Scott Ian: ‘It’s Idiotic for Fans to Film Entire Concerts’

Discussing his “Speaking Words” tour, Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian reached the subject of fans filming and uploading concert footage, describing their behavior as “idiotic.”

Chatting with Examiner, Ian was asked about the low amount of leaked footage from the tour on YouTube. “That’s because I take it down when people decide that they’re going to put my content on YouTube for free,” he replied. “Call me crazy, but I’m one of those crazy artists that thinks you shouldn’t give your content away for free.

“I know that’s a crazy way to think these days but I come from the old school. Where you used to buy albums and videos. And I still do, I still buy my music and DVDs. So I feel like if I have enough respect to do that, then everyone should have enough respect to do that,” Scott added.

Further discussing smartphone users’ behavior, the guitarist said, “I think it’s idiotic. I think the fact that someone would come to a show, spend the money to come to the show, and stand there holding their freakin’ phone over their head for 90 minutes is pathetic.

“It completely defeats the purpose of coming to a live show,” Scott continued. “I think it’s a joke. I’ve seen Bruce Dickinson go off on audience members for doing that. Granted, he’s in Iron Maiden and they’re big enough to say that to their audience, but I think it’s idiotic and I don’t understand that mindset at all. You’re standing at a live show and you’re watching it through a screen on your phone.”

Touching on the subject of Motley Crue retirement, the guitarist didn’t seem too much interested. “I have no take on it at all,” he said. “Retire. Or don’t retire. Or come back after you’ve retired. I don’t care. Why do people get so upset when a band says they’re done and then come back? Everyone goes back to see them again. Obviously people aren’t that upset because, if five years from now Motley Crue does another show, are people going to go? Of course they are! So i’m not saying I think they’re going to do that, I just really don’t care.”