Which Big Four band gets more play on Scott Ian's iTunes: Metallica, Megadeth, or Slayer?

As most metal fans are aware, the "Big Four" is a term used to describe four of the most influential American thrash-metal acts of the '80s. It includes three bands from California--Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer--and one from the Big Apple, Anthrax.

When Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian called last week to plug his band's coheadlining gig with Testament at the Vogue Theatre this Thursday (Sept. 20) I asked him which of his cohorts in the Big Four he most enjoyed listening to in his spare time. For some reason I was expecting him to say Metallica--maybe because their recent Vancouver show made such a huge impression on me. Turns out I was wrong about that, though.

"Oh wow, that's tough," replied Ian when asked to pick favourites. "I would have to say, if you went into my iTunes and you looked at the play count to see what songs I listen to the most, I would probably bet Slayer gets played more than Metallica or Megadeth. So, if that answers your question..."

It sure does. But I also had another one for Ian regarding the Big Four. I was wondering whether he thought there were any other bands that should have been considered for that title. Like, should it maybe have been the Big Five instead?

"The only other band really that it would make sense [to include] as far as American thrash-metal would be Exodus," said Ian, "because they were there right at the beginning as well. Their first album came out right at the same time as the rest of us. So I mean, to me, yes--if you were gonna add a fifth band, certainly I would think Exodus would be able to fill that slot very easily."

For more from Scott Ian--including his thoughts on the return to Anthrax of vocalist Joey Belladonna--see the story in this week's Georgia Straight. It's our annual Best of Vancouver issue, in case you needed even more incentive to pick it up.

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