The latest James Hetfield Turnstile story comes from the Metallica frontman himself: he says Metallica asked Turnstile to go on tour with them, and the band said no. Hetfield shared the story on a recent episode of his SiriusXM radio show Riff Life, as reported by Consequence. “We wanted to get them on tour, and they said no. They’re doing good on their own already,” he said.
Hetfield then praised the band’s live show and urged listeners to see them in person.
James Hetfield Turnstile Comments: What He Said
According to Consequence, Hetfield continued: “What a vibe they bring. Go see them play if you can. They sound great on their records and recordings, but if you see them live you totally get it. We’ve hung out with them a bit. Super cool guys, super fun. They’ve got a gal in the band now, which is fun.”
Stereogum said the last remark referred to guitarist Meg Mills. Outlets transcribed the segment with small differences in wording. Stereogum’s version has Hetfield saying, “Go see them play live if you can,” and, “They’ve got a gal in the band now playing, which is fun.” The quotes above follow Consequence.
After the segment, Hetfield played Turnstile’s “Real Thing” on the show, according to Metal Injection.
What We Don’t Know
Several details are still unclear:
- When the offer was made. Consequence notes that Hetfield “didn’t elaborate on when the overture to Turnstile was made.”
- Which tour it was for. Metal Injection points out that Hetfield did not say whether the offer was for a European run or a different one.
- The air date of the Riff Life episode. The reports describe it only as recent.
Metallica, Turnstile and Hardcore on the Big Stages
The comments come about a week after Turnstile played to around 60,000 people on Washington, D.C.’s National Mall, as Stereogum and Metal Injection reported. Metal Injection described the show as a fundraiser held in front of the Washington Monument.
Hetfield has shown interest in the band before. Stereogum notes he was spotted sidestage at a Turnstile show a couple of years ago. Metallica have also brought hardcore onto their stadium bills. Knocked Loose opened the European leg of the M72 World Tour earlier this year, a stint mentioned in SDMETAL’s preview of Knocked Loose at Petco Park.
Turnstile’s Upcoming Dates
Turnstile’s next listed U.S. dates are Camp Flog Gnaw in Los Angeles on Nov. 14 and the Sonic Temple festival on May 13, 2027, followed by European festival dates. No San Diego show is listed, so the closest chance for local fans is the Los Angeles festival date. Fans can follow announcements on Turnstile’s official site.
Metallica’s 2027 Tour Comes to San Diego
Metallica are set to launch a North American stadium tour in 2027. Consequence lists Limp Bizkit as support. The run includes Metallica at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego on May 13, 2027. Turnstile is not on that bill. For now, the James Hetfield Turnstile story stays a radio-show aside: an offer, a polite no and plenty of praise from the Metallica frontman.
SDMETAL
