I Went Backstage...and Lived To Tell About It.

I have been a member of the Metallica Club for four years and I was a Chapter Head for over two years. Thanks to the Metallica Club and the band members themselves, I was given the once-in-a-lifetime chance to go backstage.

Long before LOAD was released and Metallica began its U.S. leg of their tour, the Metallica Club sent a card to all of its members that asked in what cities they would be able to see Metallica, and their status in the Club. (How long you have been a member, etc...) I sent in my card, and several weeks before they were set to come to America West Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, I received the voucher for my backstage pass.

They let the Club members go backstage before anyone else, including radio station winners. It was incredible to have barriers opened in front of me and to go where the other 20,000 other fans in the arena could not.

Only about 25 lucky Club members had been given the chance to go backstage. When I arrived, Jason Newsted was already there. He was going around to each person, signing whatever they gave him, and posing for pictures. Jason signed my pass and my Load CD book. One of our newest chapter members was there too.

After Jason left, "Jaymz" Hetfield came in. Everyone stood up and took pictures. Jaymz sat down and had everyone line up. He met with each one of us, signed whatever stuff we gave him, and let us take pictures!

I am extremely grateful to Jaymz, Jason and the Club. This was greatest reward for being a loyal fan!

Another Frayed Ends Member, John Gordon attended the Jan 5th concert. He agreed to hand out Metallica Club flyers. In return, he met James, Jason, and Kirk after the show. John happens to work for McFarlane Toys, and as we all know, Kirk is a toy collector and a Spawn fan. John received a call from Kirk the next day! After that he has been on contact with Kirk's "toy guy."

Some fans may complain that they didn't meet all of the band or that they didn't sign everything that was given to them. In a recent issue of So What! (The Metallica Club mag.) Jaymz drew a cartoon of Club members backstage. There was a banner that said " 'tallica meet & greet." The "meet & greet" was crossed out and "complaint department" was written in. They were on a red carpet and one guy was complaining: "They only signed 65 of my 113 bootlegs! " Another said: " If I knew I wouldn't meet all the band members I wouldn't have bothered." So-called "fans" like this piss me off. The band doesn't have to do this for their fans! Most bands don't! Think about it, do you think they want to meet a bunch of total strangers every night and listen to them complain?! These ungrateful "fans" don't deserve to go backstage!

(I look like crap in this picture.)

Get a "Load" of Chapter Member "Berzerker" Dan's Christmas card !!! (Dan is the head of a Phoenix Fanzine known as The Berzerker.) He was also at the Jan 4th and 5th concerts.