While it's true we've already shared some of Alien Ant Farm's treasured live music moments (watch here), the band had a storied experience with icons Metallica that deserved its own spotlight.
Dryden: We first met Metallica opening some shows for them in Germany, some big metal shows. We aren't the heaviest band in the world. We can, we can mingle with those guys every once in a while, but yeah it was, it was pretty trippy to be on those shows and perform. I remember the crowd went crazy and I thought, “Wow, they really dig us.” And then I looked over and it, they went crazy because they saw James Hetfield side stage. But then he did say, “you guys are pretty badass. I've never seen anyone cover Sade and a metal, German metal crowd, actually really enjoy a Sade song.” So I have to pat me, and you guys on the back for that. Hanging out with them throughout that day and tripping out on it.
Terry: Obviously they were in a bus wreck and we were in a bus wreck. It became the initial bonding point of it. And Dryden’s had surgery on his neck and so has James.
Mike: Couldn't believe that James Hetfield was coming over to talk to us. We’re like, “Oh my God, what did we do wrong” or something, you know?
Terry: You know, Metallica would have this huge compound on site of their shows. It's just wonderland, everything they need. And we'd be in our little moving container kind of on the other side of the site. James’ security guard, a guy named Geo, and he would literally just come skidding up on a golf cart at our little trailer and he'd be like, “James wants to hang, get on.” So all of us would climb onto this golf cart and he'd drive us through the site and into Metallica's little compound. And we got to hang out a couple of times in there, that was pretty cool.
Mike: They’d invite us to come on the side of the stage to watch them perform during a concert. They have tons of pyro and all that stuff, and it was just pretty unreal to have James Hetfield coming over and going, “Hey, guys, you know, you know, plug your ears” on side stage. It's about to go into like “One” or something. There's this big crazy, you know, pyro and fireworks and all that stuff and it's frickin loud, you know? So he's telling us, and I’m like- He’s like, you know, “You guys want a beer or something?” There’s little Coronas and stuff on the side of the stage and I’m just like, “I cannot believe I'm standing on the side of Metallica's stage and James Hetfield’s telling me to plug my ears because there's rad pyro about to go off.” I mean, it was pretty surreal.
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Alien Ant Farm have some tour dates coming soon, including appearances at Louder Than Life and Aftershock - get dates and details here.
Metallica's M72 Tour hits Minneapolis this weekend, followed by Seattle and Mexico City. Dates and details here.
