‘Ban Metallica’ organiser says campaign offers band chance to make a statement against hunting

The online petition started to prohibit US band from playing Glastonbury over support for bear hunting

A petition to ban Metallica from Glastonbury Festival has been started following the news that frontman James Hetfield will narrate a television series about bear hunters.

As previously reported, Hetfield, who is a keen hunter, will provide the voiceover for The Hunt, which will premiere on June 8 on the History channel. The eight-part series will see a group of hunters visit the island of Kodiak in Alaska to search the Kodiak brown bear.

This has led to the creation of the ‘Remove Metallica from Glastonbury Festival for their Support of Bear Hunting’ Facebook page, which has gained over 23,000 signatures at the time of writing.

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Speaking to NME about their reasons for setting up the campaign, a spokesperson for the group said that the campaign is not personally against Metallica, rather their support of big game hunting. “This is not hunting for the table, for food or survival. Bear meat can be eaten but it rarely is. Nor is hunting for conservation,” said the organiser, who is currently anonymous. “The Kodiak Bear Hunt is done using ‘traditional’ methods, long/compound bow and Black Powder single shot rifles. These rarely result in a “clean kill” as you would get from a high velocity hunting rifle. Often the animal is wounded and is put through a great deal of pain that they may or may not survive. Animals that have been wounded are far more dangerous than healthy ones.”

The spokesperson continued: “For a great many people the very idea that it is OK to hunt is abhorrent. To even raise the question is ridiculous. We share this planet with other living beings. It is our
duty to protect them from their greatest threat, ourselves. I would like to add that this is not particularly against Metallica, I would do the same if any other band found itself in the same position. With fame comes responsibility and much as I applaud the work that James and the other members of the band has done in other causes, this does not let them off the hook in this case. It is also a great opportunity for them to stand up for a cause and make a statement against big game hunting.”

Metallica will headline Glastonbury on the Saturday night of the festival. Their fellow headline acts are Arcade Fire and Kasabian. Glastonbury takes place between June 26-28.

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