Scott checks in with ‘Hammer about supporting Iron Maiden at the show where the Bogota riots occured and the brand new Anthrax record. Get your Sonisphere tickets here!

Anthrax guitarist, thrash icon and all-round legend of a man, Scott Ian, is in the studio finishing up the brand new Anthrax record, fresh from playing a few shows in South America with Iron Maiden (including the Bogota show where 111 Iron Maiden fans were arrested). Anthrax have also been confirmed for this year’s Sonisphere festival and are included in out Now That’s What I Call… Underapprecaited Classics.

Check out Scott’s Metal Hammer exclusive blog:

“Hello Hammerheads, how the hell are ya?”

“A quick note from the studio…..”

“We’ve been burning the midnight black tooth grinding away at the new Anthrax record. We’re getting close. As I sit here typing, I’m watching Rob Caggiano rip the most insane solos.”

“Last weekend we took a break from recording to fly down to Bogota Columbia to play a show with Iron Maiden. When Maiden invites you to a party, you show up. Especially in Bogota.”

“It was a long trip there from LA but when we got in on Friday night, the hotel bar was still open and we dove into the local brew called Club Columbia. It was good.”

“Saturday was show day and we got to the venue in Simon Bolivar park (it’s like their Hyde Park) at about 3PM. Our dressing room was a huge tent fully catered and boozed out with white jacketed waiters. Strange but nice.”

“Everything was 5 star. I guess I didn’t expect the white glove treatment in Bogota. Everyone treated us great and we really felt the vibe of how stoked people were that we were there. You could feel it in the air. Thousands of people were on line for a week waiting to get a good spot up front. Seriously dedicated, these Columbians.”

“Our show was amazing. 45,000 strong, the Bogota metalheads went fuckin’ nuts. They sang every word. It was our first time there and it won’t be our last. I haven’t felt that kind of energy from a crowd in a while. It really felt like the whole thing could at any second just completely dissolve into chaos. And that’s a good thing.”

“Iron Maiden and their crew treated us as usual, fabulously. We have been playing shows together since 1988 and they have always been by far the best band we’ve ever played with. Their attitude has always been about giving the kids the best show they’ve ever seen and that includes letting the support bands shine. They’ve never had that attitude where they would sandbag an opening act to make themselves look better. Maiden and their organization, from Rod Smallwood to Squid the monitor tech, are all consummate professionals and it’s a fucking honor and a privilege to share a stage with them. ”

“When Maiden hit the stage the roar from the crowd sounded like what a tsunami must sound like. It was a deafening monstrous roar that never stopped. I was in actual tears of joy watching Maiden rip into Wrathchild.”

“I headbanged the rest of the night away. Maiden are the Kings.”

“We got to hang late into the night with Steve, Bruce, Nicko and Rod. I can’t wait to do it again.”

“See you at Sonisphere!”

“Cheers,

Scott”

Scott Ian from the stage in Bogota.

Sonisphere will be headlined by Metallica and Linkin Park and will take place on August 1st – 2nd at Knebworth. Also on the bill will be Nine Inch Nails, Bullet For My Valentine, Avenged Sevenfold, Machine Head, Lamb Of God, Alice In Chains, Mastodon, Anthrax, Airbourne, Thin Lizzy, Killing Joke and The Sword.

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Get your Sonisphere tickets here!