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I'm the Man

By: Scott Ian, Jon Wiederhorn, Kirk Hammett - foreword
Narrated by: Scott Ian
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Publisher's Summary

From founding member and guitarist of the heavy metal band Anthrax comes a personal reflection of his life and the moments that led him to his role as a staple in rock history.​

I'm the Man is the fast-paced, humorous, and revealing memoir from the man who co-founded Anthrax, the band that proved to the masses that brutality and fun didn't have to be mutually exclusive. Through various lineup shifts, label snafus, rock 'n' roll mayhem, and unforeseen circumstances galore, Scott Ian has approached life and music with a smile, viewing the band with deadly seriousness while recognizing the ridiculousness of the entertainment industry. Always performing with abundant energy that revealed his passion for his craft, Ian has never let the gravity of being a rock star go to his shaven, goateed head.

Ian tells his life story with a clear-eyed honesty that spares no one, least of all himself, starting with his upbringing as a nerdy Jewish boy in Queens and evolving through his first musical epiphany when he saw KISS live on television and realized what he wanted to do with his life. He chronicles his adolescence growing up in a dysfunctional home where the records blasting on his stereo failed to drown out the sound of his parents shouting at one another. He sets down the details of his fateful escape into the turbulent world of heavy metal. And of course he lays bare the complete history of Anthrax—from the band's formation to their present-day reinvigoration—as they wrote and recorded thrash classics like Spreading the Disease, Among the Living, and the top-20-charting State of Euphoria.

Along the way, Ian recounts harrowing, hysterical tales from his long tour of duty in the world of hard rock. He witnesses the rise of Metallica, for which he had a front row seat. He parties with the late Dimebag Darrell while touring with Pantera and gets wild with Black Label Society frontman and longtime Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde. He escapes detection while interviewing Ozzy for The Rock Show while dressed as Gene Simmons and avoids arrest after getting detained on suspicion of drugs while riding the tube in England with the late Metallica bassist Cliff Burton.

In addition, I'm the Man addresses the trials and tribulations of Ian's life and loves. He admits his foibles and reveals the mistakes made along the way to becoming a fully-functioning adult. He celebrates finally finding peace and a true sense of family with his wife, singer/songwriter Pearl Aday, and examines how his world changed after the birth of their first son.

I'm the Man is a blistering hard rock memoir, one that is astonishing in its candor and deftly told by the man who's kept the institution of Anthrax alive for more than 30 years.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2014 Scott Ian (P)2017 Hachette Audio

Critic Reviews

Jabby, gabby, and metal-obsessed...exhilarating.—New York Times

Scott writes with real honesty...I'm the Man stands up as a great insight into one of metal's leading figures. And you don't have to be a thrash or rock fan to enjoy it—Jewish Telegraph

Eye-opening...The hard-charging head-banger has assembled his best anecdotes into the revealing autobiography...For every familiar factoid, Ian introduces two or three new nuggets even diehard Anthrax fans probably don't know...Despite the shenanigans and chicanery of Ian's teens and twenties, the man who emerges here is surprisingly level-headed and articulate.—Cleveland Music Examiner.com

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great story

love the band loved the book. if you are a fan get this book

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totally awesome

loved it awesome story of a guy that is respected in the music industry well written and spoken by the man himself

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I’m the man

What an awesome bio!!!!!
Scott Ian you are the man!!
Long live anthrax, hell yeah

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He is so!

I've loved anthrax for almost 20 years. I was late to the party, my loss!

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Scott Ian- The Great Storyteller

After seeing Scott on his spoken word tour a couple of years ago and hearing him tell tales of his amazing life, including first interactions with his musical heroes many of whom are also mine, I became fascinated in his bigger story.


The best thing about the author narrating their own books is it is like they are speaking to you as a private audience.

I’m going to miss Scott’s dulcet tones getting me to and from the city each day now I’ve had him read me both his books.


🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

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An interesting read for Anthrax fans

Aside from describing his early life experiences, this book gives you some of the backstory and behind scenes goings on during the writing, recording and performing of their music from the perspective of Scott Ian. He's not a professional writer or voice actor, but he has a gift for storytelling.

If you're interested in the subject material, you won't be disappointed

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Great listen - very honest and very entertaining

The narration was excellent, very expressive and kept me engaged the whole time. Favourite parts were Scott's home life and early band struggles.

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must NOT skip I'm The Man

one of the if not the greatest book about the musician and the band I have loved from day one Scott not Ian I am that guy from anthrax shows the soul and passion lacking in music today and The Heartless greed of the record industry

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I'm a massive bio and metal fan.

this was awesome!!! had a equal mix of his life story. Some bios focus too much on the music and not their life and vice versa. thus was a good balance. hmmm what next?

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Scott is very listenable

Somebody cast this MAN in a movie! Great listen, took me straight back to 80's / 90's when metal was King !

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