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Metallica frontman James Hetfield said on his SiriusXM show that the band wanted Turnstile to join a tour, but the hardcore group declined. Hetfield praised Turnstile’s live performances after the band played a Washington, D.C., National Mall event attended by about 60,000 people, according to Stereogum.
Metallica frontman James Hetfield says the band invited Turnstile to tour, but the Baltimore hardcore group declined, telling Metallica it was doing well on its own. Hetfield shared the account on his SiriusXM show, Riff Life, while praising Turnstile’s live performances following the group’s recent set on Washington, D.C.’s National Mall.
“We wanted to get them on tour, and they said no, they’re doing good on their own already,” Hetfield said on Riff Life, as quoted by Stereogum. He did not identify which Metallica tour the invitation concerned, when it was made, or what dates and arrangements were discussed. The report does not include a separate statement from Turnstile confirming the exchange.
Hetfield spoke positively about the group’s performances, saying listeners get a different sense of the band when they see it live. He also said Metallica members had spent time with Turnstile and described the band members as “super cool” and “super fun.” His comments followed Turnstile’s performance at a National Mall event in Washington, D.C.; Stereogum reported that about 60,000 people attended.
Hetfield also referred to guitarist Meg Mills, saying Turnstile now has a woman playing in the band. He did not suggest that Mills’ presence was a reason for the tour decision. The central detail in his account is that Metallica made an invitation and Turnstile chose not to accept it, according to the Metallica frontman.
A Tour Offer Turnstile Declined
The exchange offers a rare public account of a potential pairing between Metallica, one of the world’s biggest touring metal acts, and Turnstile, a group rooted in hardcore punk that has built a prominent audience of its own. Hetfield’s description suggests Metallica was interested in bringing Turnstile to its live audience, but the offer did not become a tour announcement.
For fans, the account provides a glimpse of how artists with different audiences may connect through touring without a collaboration taking place. It also highlights Turnstile’s ability to make its own touring decisions: Hetfield’s reported explanation was that the band was doing well independently. The comments do not establish whether the offer was for a specific leg, whether another invitation could be made, or whether the groups have any joint plans.
Hetfield’s praise may also draw attention to Turnstile’s live shows among Metallica listeners. That is his assessment, rather than an independent measure of the group’s performance or audience reach. The reported attendance at the Mall event gives a sense of the scale of that appearance, but the available material does not specify how the crowd figure was calculated.
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Recent Links Between the Bands
Hetfield’s comments follow Turnstile’s performance at a large Washington, D.C., event on the National Mall. Stereogum described the set as taking place about a week before its report and put attendance at around 60,000 people. The source material does not name the event or provide a full schedule for Turnstile’s current touring plans.
The bands have had some contact before. Hetfield was spotted watching Turnstile from the side of the stage a couple of years ago, according to Stereogum. Metallica has also included another heavy band on a recent tour: Knocked Loose opened the European leg of Metallica’s M72 World Tour earlier in the year, the report said. That is a separate booking and does not indicate that Turnstile was considered for the same dates.
Hetfield’s Riff Life appearance is the source of the reported invitation and refusal. No direct statement from Turnstile, its management, or Metallica about the details of the offer appears in the supplied report. The distinction matters: the exchange is currently known through Hetfield’s account, not a jointly confirmed announcement from both bands.
““We wanted to get them on tour, and they said no, they’re doing good on their own already.””
— James Hetfield, speaking on his SiriusXM show Riff Life
Tour Offer Details Remain Unknown
The available report does not say when Metallica made the offer, which tour or dates it involved, or whether the invitation was formal or part of a conversation between the bands. Hetfield did not explain whether Turnstile declined every possible date or only a particular proposal.
Turnstile has not provided a response in the supplied material, so its reasons are represented only through Hetfield’s account that the band was doing well on its own. There is also no indication that a future Metallica–Turnstile tour is being planned. The crowd estimate for the National Mall performance is attributed to Stereogum, with no method for calculating attendance provided in the source.
No Joint Tour Announced
There is no announced Metallica tour featuring Turnstile, and the report does not give a next step for the invitation. Any future booking would need confirmation from the bands or their representatives. Until then, the immediate development is Hetfield’s public account of an offer that Turnstile declined, alongside his recommendation that fans see the group live.
Further details could emerge if Turnstile comments on the exchange or if either band announces a shared bill. The source material does not identify upcoming dates connected to the reported offer, so readers should not treat Hetfield’s remarks as notice of a planned tour.
Key Questions
Did Metallica invite Turnstile to tour?
James Hetfield said Metallica wanted Turnstile to join a tour. The supplied report does not include a separate confirmation from Turnstile or Metallica as an organization.
Why did Turnstile turn down the invitation?
According to Hetfield, Turnstile said it was doing well on its own. The group’s own explanation is not included in the report.
Which Metallica tour did Turnstile decline?
The specific tour and dates were not identified. Hetfield did not provide details about the invitation’s timing or terms.
Did Hetfield comment on Turnstile’s live shows?
Yes. Hetfield praised the band’s live performances and encouraged people to see it play. Those remarks were his personal assessment on Riff Life.
Is Metallica touring with Turnstile now?
No joint tour was announced in the report. Hetfield described an invitation that Turnstile declined, not a current booking.
Source: stereogum.com
