Anthrax: Band or Disease?The terrorist attacks on September 11th 2001 were quickly followed by an 'anthrax scare' during which several journalists and politicians received biohazardous anthrax-laden mail.
During the scare Scott Ian, then the guitarist for a band named Anthrax, admitted to hoarding a large quantity of anthrax antibiotics (Cipro). "I will not die," he explained, "an ironic death."
[Ironically, Ian originally picked the name "Anthrax" because every other metal band had a name ending in "er" - Slasher, Slaughter, Slayer... - and he wanted to be different. "Before September 11th," he added, "the only scary thing about our band was our bad hair in the 1980's and the Fistful of Metal album cover." However, "in light of current events," he joked, "we are changing the name of the band to something more friendly - 'Basket Full of Puppies.'"]
[Trivia: No fewer than 175 anthrax hoaxes were reported in the United States in the three years before September 11, 2001.]
Ian, Scott (?- ) American musician [noted for such works (with
Anthrax ) as
Among the Living,
I'm the Man,
Fistful of Metal,
Attack of the Killer B's (1991),
Sound of White Noise (1993),
Persistence of Time (1990)
State of Euphoria (1998),
Spreading the Disease (2001)]
[Sources: Blender, March 2004; Harpers magazine, Dec 2001; NPR, "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!" - Oct. 6, 2001]More Scott Ian anecdotesRelated Anecdote Keywords:
Medication Rock Music Band Names Irony Death Precautions Health Treatment Diseases
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