Metallica’s James Hetfield Envisions a Microphone with a Built-In Straw “Could Be Cool”

Ensuring proper hydration during live performances is crucial, especially for Metallica’s frontman, James Hetfield, who juggles singing and playing the guitar simultaneously. Hetfield has proposed a creative solution: a microphone with a built-in straw.

During a recent episode of the band’s official weekly podcast, “The Metallica Report,” hosted by Steffan Chirazi and Renée Richardson, Hetfield was questioned about potential innovations for Metallica’s stage show as they embark on the “M72 World Tour” in 2024.

Given his role as a guitar player and singer on a stage with multiple mic stations, Hetfield explained, “I’m not holding the mic, I’m not able to go anywhere. So there’s mic stations everywhere. And for our monitor guy to chase me around to all the mics, he can’t have them all open, ’cause it sounds insane, especially in an indoor stadium … It would be nice to have some kind of [device] where [I’m] wearing something and if [I’m] within two feet of the microphone, it turns it on.”

He went on to suggest an additional feature, stating, “That, and be able to maybe sip some water while I’m playing, some kind of straw on the microphone … I don’t know, something else like that. There’s always something that could be cool.”

Playfully incorporating song puns related to hydration, such as “Sip & Destroy,” “Liquid Fuel,” “Creeping Thirst,” and “For Whom the Straw Tolls,” the proposal highlights Hetfield’s desire for innovation in the band’s live performances.

Fans can only hope that someone invents a microphone with a built-in straw in time for Metallica’s 2024 tour dates, including another North American run. Tickets for the upcoming concerts can be purchased [here](insert link).