ANTHRAX's SCOTT IAN And SLAYER's KERRY KING Share DIMEBAG Drinking Stories (Video)

Three of the leading gear/technology companies for both musicians and consumers alike returned on September 7 with their successful "Metal Masters" clinic series. "Metal Masters 4" brought back some of the classic "masters" while adding a few new members to the list. The night's main band comprised of Philip Anselmo (DOWN, ex-PANTERA),Kerry King (SLAYER),Dave Lombardo (SLAYER),Scott Ian (ANTHRAX),Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX),Frank Bello (ANTHRAX) and newly added masters Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG, DAVID LEE ROTH) and Gary Holt (EXODUS, SLAYER).

A post-show discussion between King and Ian in which they share their recollections of partying with the late, great PANTERA guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott can be seen below (courtesy of Fuse).

"[Dimebag's] one of the few people on the planet I've ever seen that was able to drink the way he drank starting at 5 in the afternoon and then get onstage at 9, 9:30 and still rip it up," Ian said. "It just made him loose," King agreed. "It got him in the vibe to play."

Ian also explained why his time with Dimebag was more booze-soaked than any regular old alcohol-fueled metal tour. "My normal rules went out the window when I played with those guys," he said. "I would try to keep it to a minimum and say, 'I'm not doing more than three shots with you before I play.' But then they're walking onstage and handing me drinks in the middle of a set or pouring 'em down your throat. Any time I toured with those guys was the drunkest I've been in my life."

Ian also recalled hitting a strip club with several other metal musicians, including members of KISS and MÖTLEY CRÜE. "I do remember a night in New York where randomly, somehow Frankie [Bello of ANTHRAX], Vinnie Paul [of PANTERA], Darrell, Tommy Lee and Gene Simmons all ended up together at [the strip club] Scores. We ended up in a private room and for three or four hours I'm sitting next to Dime with a stripper on my lap constantly. There never wasn't a girl on my lap and there was always someone refilling my drinks. I remember saying to somebody afterward, 'Who paid for that? What did we do?' And the next day in the New York Post I saw a story, 'Tommy Lee dropped 28 grand at Scores last night.' So I guess I owe Tommy a thank you."