The song "Madhouse" by Anthrax received a mention in the short story collection by horror master Stephen King . The book, released in May, is a collection of short stories and is titled You Like It Darker .
According to Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian , the song, which is part of the band's second album from 1985, Spreading The Disease , is referenced in a rather brutal short story called Finn . On May 25, 2022, he had published this story in an exclusive e-book on Scribd. But in May of this year, it was released more widely in this collection You Like It Darker , which features eleven more short stories.
Regarding this, Ian posted on Instagram: “Stephen King mentions our name again in his new collection of stories 'You Like It Darker'!!! I was reading it yesterday on the flight from Europe to home. In the fifth story in the book, a rather brutal tale called Finn , Steve uses our song 'Madhouse' as a torture device. Perfect. I apologize if the sound of my head exploding when I saw Anthrax mentioned and woke someone on the plane. If you haven't read You Like It Darker , I recommend you do. It's a brutal summer read!”
Anthrax's relationship with Stephen King
Anthrax and Stephen King have known each other for a long time. The band's third album, Among The Living , was inspired by the author's book The Stand . Ian even wrote the preface for one of its editions. Furthermore, a track from the album A Skeleton In The Closet was also inspired by the novella Apt Pupil , was Different Seasons collection .
Finally, in the third book of King's great classic, The Dark Tower: The Waste Lands , there a reference to the band. Meanwhile, in the 2017 adaptation of It , a cover Trust 's song "Antisocial" by Anthrax was used.
In a 2011 interview with The Atlantic , King was asked what kind of music he prefers to listen to while working. He said, “ Metallica , Anthrax, I still listen to those guys. There’s a band called Living Things that I really like. A very noisy group. I never really cared much for Ozzy Osbourne . Black Sabbath doesn’t really work for me.”
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