Scott Ian has discussed the moment his dad stopped his mum from trying to kill herself – and revealed that he only found out while working on his book.
The incident took place when the Anthrax guitarist, now 50, was 11 years old. It was discovered when his co-author John Wiederhorn interviewed his family for I’m The Man: The Story Of That Guy From Anthrax.
Ian tells Sixx Sense: “My dad had to stop my mother from jumping out of a moving car. He knocked her out – he punched her in the face, knocked her out and drove her her to the emergency room. I just learned that three months ago.”
He admits his first reaction was to be “a little pissed off at his mother” but continues: “She was going through a hell of a time. My parents had split up, my mum’s mum had died. I was like, ‘Really? She wanted to do that and not be there for my brother and I?’ But I got past that pretty quick. My mum’s 77 and she’s doing fine, so I’m not going to be mad at her for 1975.”
And Ian says his family aren’t offended by the revelations in his book. “My mom stood in line at my show, bought a copy and had me sign it with a big smile on my face. I’m like, ‘What are you doing?’”
I’m The Man was published via Da Capo Press last month. Ian and former singer Neil Turbin have been involved in an exchange of quotes over the book. Anthrax are currently working on the follow-up to 2011’s Worship Music – and drummer Charlie Benante has said it could be a double album.
