The Big Four of thrash – Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax – played a handful of shows together between 2010 and 2011 that culminated in a massive show at Yankee Stadium. The four never played another show together, though Anthrax bassist Frank Bello is extremely grateful that they happened at all.
Bello said during a Q&A session with Rock City Music Company that Metallica didn't have to do the shows, and that he recently thanked James Hetfield for organizing them.
"Metallica didn't need to do the 'Big Four,'" said Bello as transcribed by Blabbermouth. "They could sell out those stadiums on their own. They're arguably the biggest band in the world. [When I spoke to James at Welcome To Rockville], I told [him], 'Look, if nobody's told you this before, and I don't know if they have, thank you. Straight out, thank you. Dude, thank you. You didn't have to do that.' And he goes, 'I get it, man.'
"James is one of those great humble guys," Bello continued. "He knows what he has and he knows he's the deal, but he's humble enough to say, 'I get it, dude. It's a celebration.' That the 'Big Four' was a celebration of this thrash movement coming up. That's what it was for all of us; it really was — the bands and fans. So, yeah, man. I said, 'Thank you, dude. You didn't have to do that. I know you guys didn't have to do that. You did it to celebrate. Now, I just wanna let you know, from Frank Bello talking to my friend James…'"
While you should never say never, a Big Four show now seems pretty unlikely given that Slayer has retired.
