It’s extremely hard for anyone to be competent at a multitude of crafts. Very few reach the elite level, and that stands for musicians as well. But being an active musician in one of thrash music’s biggest ever bands, Anthrax wasn’t enough for the well-traveled, Scott Ian – he wanted to succeed in several disciplines during his studious career.
After co-founding the band all the way back in 1977, Ian remains the only original band member in Anthrax. While many bands of the same era have fallen by the wayside, Anthrax still tour to this day, and continue to play leading festivals such as Download Festival and Sonisphere whenever they called for to perform.
However, helping to change the face of rock and metal music wasn’t enough for the active Ian, who rarely engages in any extended downtime. You’ll have no doubt heard of Ian’s many side projects along the way including, probably his most famous, Stormtroopers of Death. But it was his transition to the poker world that stunned many.
Although Scott Ian was said to partake in many friendly poker games during arduous world tours, it wasn’t expected that he would attempt to make a move into the professional ranks. His most notable appearance happened in 2009 when Ian played in the biggest tournament in the annual poker schedule. He played against well over 6,000 professional and amateur players with him eventually placing just outside the top 1,000 players.
Ian was enthused by how well he did in the tournament and renounced that he expected to feature annually in the tournament as long as his touring schedule allowed. The legendary rock musician was said to get the most valuable experience when he played in Japan where he’s said to have had enjoyed many poker tournaments in Osaka and Tokyo during several tours of Southeast Asia.
Casino gaming is extremely popular in Southeast Asia, ever since its online launch through InterCasino saw its popularity go through the roof. Hence, during Ian’s many stop-offs in the continent, he became overwhelmed by the sport’s Asian fanatics and found it the ideal place to practice his craft. The continent pegged their enthusiasm on the iconic Johnny Chan back in the late 90s and they’ve never looked back since with him becoming the most famous player of Asian decent of all time.
However, although Scott Ian feels very adept at poker he doesn’t feel completely at ease just yet. He told Bluff Magazine in an interview: “There are a lot more variables in poker [than songwriting]. I guess for some it might seem like insurmountable odds when it comes to writing a song, but that is much easier for me.”
Ian has also used his poker prowess to good use and raised money for many charitable causes including featuring in the 2006 VH1 Celebrity Charity Poker Classic. During the event he played alongside musicians such as Godsmack frontman Sully Erna and the enigmatic ex-drummer of Pantera Vinnie Paul. He went on to win the event and solidified his name among the best poker players in rock music.
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I really enjoy only this kind of music