RATT singer Stephen Pearcy has shared a video of ANTHRAX jamming on a short section of the classic RATT song “Round And Round” during an April 24 rehearsal session at Argentina’s La Roca Power Studio. He wrote in an accompanying message: “Way cool @Anthrax does ‘Round and Round’. I’d be happy to sing with the band doing that song. Let’s go gentlemen”.
In the past, ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian had expressed an unfavorable view of the 1980s Sunset Strip glam metal scene that RATT was one of the frontrunners of. During a 2011 interview with LA Weekly, Scott was asked why three of the four original “Big Four” thrash metal bands are from Southern California. He responded: “[METALLICA, SLAYER and MEGADETH] had a lot to be pissed off at. We didn’t have the hair metal thing going on in New York like they did here in L.A. in the ’80s. We didn’t have to fight against that to get gigs, where all the clubs would book were those lady bands. Not that there was a thrash scene in New York. There was nothing going on. But at least didn’t have that against us at the time. Maybe three of the thrash bands formed here because there was more to hate.”
When the interviewer asked if “there was no hair metal in New York”, Scott responded: “Not like out here [in Los Angeles]. I don’t like to call it ‘hair metal’ because there is nothing metal about it. It’s not glam, because real glam to me was David Bowie and the NEW YORK DOLLS. That stuff you had here in the ’80s with guys dressing like ladies, I don’t know what to call that. Maybe that’s truly crossover — cross-dressing.”
In late March, ANTHRAX announced that, due to personal reasons, bassist Frank Bello would not be able to accompany the band on its South American tour, which kicked off on April 13 at MXMF The Metal Fest in Mexico City. Filling in on those dates, as well as two U.S. festival shows in May, was ANTHRAX founding member and original bassist Dan Lilker, marking his first appearance with the band in 40 years. Lilker, who co-wrote and played on ANTHRAX‘s debut album “Fistful Of Metal”, was also a member of STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH with ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante and Ian.
