Customer Reviews

I'm the Man

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Legendary thrash metal band Anthrax made history by being one of the first ever metal bands to include a blend of rap into their songs nearly a decade before the style became popular. To this day, I believe that Anthrax has never received the respect they deserve.

The main focus of this E.P. is obviously the groundgreaking single "I'm The Man". The song is quite simply hilarious, and the mix of musical stylings makes it perfect. The verses sound similar to a Beastie Boys song, and the chorus is pretty Gwar-like. Some of today's rock-rap bands who think making 60 songs about killing someone is "hilarious" should listen to the originaters and take notes. There's also another version of this song on "Attack of the Killer B's", but it doesn't compare to the genius of this one.

The cover of Black Sabbath's "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" is extremely well-done and and shows off a different side of Joey's vocals. The only flaw with this E.P. is the live version of "I'm The Man", which sounds disorganized and sloppily done (but even then, the ad-libbed stuff from the band members is still pretty funny). The two live songs originally from "Among the Living" ("Caught In A Mosh" and "I Am The Law") are a nice addition and almost as good as the originals. Overall, if you're a fan of Anthrax, or a fan of humorous rap-metal, this is a must have.

IM THE MAN (CENSORED RADIO VERSION)  This is from where many of todays bands draw their shtick (you know who you are!). A groundbreaking meld of rap, metal and warped sense of humour that still shows its strengths 15 years after it was recorded. Check out the blink-and-youll-miss-it sampling of Metallicas Master Of Puppets!

IM THE MAN (DEF UNCENSORED VERSION)  The same track as above pushed up to ten on the attitude meter. Also check out the songs Halva Nageliah riffs. Who said speed metallers had no sense of humour?

SABBATH BLOODY SABBATH  A frenetic cover of a Black Sabbath classic tune. Joey Belladonna had the most melodic voice in the whole of Speed Metal, and a certain magic was lost after he was fired by Scott Ian and Charlie Benante.

IM THE MAN (LIVE- EXTREMELY DEF ILL UNCENSORED VERSION)  A highlight of the Belladonna era live set where Joey would change positions with Charlie and give the ol tonsils a rest. This version shows the energy and fun of Anthrax performances with some killer audience participation.

I AM THE LAW (LIVE)  This classic tune always goes down well live. Not many bands could pull of a tribute to Judge Dredd. Anthrax did it all the way in style.

CAUGHT IN A MOSH (LIVE)  Another classic from the Among The Living album captured live and snarling . . .the way the track should be played!

I could not stop laughing when I first popped the tape of "I'm the Man" into my car stereo, wayyyy back when it came out.

The sampling of Sam Kinison's famous scream, plus heavy metal riffs and New York white-boy raps were groundbreaking.

Yes, it was a joke, but it was also a homage to hip-hop, and opened the door for the Rage Against the Machines and the like.

Wished there was more on the recording; the cover of "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" was good, as was the live "Caught In A Mosh."

Got to see "I'm the Man" done when they opened for Ozzy Osbourne in 1989...a killer show, topped off with this.

A great band that's grown but still tells the world to f--- off!

I'm the Man was my first exposure to Anthrax. The band's extremely juvenile rap-metal hybrid was naturally a huge hit with me and my middle school metal buddies. Of course we also thought the Beastie Boys' "Fight for Your Right to Party" was genius, which ought to tell you something. As goofy as it was though, looking back you have to admire Anthrax's embrace of the decade's other rising musical movement. This would lead to the band's groundbreaking collaboration with Public Enemy and had a lot to do with the emergence of the rap-metal genre. I'm not suggesting that we owe Anthrax a debt of gratitude for inflicting Limp Bizkit on the world, but the band definitely deserves credit for defying expectations and trying something new.

20 years later, I'm the Man is every bit as goofy as it was back in the day, and I'm still not sure we really needed 3 different versions of the song, but there is still a very good reason to pick up this EP. In addition to the various takes on I'm the Man; this EP features two live tracks and an absolutely fantastic cover of the Black Sabbath classic Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. That song alone is well worth the price of the disc (especially if pick it up used like I did). Unless I'm in a particularly nostalgic mood, I usually skip right to this song and hit repeat.

Bottom line - If you're an Anthrax fan you need to own this disc. It will probably linger unheard on your shelf for great lengths of time, but it is still an important piece of Anthrax history.

This is a good CD, but not worthy of 5 stars. I really liked 'I'm the Man' but there is no need to include a censored version. Also, the live version seems a bit weak. Joey seems to be bored when he is singing it! The other two live songs are outstanding, and the Black Sabbath cover of 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath' is an excellent song. The major problem is that the CD is too short. With three versions of 'I'm the Man' you kind of feel ripped-off. It would have been nice to have some more live material included. All in all, a good offering, but it could have been better.

The very first Anthrax product I bought, my autographed copy sits proudly amongst my CD collection and the reason I tell you this is so you can hopefully forgive me looking through rose coloured glasses at what is, after all, a fairly stop-gap novelty sort of thing.

You see apart from a joke 5 second mystery track this is only 6 tunes long and it's the sort of slick, annoying marketing deal that came to prominence during the 90's. But in this case it's sort of backwardly acceptable cos this came out in the 80's. As for the actual tunes, 'thrax fans will know them all. Three versions of I'm the Man (my teenage mind liked the dirtiest the best, surprise surprise) and we also get great live run throughs of Caught in a Mosh and I Am the Law. Both are incendiary and spontaneous and really make this EP worth the effort of tracking down. Lastly we get a cover version of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath which bulks up the tune in comparison to the aged original studio version.

Only an EP so not much to rave about - IMHO; get it if you see it for a decent price cos it reeks of fun and a band on a really high note.

Gee, I bought this on VINYL when it was first came out (in 1988, if I'm not mistaken) and I couldn't get enough of it! I'd love to get it on LP again (the tiny CD can't do justice to the cover!).

Indeed, Anthrax was one of the first thrash metal bands of the late-80s to incoporate rap into their songs (more as a joke, I felt), but I do believe Aerosmith beat Anthrax to the punch when they remade "Walk This Way" with Run DMC (in either '86 or '87) when it came to using rap with rock and metal. Either way, one couldn't deny the growing influence of rap on music back then.

There's no way to really describe "I'm the Man" except to urge anyone reading this to listen to it. It's hilarious, and for those of us old enough to remember those freaks known as the P.M.R.C. having a monster fit over this, it's even sweeter yet. - Donna Di Giacomo

This ep was released just after aerosmith and run DMC did something no one else had really dared to do before, mix rap and rock. Bestie boys were just starting with "no sleep to booklyn" featuring Kerry King of Slayer, but Anthrax went full blown into RAP/Metal in 1987 with the release of this. Not only does this carry the clean and uncensored version of the title track from the studio, it has the "diffinitive" live version "I'm the Man" that set the anthrax flag a sail for many of their fans. Also featured here, and only here, is a cover tune of black sabbath's "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath", a killer cover, and a live version of I am the Law and Caught in A Mosh. One of the best EP's of all time, a must have for a beginner into Anthrax Fanhood!!!!!

I've always loved "I'm the Man". The first time I heard it I had tears in my eyes from laughing. It's aged very well. The newer version on the Killer B's album stunk, the original ruled.

We also get Anthrax's best song ever caught live. "Caught in a Mosh" live from Texas is enough to make your head turn into a bloody pulp from bashing it repeatedly on the dashboard as you drive. Also live is yet another version of "I'm the Man" and "I am the Law".

The censored version of "I'm the Man" was pretty useless. I mean we always used to fast forward through it to get to the funny uncensored one. I always wondered what Anthrax meant when they sampled Metallica in the song. You remember the part when you hear 'Master!!' from Metallica's song Master of Puppets.

And the album also has a little jewel in a Black Sabbath cover. Though Anthrax is known more for covering KISS classics, they pull off 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath' quite well, even ending the song with the 'Sweet Leaf' riff.

Rock on.

Before Kid Rock, Limp Bizkit, even before Rage Against The Machine there was Anthrax. Although Im the man was only a larf, it still had influence on the rapcore music of today. Also there are 2 awesome live trax and a great cover of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.