SCOTT IAN
The Big 4 shows in 2010 were legendary – and Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian says they helped save his band
WORDS: RICH HOBSON
Scott Ian has awesome memories of his “ultimate summer camp”
PRESS. INSET: KEVIN NIXON
How long had promoters been approaching Anthrax with the idea of a Big 4 show?
“It’s not something we’d seriously thought about, to be honest. When Lars brought it up to Charlie [Benante, Anthrax drummer] and I the first time, it was when Metallica were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2009. I think it was the afterparty and Lars came up to us; he just said, ‘Hey, what would you guys say to doing some Big 4 shows?’ I didn’t even know what he was talking about! When he mentioned us, Slayer, Megadeth and Metallica playing a show, it was like, ‘Oh, that would be amazing! But you guys are never gonna do that.’ I chalked it up to drunk talk and didn’t think Lars was serious, but thinking about it later, and how everything Metallica do is done with military precision, they clearly already knew and were just running it past us.”