It hasn’t been a great month for metal band Anthrax. First singer Joey Belladonna was crash tackled on stage by an over zealous security guard, then guitarist Scott Ian irked fans by saying that fans who downloaded their latest record should have their internet cut off.

Now the band have been slapped with a lawsuit that proves that there’s no such thing as a clean exit from a band. Former Anthrax singer Dan Nelson launched the lawsuit against his ex-bandmates for $2.5 million for intentional defamation, withheld royalties and loss of earnings.

Nelson quit the band in 2009, only 18 months after he was at the right place at the right time after singer John Bush was sacked in favour of reforming with the original singer Joey Belladonna. The reunion was short lived however and when the band turned back to Bush he refused.

So Nelson took the reins as singer and recorded an album with the band, but his version never saw the light of day as he resigned just before the release. That’s the official story anyway. Nelson claims in his lawsuit that he was in fact fired from the band when Bush changed his mind and was willing to return.

After Nelson left the position vacant Bush did return, but only for a few shows before Belladonna came back and recorded a new versin of the album Nelson has worked on, Worship Music.

The lawsuit alleges that Anthrax have defamed him intentionally by saying he quit instead of being fired and that he has lost income as a result of his being fired. He also lays claim to all royalties the band have earned from Worship Music as he claims he helped write it.

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