ANTHRAX'S SCOTT IAN: 'We're Just Being Ourselves'

October 7, 2003

ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian recently told Chart Attack that unlike some of their peers, they've never felt the need to take themselves too seriously or pretend something they're not.

"What we do musically we take seriously, but who we are as people, we don't need to put on a fake front to be perceived as a metal band," he said. "Putting on that band face — acting or dressing a certain way — I don't give a shit about that. I'm just me. If I'm in a bad mood, I'm not going to sugarcoat it. I feel bad sometimes because people want to talk to me and I'm not going to be fake. We don't act in ANTHRAX — that's what set us apart in the '80s. . . For some bands it works, but certainly not us. Look at SLAYER: Tom [Araya, singer] has had a 'band face' on since they started. They have a look and attitude that works for them. If we turned around and tried to be like SLAYER tomorrow, people would be like, 'C'mon... who are you trying to kid?' They've kept that image about them for years. Meet them and they're the nicest guys but to have that unapproachable vibe is important for the music. I've had kids say they met Kerry King [SLAYER guitarist] and he was a dick. I'm like, 'Have you listened to their records? What did you want?' He's not a dick at all, but it's Kerry King from SLAYER! Is he gonna be dancing and clowning around? You have an expectation of a band and ours is to just be ourselves."

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