Friends, music elite & former members contribute to a series of video testimonials leading up to July 18 to culminate with a special Anthrax livestream event.
Anthrax – one of the Big Four – turns 40 this year and is celebrating with a number of special activities and events to honor the landmark anniversary.
Check out the anniversary trailer here:
Formed by guitarist Scott Ian and bassist Dan Lilker in Queens, NY on July 18, 1981, Anthrax was one of the first thrash metal bands to emerge from the East Coast and quickly became regarded as a leader in the genre alongside Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth.
Active over the past five decades, Anthrax has released 11 studio albums, been awarded multiple Gold and Platinum certifications, received six Grammy nominations, toured the world since 1984 playing thousands of shows, including headlining Madison Square Garden and playing at Yankee Stadium with The Big 4.
In 1991, the band helped to break down race and genre barriers when they collaborated with Public Enemy on the track “Bring The Noise” and was the first metal band to have its music heard on Mars when NASA played “Got The Time” to wake up the Mars Rover in 2012.
With the lineup including Ian, bassist Frank Bello, drummer Charlie Benante, singer Joey Belladonna, and guitarist Jon Donais, the band is being feted on their 40th anniversary by a wide range of friends and music contemporaries.
Each week beginning from May 3, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and wrapping on the band’s official founding anniversary of July 18, Anthrax’s social media accounts will offer a series of video testimonials sent in by former band members, fellow musicians, colleagues, and industry veterans sharing behind-the-scenes stories of working with the band and what Anthrax’s legacy has meant all these years on.
The 11-week series will include video contributions from Chuck D, Corey Taylor, Dave Grohl, Dave Mustaine, Gary Holt, Gene Simmons, Henry Rollins, John Carpenter, Kerry King, Mike Patton, Nergal, Norman Reedus, Michael Poulsen, Rob Zombie, Robert Trujillo, Roger Miret, Darryl McDaniels (Run DMC), Slash, Tom Morello and more.
There will also be video clips from former Anthrax band members Dan Lilker, Dan Spitz, John Bush, Neil Turbin, and Rob Caggiano.
The finale will come as a very special livestream performance from Anthrax on Friday, July 16, featuring a deep cut set that will pull from the band’s entire career-spanning catalog.
