Now you HAD to know Metallica wanted to do something they didn’t want to reveal a head of time in Detroit this weekend and they did! Pulse Content reports the band surprised fans at the band’s Orion Music + More festival on Saturday afternoon (June 8th) by playing its 1983 debut disc Kill ‘Em All from beginning to end on a smaller stage at the event, which took place at Belle Isle in Detroit. Metallica was officially announced to play a headlining set on Sunday (June 9th) to close out the festival, but hit the stage at 4:30 p.m. one day earlier for a 10-song set that started with “Hit The Lights” and finished out with “Metal Militia.” The afternoon slot was officially taken by an “act” called DeHaan — which Metallica fans may have recognized as the name of actor Dane DeHaan, who is starring in the band’s upcoming 3D movie, Metallica Through The Never. Another hint was dropped when Metallica frontman James Hetfield posted a message on Instagram which read, “Don’t miss Dehaan! #MUYA #mff #UwillRegretMissingThem #IfUdoUmightKillEmAll #winkWink #getIt?” Hetfield came onstage first to introduce “DeHaan,” after which the rest of the members of Metallica came out and began playing. Next month is the 30th anniversary of the release of Kill ‘Em All, which was issued on July 25th, 1983. At last year’s Orion festival, Metallica played both 1991’s self-titled “black album” and 1984’s Ride The Lightning in their entirety on separate nights. Drummer Lars Ulrich told us recently the band didn’t necessarily want to do the same thing each year with a different record: “Obviously it’s something that’s a lot of fun to do, but you’ve got to just walk a fine line because you don’t — obviously Metallica’s not interested in being, you know, a nostalgia act only. So we want to just find that right line.” Wish I could’ve been there! Sounded amazing!….Guitarist Adrian Belew has left Nine Inch Nails, just one day after the refurbished Trent Reznor-led act released its first new song in five years, “Came Back Haunted.” According to Classic Rock, Belew said his tenure with the group “just was not working,” although ironically Reznor recently credited the former King Crimson guitarist with helping him “re-think the idea of what Nine Inch Nails could be.” Belew said, “Before this goes too far let me say this: I greatly respect Trent and the music he makes. No one is at fault. We both agreed it just was not working. I’m sorry to disappoint anyone — that really hurts. But NIN will do an amazing show.” Belew’s exit also comes just weeks after bassist Eric Avery departed the new NIN lineup. Avery was replaced by NIN alumnus Robin Finck. There is no word yet on how Reznor plans to handle Belew’s absence. Since Finck is a guitarist, I doubt it will a surprise to anyone what’s going to happen here….The long wait ends on Tuesday (June 11th) when three members of the original Black Sabbath, minus drummer Bill Ward, release 13, their first studio album together in 35 years. Singer Ozzy Osbourne told us he feels his first Sabbath album since 1978’s Never Say Die! is a perfect bookend to the band’s career, whether it’s the last thing they ever do or not: “I never felt that Never Say Die! was the finished album of the Sabbath run. And for whatever reason if we don’t do another studio album, I think this one will round it off. I mean, this is where I would have liked to have been at the end of Sabbath, my days with Sabbath. But you know, life has a funny way of twisting things around, and if we do do another album, it’d be great, but if we don’t, this will be a nice way to round it up. The only sad thing is that Bill never played on it.”…Slipknot percussionist Shawn M. “Clown” Crahan has revealed he plans to make a documentary on eating disorders, according to Blabbermouth. Crahan posted a message online in which he first notes he has produced documentaries for every Slipknot album, as well an upcoming one on the House Of Shock haunted house attraction in New Orleans (formerly owned by Pantera/Down singer Phil Anselmo.) He then states, “Making these documentaries has ignited a passion in me to continue using this medium to get at the truth behind the mask, to expose the pain and the beauty hidden behind the facades we like to hide behind.” He added, “What I am going to ask for next may be difficult for some of you to contemplate but I ask that you keep an open mind and to think about what an experience like this might have meant to you had it been available when you began your journey. I am looking for the following for my next documentary project: * A man and/or a woman at least 30 years of age who has been diagnosed with anorexia, bulimia, and/or any other eating disorder or any combination thereof. * A man and/or a woman between the ages of 18 and 30 years of age who has been diagnosed with anorexia, bulimia, and/or any other eating disorder or any combination thereof. * A man and/or a woman under the age of 18 years of age who has been diagnosed with anorexia, bulimia, and/or any other eating disorder or any combination thereof.” He continues, “Why eating disorders? My path through life has brought me into contact with a number of women and men suffering from these terrible diseases and I feel compelled to do what I can to help.” Crahan concludes by saying anyone interested in having their story filmed can contact him at schon@5bam.com, with all responses kept completely confidential. You can read Shawn’s complete comment here. …Loudwire reports Slash recently joined forces with fellow guitarist and Queen guitarist Brian May to record a song called “The Badger Swagger,.”. The song was written and recorded in hopes of raising awareness regarding the slaughter of badgers in England. Slash and Brian May recorded the song with singer Kerry Ellis and producer by Rob Cass. Slash, who recorded his parts remotely from Los Angeles, recently posted on Twitter, “Just heard a mix of ‘Badger Swagger.’ Sounds great.” He also commented on the all-star collaboration, saying, “Such an honor to be on a record w/ @DrBrianMay & Sir Richard Attenborough.” The song was released on Jun 4th as part of the activists’ campaign. Coining themselves Artful Badger and Friends, the collaboration supports Team Badger and the “Stop the Cull” petition asking the government to stop their planned deaths and promoting vaccinations instead. Read more about it and sign the petition here. According to reports, badgers carrying tuberculosis are being blamed for the loss of close to 40 thousand cattle slaughtered in England. May has been lending his support to the badgers for quite some time, making appearances at protests and recording past songs for the cause. I guess the Honey Badger don’t take no s#^% after all!…Today, I am heading to the Manhattan studio to chat with M Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold. More tomorrow!
