RANDY BLYTHE of LAMB OF GOD criticizes the use of mobile phones at concerts: “Put your damn phones away and be present”

In a new interview with Kyle Meredith LAMB OF GOD Frontman Randy Blythe talked about concertgoers taking photos and videos of performances with their cell phones, sometimes filming entire shows instead of enjoying the moment. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Put your damn phones down and be present. I haven’t done that yet, but I will. Because phones are becoming more and more prevalent, one day at a particularly phone-driven show, I’m going to go out and bring a stool and put it in the middle of the stage after a song or two. Then I’m going to turn on my phone and point it at the audience. I’m going to sit there and sing a whole song. I’m not going to move. I’m going to do what they’re doing. And then at the end I’m going to say, ‘Did you guys like that? No? Me neither. So why aren’t we here together? Put your damn phone down.’ The memories you’re going to have because you’re experiencing that show through that digital filter or whatever of a crappy cell phone video… You’re not (film director) Steven Spielberg. Sit here and enjoy the show with me. Be here with me, because that’s how it was when I first started going to shows. Except – thank God – for those people in the ’80s who were photography nerds. There was always one or two of those weird people with a camera taking pictures, and thank God for them, because they were documenting things. But everyone else was there. And people miss it these days by watching a show through a tiny iPhone screen. Be here with me.”

Blythe He further said that there was a specific reason why he had started to publicly speak out against this behavior.

“I am not asking for pity, such as: ‘Poor Coolhe feels bad.’ But yes, the relationship is missing,” he explained. “And I want a relationship with the audience. Because the harder you go, the harder I’m going to go. The more you look at the phone, the more I want to sit on a stool and film you. And one day it’s going to happen.”

When asked whether he was considering banning the use of mobile phones, LAMB OF GOD Concerts, similar to TOOL has done, Cool said: “I’ve thought about it. My band probably wouldn’t agree with it. I would be absolutely thrilled if there were no cell phones. Because these things distort our reality in a terrible way across the board.

“I’m not a Luddite, I’m not against technology – obviously we’re using it right now – but I think it would be good for us to step back and examine our relationship with technology and see what’s being taken away from us, the human aspect,” he continued. “And I’m just going to talk about music here – it has certainly removed that human aspect from shows at times in many ways.

“I’m certainly not the type of person to say, ‘Oh, nobody can take a photo.’ I’m not that kind of person or anything, but it really bothers me how many people are missing.” Cool added. “You’re actually missing the show. You’re not here. You’re looking at your phone, bro. When I went to shows, I looked around and I didn’t look at the band. I looked at the cute girls that were there. You know what? You can’t do that on your phone. There’s no swiping left or anything in the middle of the show. Put your phone down. Be here with us. Meet people, talk, have a human experience.”

Already in September 2020 Blythe In an interview with the podcast “The Hardcore Humanism With Dr. Mike,” he gave his perspective on the well-known dark side of social media, namely the addiction it creates. He said, “That’s one thing that concerns me about the younger generation growing up with these things. The ‘pocket Jesus,’ as I call it, the cell phone, has everything you need; it’s your savior. The world is your oyster.”

“For example, I have travelled around the world. I have been to every continent except Antarctica. I can tell you, there is a large, large Unlike looking at pictures of, say, the Scottish Highlands or watching a documentary about the Scottish Highlands, you can learn a lot. There is a large Difference between watching on a screen and being there. It is incredible. This is an advertisement for the Highlands; it is an amazing place. But it is not comparable.

“So I’m not a Luddite – I think the internet is a valuable tool – but I think it should be a tool, a means to an end, rather than the end itself. And I think that’s what it’s become in many ways, with social media and so on, people chasing likes and building their profiles and all that other stuff. And it’s, like, to what end? What does that get you in the end? A ton of Instagram Followers. What does that do for you? How does that translate into something valuable in your life other than being popular on mobile phones? (Laughs)”

Blythe He went on to say that while social media can be a valuable educational and communication tool, it can also be a huge distraction.

“When I’m on my deathbed – and I hope I’m aware of when I’m dying – I hope I’m awake,” he said. “I want to experience this; I want to understand what’s happening, and hopefully I’ll face it with strength and courage. But when I’m on my deathbed and reflect on my life, I doubt I’ll say to myself, ‘You know, I really wish I’d spent more time looking at my phone and building up my social media profile. I really wish I’d spent more time on the computer Googling kangaroos,’ or whatever I did.

“I like to use those things to blend into the flow of life,” he continued. “I’m lucky enough to travel a lot with my band — or at least I was — and when we went to a city, I would Google and search for museums or interesting neighborhoods or local food. And then I’d put the phone in my pocket and go. Because I want to try this food, I want to go to this museum — I want to see these things. And I think the challenge right now, being stuck at home so much, is that there are a lot of things in my city — and I think this is probably true for everyone — that you take for granted and that become commonplace when you’re exposed to them on a daily basis. And I’m trying to really broaden my perspective on the place that I live and look at things that I haven’t seen in a long time, or maybe discover new things — try to look at the world in a different way.”

LAMB OF GOD started his “Ashes of Leviathan” Co-headliner tour with MASTODON on July 19 in Austin, Texas. The hike, called “Ashes of Leviathan”also offers opener KERRY KING And MALICE.

“Ashes of Leviathan” celebrates the 20th anniversary of LAMB OF GOD‘S “Ashes of the Wake” And MASTODON‘S “Leviathan” Albums that were both released on the same date in 2004 (August 31).

LAMB OF GOD Is Randy Blythe (Singing),John Campbell (Bass),Mark Morton (Guitar),Willie Adler (guitar) and Art Cruz (drums). Founded in 1994, the Richmond, Virginia-based band has released nine critically acclaimed albums, received five Grammy Award nominations and are widely regarded as one of the most influential and innovative forces in heavy music. The band’s latest collection, ” Omens “came at the end of 2022, with Kerrang! He noted that the band on the album was “as reliably hard, violent and pissed off as ever” and Consequence and said the “album will shred you into nihilistic pieces.”