Larger-than-life celebrities are odd creatures. Though, they live odd lives and ones that are fairly incomparable to the average Joe. So, it is not at all surprising when one hears odd stories about certain requests and or behaviors from celebrities. One figure who reportedly has some of those stories is Mick Jagger. People well into their 80s and hardly into their teens know who the Rolling Stones‘ storied frontman is. In other words, he’s one of the most popular people on the planet. Consequently, Jagger’s behavior has seemingly been shaped around this fact, and one band to experience it firsthand was Metallica.
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In 2005, Metallica was already a bona fide mega band, and The Rolling Stones, well, were The Rolling Stones. That being so, The Stones saw them as a good opener for their 2005 shows in San Francisco. Being fans of The Rolling Stones, Metallica was honored. However, the commitment entailed one odd request.
Metallica Was Allegedly Told Not To “Make Eye Contact” or “Talk” to Mick Jagger
In an appearance on Club Random With Bill Maher, Lars Ulrich recalled his experience opening for The Stones and ultimately, what it taught him. Prior to remembering the moment and the lesson it revealed, Ulrich told Maher, “At that time, we had played shows over our career with Deep Purple, with AC/DC, with a few other bands, all the bands that I had posters on my wall when I was a kid, and so the last one of those boxes to check was The Stones.”
Needless to say, for Ulrich, this was a childhood dream finally coming to reality. However, the reality of the situation tarnished that dream. Ulrich started his anecdote by stating, “So we’re sitting backstage, and – and this is in no way a judgment on The Stones, this is really more about us.”
He continued, “At one point, a personal assistant or whatever comes and says, ‘Mick Jagger’s gonna walk through here in a couple minutes…When he walks through here, please don’t make eye contact with him or talk to him.”
Regarding how this taught him and Metallica a lesson, Ulrich told Maher, “I always go and say hello to our support act: I look them in the eye, I ask them if there’s anything they need. It’s a human thing; if somebody comes out and plays on a Metallica stage I want them to feel at home.”
Why Mick Jagger didn’t want Metallica looking him in the eye and talking to him is up in the air. Although the request inadvertently taught Metallica an invaluable lesson in humanity.
Photo by Scott Legato/Getty Images
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