Anthrax Take Over Pandora Classic Metal Radio for Their 40th Anniversary

Anthrax commandeer Pandora’s Classic Metal station on Friday (July 9), with the thrash legends acting as the first-ever metal act to participate in the music streaming service’s Artist Takeover Mode.

The takeover arrives amid Anthrax’s 40th anniversary, an occasion the band has commemorated with a video series chronicling their history called Anthrax 40. The celebration culminates in a livestream performance from Anthrax on July 16, where the group will play a comprehensive set drawing from their entire catalog.

But before the virtual concert takes place, founding Anthrax members Scott Ian and Charlie Benante offer commentary about their career throughout their Pandora takeover, offering rare insight into the act’s material. Highlights include the story of how album-opener “A.I.R.” was a last-minute addition to 1985’s classic Spreading the Disease, plus Ian revealing which Anthrax song was inspired by a David Lynch film.

As a further example of the kind of discussion one can expect, Loudwire has obtained an exclusive clip of Ian talking about the meaning of “Safe Home,” a single from Anthrax’s 2003 album, We’ve Come for You All. Listen to the audio excerpt down toward the bottom of this post.

“This is my love song,” Ian says. “That’s right — I wrote a love song. It’s all about trying to express my feelings about that emotion. Because when I was writing this song, I had actually finally found, truly found love in my life with my then-girlfriend, Pearl, who’s now my wife.”

The guitarist adds, “I think it’s just as strong as anything, if not stronger than anything I’ve ever written because it means that much more to me. And if you ever get a chance, check out the video to ‘Safe Home’ — a guy who’s been in such movies as The Matrix and John Wick named Keanu Reeves is in [it].”

And there’s even more reason to celebrate on Friday, as July 9 also happens to be the birthday of longtime Anthrax bassist Frank Bello. He turns 56.

Pandora launched its Artist Takeover series earlier this year. It’s an extension of Pandora Modes, a feature that allows users to customize their listening experience.

Listen to Anthrax’s Artist Takeover on Pandora here.

Scott Ian Discusses Anthrax’s “Safe Home” on Pandora Classic Metal