Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian celebrated his 60th birthday on December 31st with an “epic” party featuring a number of his musician friends participating in a 42-song all-star jam. Among the highlights was Alice in Chains singer-guitarist Jerry Cantrell belting out the Billy Joel classic “You May Be Right.”
The festivities at Galpin Speed Shop in Van Nuys, California, got underway when Ian entered the venue as a passenger in a Batmobile as Slayer’s “Raining Blood” played over the P.A. system.
According to Blabbermouth, among the musicians attending and/or participating in the jam session were Cantrell, Anthrax bandmates Charlie Benante and Frank Bello, Gary Holt (Exodus, Slayer), Robert Trujillo (Metallica), Brendon Small (Dethklok), Doug Pinnick (King’s X), Andrew Hurley (Fall Out Boy), Whitfield Crane (Ugly Kid Joe), Roy Mayorga (Stone Sour, Ministry), Robb Flynn (Machine Head), Jay Buchanan (Rival Sons), Danny Lilker (Nuclear Assault, Ex-Anthrax), John Bush (Armored Saint, Ex-Anthrax), and Joey Vera (Armored Saint).
“Greatest birthday party entrance of all time,” wrote Ian on Instagram. “My 60th was everything I hoped it would be and I’ll be sharing clips all week. Thank you to everyone that made it happen – Pearl, Revel, Dave, Mikaela, Mary, Matt, Mark, Nate, Phil. Your hard work made my crazy dream come true! Happy new year everyone!!! Cheers, Scott.”
Benante added, “#happynewyear and a Happy Birthday to @scottianthrax. Whew! We celebrated his 60th by playing 42 songs that really hit a lot of us in so many ways. We played songs that you remember driving around with your family when you were younger. They just brought you back to that time when things were so much simpler. We really did bring it in with a Bang last night!”
Among the videos that have made their way online is Cantrell singing “You May Be Right.” That can be seen, along with other video clips and photos in the YouTube clips and social media posts below.
Anthrax have been in Dave Grohl’s Studio 606 working on the long-awaited follow-up to 2016’s For All Kings. The new LP is expected to be released sometime this year. Benante, meanwhile, has also been playing in the new incarnation of Pantera, who have a North American tour scheduled to kick off in February (tickets available here).
