Thirty-five years ago today (July 18, 1981), the then New York-based thrash/metal band ANTHRAX was formed and started on the road to help change the history of music. Says co-founder Scott Ian: “Thirty-five years have passed since that day and my life has changed profoundly. I am a husband, I am a father. I am a long way from the 17-year-old soon-to-be-college dropout who co-founded a heavy metal band. The only thing that hasn’t changed in 35 years, the one constant, is that I am still the rhythm guitar player in ANTHRAX. It’s what I get to do. I get to play in a band and I never take that for granted.”
Over that 35-year period, ANTHRAX has sold in excess of ten million units, received multiple gold and platinum certifications, six Grammy nominations and a host of other accolades from the media, industry and fans. In 1991, their music helped break down race and genre barriers when they collaborated with PUBLIC ENEMY on “Bring The Noise”. And, of course, along with METALLICA, SLAYER and MEGADETH, ANTHRAX helped pioneer the thrash/metal genre as a member of the “Big Four”.
So, with all those years, all those experiences, all those memories, what’s the one big takeaway experience that stands out for the guys? Was it when legendary author Stephen King included the band in one of his “Dark Tower” series books? Or in 2012 when ANTHRAX became the first metal band to have its music played on Mars, when NASA played “Got The Time” to wake up the Mars Rover, Curiosity? Or how about in 1991 when they received their first Grammy nomination? Maybe it was when the band was caught up in the 2001 U.S. anthrax attacks and considered changing their name due to the PR nightmare that was caused. Or possibly it was when ANTHRAX made a cameo appearance on the popular 1992 TV series “Married… With Children”.
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