Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian recently opened up about ex-Anthrax vocalist John Bush’s recent solo shows. He expressed his full support for his former bandmate in an interview shared on Full Metal Jackie.
Ian spoke about Bush’s decision to perform songs from his decade-long tenure as Anthrax frontman. He revealed that the idea had been in the works for some time and that the band had been nothing but encouraging throughout the process.
“John and I are close friends — we have been forever,” Ian said. “There was whispers about this ages ago. I think it’s something that John had been thinking about for a really long time, and I think it was just a case of just figuring out the hows and the whens for him.”
“But we’ve been nothing but supportive of it ever since,” he continued. “Like, I remember him asking me about it once. I’m, like, ‘You don’t need to [ask me]. Do whatever you want, bro. I celebrate it. I love that you’re gonna go out and do this.'”
Ian did, however, share one personal disappointment — missing Bush’s shows in both Los Angeles and New York due to scheduling conflicts, and even missing a chance to join him on stage.
“The only bummer for me was when he did the run of dates where he played L.A. and he played New York, I was in the opposite cities,” Ian said. “I missed him both times. And I was hoping, like, I even asked him, I said, ‘Hey,’ ’cause I thought I was gonna be home for the L.A. show. And I said, ‘Can I come up and play a couple of songs?’ And then he said to me, ‘They’re your songs. You don’t need to ask me.’ And then it turned out I couldn’t be there.”
Despite missing the shows, Ian made clear that his friendship with Bush remains the priority. He expressed hope for a future collaboration.
“So, I would love to get to do that again at some point,” he said. “Like I said, John and I are good friends, and that kind of transcends. That’s really all that matters to me. And I’m stoked that he did that, and I’m stoked that there’s a new Armored Saint record.”
Ian’s comments come as Bush continues to celebrate his legacy with Anthrax, with a new Armored Saint record also on the horizon.
Bush’s recent performances have given fans a rare opportunity to revisit a defining chapter in Anthrax’s history — one that Ian clearly holds in high regard. The shows are not a full Anthrax reunion. They are a focused retrospective of Bush’s years as the band’s frontman, making them a unique event for longtime followers of the band.
Metal Injection reported that one of the most notable stops on Bush’s run was the Milwaukee Metal Festival 2026, where he appeared across two consecutive nights. Bush took the stage on Saturday, June 6 with Armored Saint, then returned on Sunday, June 7 for a dedicated set built entirely around his Anthrax-era material.
The two-night structure of the Milwaukee appearance highlighted just how much ground Bush’s career covers. The format allowed fans to experience both sides of his legacy in a single weekend — first as the frontman of Armored Saint, and then as the voice behind some of Anthrax’s most celebrated albums, as Metal Injection noted.
Bush served as Anthrax’s lead vocalist from 1992 to 2005. His tenure produced landmark records including Sound of White Noise and We’ve Come for You All. His era with the band is widely regarded as one of the most musically ambitious periods in Anthrax’s catalog. The recent shows have reignited interest in that body of work.
With a new Armored Saint album also in the pipeline, Bush appears to be in a particularly active creative phase. For Ian, that momentum is something to celebrate — and if schedules align, he has made clear he would welcome the chance to share a stage with his old friend once more.
