It looks like we might see thrash metal’s ‘Big Four’ (Anthrax, Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer) play more shows together in the future, after Anthrax bassist Frank Bello revealed that his band “would love” to get back on the road with their fellow gatekeepers of rock.
Speaking with KNAC, Bello says Anthrax are “ready” to go.
“Talk to Metallica — we’re ready,” he says.
“All the other bands that were involved will tell you it was one of the best things that ever happened for them. Just the camaraderie, and for the fans, that was a good value for your buck to see the four bands that grew up together in the scene.
“I think that was a great idea by Metallica. We’re all friends and we all get along really well, I think Metallica knows that we would all be in on it again because it was such a great experience. So many people are asking for it and every interview asks about it. They want to see it and we’d love to be part of it.”
Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax performed at Soundwave Festival back in 2013 (RIP), but all four of the ‘Big Four’ acts played together a number of times before that, dating back to 2010 at Sonisphere Festival in Poland.
Interestingly, during an appearance on Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian’s radio show ‘Never Meet Your Heroes’ earlier this year, Metallica axeman Kirk Hammett also said he thinks more ‘Big Four’ shows will happen in the future.
“Even though we haven’t announced any ‘Big Four’ dates in the future of anything like that, I personally see it happening again in the future,” he said (via Blabbermouth).
“I don’t know when, but I do see it happening in the future.
“I mean, I see those shows as kind of like a celebration — a real celebration of each other, and a real celebration of the music that we all make, and a real celebration of the audience embracing [what] we’ve done. And why not have more of that?”
Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine has also publicly stated that he’d be open to another ‘Big Four’ tour, while Slayer frontman Tom Araya has previously told Gazette.net that the only thing that was standing in the way of more ‘Big Four’ shows was “the politics of character in one particular band”.
Metallica are reportedly set to tour down under this year, while Megadeth last performed in Australia in 2015. But if the ‘Big Four’ want to make the trip down under for the very first time in the years to come, we’re ready…
