RANDY BLYTHE: Why 'Socially Distanced' Concerts Wouldn't Work For LAMB OF GOD

LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe recently spoke to Rapture Radio about what the touring circuit might look like post-pandemic. He said (hear audio below): "I think for my band, and I don't have a crystal ball, dude, so nobody takes this as Randy says this is how touring is gonna be, 'cause I don't know — I do not know. I'm not a wizard. But with my band, what I foresee happening is the tours that we booked that are postponed — we didn't cancel a single tour; everything is being postponed — those tours will happen, but I don't think they will happen until they can happen the way they're supposed to.

"I know there's been some artists that are doing these socially distanced gigs or whatever," he continued. "That's not gonna work for us — that's just not gonna work. It's not gonna work for a band like LAMB OF GOD. It's not gonna work for a band like HATEBREED. It's not gonna work for any band in our sort of world that, when we play, immediately people smash the crap out of each other. That's just not gonna happen.

"I myself cannot say that at the first show I'm not just gonna be in the audience. I'm gonna be hugging people, kissing 'em on the cheek, like, 'Yes, we're all together again.' So I'm not gonna be able to stand onstage and say, 'Okay, everybody. Stay six feet apart. Wear your mask. Do all that stuff.' Nuh-huh. Because it's too crazy; the energy is too much.

"I think what will happen is some bands who don't produce such a visceral physical reaction in crowds will be able to do shows that have some regulations or whatever — maybe some country artist or whatever; maybe some jazz and stuff like that, where people are able to be separate — but as far as in my genre, I think what's just gonna have to happen is we're gonna have to wait until there's a vaccine or there's herd immunity developed or whatever, until everybody can not sweat it anymore," Randy added. "So, how long that will be, I have no clue. And I know that promoters and booking agents and venue owners and management and labels and everybody are all working very hard in a very difficult situation trying to deal with a bunch of unknowable factors. 'Cause nobody knows — nobody has any answers; no one. Not the president, not the head of the CDC — no one knows what the hell is going on or what's gonna happen, so we've just gotta sit tight and wait, which sucks. But that's the reality."

LAMB OF GOD released its new, self-titled album on June 19 via Epic Records in the U.S. and Nuclear Blast Records in Europe. The follow-up to 2015's "VII: Sturm Und Drang" marks LAMB OF GOD's first recordings with Art Cruz, who joined the band last year as the replacement for the group's founding drummer, Chris Adler.

"Lamb Of God" was recorded with longtime producer Josh Wilbur (KORN, MEGADETH, GOJIRA, TRIVIUM) and includes special guest appearances by Jamey Jasta (HATEBREED) and Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT).