EXCLUSIVE RED CARPET REPORT FROM METALLICA’S RN’R HALL OF FAME INDUCTION

Axl’s thoughts on the ceremony will appear a little later today, as promised. In the meantime, a metal guy who was there for his other gig graciously hit us up with the exclusive red carpet report. Enjoy!

Before Metallica showed up, Iron Maiden sneakers walked the red carpet to the 24th annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Concert, at Cleveland’s Public Hall Saturday, April 4.

The Maiden Vans were worn by Anthrax guitarist and VH1 talking head Scott Ian, who was there with drummer Charlie Benante. Ian said the new album is being mixed, and added that Maiden and Priest should be in the Rock Hall.

Metallica showed up and were whisked inside, without talking to the press or doing much to amuse the crowd of 300 onlookers. The band (and alum bassist Jason Newsted) arrived in a cluster, but in this order:

1) Rob

2) Kirk

3) James and family, the biggest of the Metalli-clans — the others had wives and
some parents with them

4) Lars

5) Manager Cliff Burnstein and Lars’ dad, whose beard is longer than ever.

6) Jasonic, who relatively took his time. He seemed really glad to be there. The crowd greeted all the guys with loud cheers – all night long, they consistently got the biggest pops, by far. Newsted’s cheers were just as loud. He turned to the crowd and raised goat horns, arm fully extended skyward. The press still couldn’t get interviews, but I was three feet away, so I (sincerely) told him his work with Voivod was great, and he seemed to appreciate it, nodding with a closed-mouth smile.

So there it was, in the mix of that establishment tux-and-tails broohaha: Anthrax – half of SOD. Maiden kicks. Goat horns. And brief talk of Voivod.

Here’s Flea’s induction speech, which you’d have thought might suck, but was goddamned amazing.