ANTHRAX's SCOTT IAN To LADY GAGA: 'Let Us Be Your Backing Band'

Scott Ian says that ANTHRAX "would love" to collaborate on music with pop superstar Lady Gaga.

The ANTHRAX guitarist made his comments nearly four months after Lady Gaga sang the song "Moth Into Flame" with METALLICA at the 59th annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, a performance which turned into something of a disaster when the Grammy sound crew did not turn frontman James Hetfield's mic on, forcing him to share the mic with Gaga after the first verse and chorus.

Speaking to Duke TV's Antoine De Montremy, Ian stated about Lady Gaga (see video below): "Yes, we would love to work with Lady Gaga. [Laughs] I think we put that out there a while ago. And then when we found out she was doing the Grammys with METALLICA, I was, like, 'Wow! It makes sense. They're gonna be on a big TV show and do it together.' And I actually thought she was great on it.

"I've said since the beginning, since the first time I ever heard her voice, I always thought, 'Wow, I would really love to hear her sing on a rock record, metal record, whatever,'" he continued. "And then our drummer, Charlie [Benante], ended up meeting her at a show and they became friends. And she knows all about ANTHRAX and METALLICA and all these bands… whoever — name the band. She's a metalhead. So that made it even cooler. The fact that, all right, she knows that world, she understands that world, and she can sing the shit out of this kind of music."

Ian added: "I don't know what their plans are — if METALLICA has more plans with Lady Gaga or if she has plans with METALLICA — but we would certainly love to write a song together, or a whole album. Let us be your backing band. Let us be your backing band, Lady Gaga. We could make beautiful music together. [Laughs]"

Lady Gaga spoke about her love for IRON MAIDEN and BLACK SABBATH in various interviews over the years, calling the experience of seeing MAIDEN for the first time a "life-changing" event. The singer also appeared in photos with Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Alice Cooper and Benante.

JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford has spoken several times about his interest in a possible collaboration with Lady Gaga, explaining: "I got to see her show in San Diego, and she's a metalhead. That's the most important part of this conversation. She's a metalhead. She was wearing a PRIEST 'Ram It Down' t-shirt the other day in New York. So we met, and we only talked briefly. But if there's a chance to do a track or something, I would love it. Because collaborations can be very, very exciting and very spontaneous."

Halford first met Lady Gaga in June 2014 after her show in San Diego. He attended the concert with Lady Starlight, Gaga's longtime friend and collaborator who supported JUDAS PRIEST on tour in 2011.