MEGADETH)
GREATEST GUITAR SOLO: Wuthering Heights by Pat Benatar (Neil Giraldo)
BEST RIFF: Here It Comes by Ezo
ULTIMATE GUITAR ALBUM: Crimes of Passion by Pat Benatar. Every solo is totally different, and every song has lots of unique and very effective guitar work.
PIECE OF GEAR THAT SCREAMS ’80s: Quadraverb
GUITARIST OF THE DECADE: It would be impossible to choose one, probably thanks to the high standard set by EVH.
UNDERAPPRECIATED HERO: Steve Lukather. People know how great he is, but many are not aware that his massive body of musical work is so overwhelmingly expansive and diverse that there are literally no rivals as far as I know.
BEST MOVIE: The Last American Virgin
GREATEST HAIRSTYLE: The bass player on the first Cinderella album cover.
ULTIMATE EIGHTIES ACCESSORY: Hair
Joel Stroetzel (KILLSWITCH ENGAGE)
GREATEST GUITAR SOLO: Into the Fire by Dokken (George Lynch)
BEST RIFF: Opening riff to Lay It Down by Ratt
ULTIMATE GUITAR ALBUM: Rising Force by Yngwie Malmsteen
PIECE OF GEAR THAT SCREAMS ’80s: Original Eighties hot pink Ibanez JEM
GUITARIST OF THE DECADE: Eddie Van Halen
SHREDDER: Paul Gilbert
UNDERAPPRECIATED HERO: Adrian Vandenburg. Killer vibrato [and] awesome-sounding hands.
BEST MOVIE: Purple Rain
GREATEST HAIRSTYLE: Mike Score of A Flock of Seagulls
ULTIMATE EIGHTIES ACCESSORY: Walkman cassette player!
You can check out the entire all-star panel @ this location.
Scott Ian:
This tribute to Olivia Newton-John by Jay and Scott from Rival Sons is heart-melting and just fantastic. RIP Olivia.
Rival Sons “Hopelessly Devoted to You”
And I had to throw in one of my personal favorites. – fib
Metal Hammer: Anthrax’s Scott Ian: Stormtroopers Of Death would be ‘cancelled’ today. Taken from the brand new issue of Metal Hammer.
INTERVIEW EXCERPT:
Scott Ian:
“If it had never existed in 1985 and we tried to put that out today, no matter how hard we tried to explain the joke or the humor, yes, certain sections of people would cancel it. It would have a much harder time now. We didn’t have Internet back then.”
The ‘crossover’ thrash band – who also featured Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante, original Anthrax bassist Dan Lilker and singer Billy Milano – caused controversy with songs such as Fuck The Middle East and Pussy Whipped.
“If people don’t know, Sergeant D is a character that I created, because I wanted to try and make a comic book. I didn’t know how to write a comic book, so I wrote songs about this character, who’s dead! He’s unliving, and therefore he hates anything alive. We explained it a few times in interviews back then, but either people want to hear it, or they don’t.”
You can read more @ this location.
full in bloom Interview with Producer/Engineer Alex Perialas on S.O.D.
Jamey Jasta:
The legend Scott Ian has now blessed a track on the And Jasta For All album! It will arrive later this year! Gonna be a MONSTER!!
Jackson: Introducing Thrashed – the series where Jackson artists get to share some of their favorite guitars and how they came to be. Starting off with Scott Ian of Anthrax, watch as he takes you through his Jackson journey through his collection.
Scott Ian: That one time I played through Angus Young’s rig. Guess what? It sounded like AC/DC. Incredible doesn’t even describe the tone when you’re standing in it. The best ever.
full in bloom: Anthrax bassist Frank Bello spoke to Sonic Perspectives about the time members of Anthrax and Metallica broke into Kirk Hammett’s home studio.
PURCHASE FRANK BELLO’S BOOK ON AMAZON
INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHT NEWS STORY
FULL-LENGTH INTERVIEW
Scott Ian: This photo was taken backstage at L’Amour in Brooklyn on January 25 1985 at the Metallica/Armored Saint show. They played 3 nights (I was at all 3). This was my first meeting with Saint and now I have the photo to prove that we were fast friends. Pictured left to right – Dave Prichard, me, Joey Vera, Todd Gordon (Todd put out Exodus’ Bonded By Blood on his label Torrid Records). It’s rare that I see a photo I’ve never seen before from back then. This one really resonates a time and a place. The “good’ol days” as they say. Thank you Joey Vera for sending it to me – I love you brother. I wish I still had that El Borbah shirt!
Scott Ian: ANTHRAX 40 – EPISODE 5 – SPREADING THE DISEASE Comics, Stephen King, Horror, Baseball, Pizza and the secret to Frankie’s bass playing – ALL IN THIS EPISODE!
Mr. Bungle: Gather ’round your TV set, put on your masks, and watch The Night They Came Home, arriving on June 11th!
Pre-order the Blu-Ray+CD, DVD+CD, and VHS (or listen via your favorite digital store) @ this location.
Watch “Bungle Grind”
Scott Ian: Here’s a sneak-peek at an incredible page by Chris Weston for my I Am The Law story from the upcoming Among The Living graphic novel! I am totally blown away with Chris’s work as well as everyone else’s for this amazing book.
In 1987, Anthrax unleashed a heavy metal & pop culture touchstone with the release of their historic album, Among The Living. Now, Anthrax & Z2 Comics invite you to explore the album like never before with this original anthology graphic novel!
Each song on the album is given an original story by an amazing creative team, along with extra content and the introduction of the new zombie ‘Not Man’ designed by horror legend Greg Nicotero (The Walking Dead)! Come on this dark journey into the ‘87 underground in America with these esteemed creators…
Writers: Scott Ian, Joey Belladonna, Frank Bello, Corey Taylor, Rob Zombie, Gerard Way, Mikey Way, Grant Morrison, Brian Posehn, Jimmy Palmiotti, Brian Azzarello, Rick Remender, Joe Trohman and more…
Illustrators: Charlie Benante, J.G. Jones, Eric Powell, Darick Robertson, Scott Koblish, Erik Rodriguez, Maan House, Roland Boschi, Steve Chanks, Dave Johnson and more…
