ROBERT TRUJILLO Details METALLICA’s Pre-Show Workout Routines

In a brand new interview with Lauren “Lern” Elwell of the 105.7 The Point radio station, bassist Robert Trujillo spoke about his typical pre-concert routine to prepare him for the high-energy intensity of a METALLICA performance. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “So, before we take the stage, we all have our regimen. And it does definitely include stretching. Kirk [Hammett, METALLICA guitarist] is an avid yoga guy; that’s what he does every day. James [Hetfield, METALLICA frontman] gets the PT [physical therapy] work done. I do a bit of PT, but I also like to go to the gym, even before I come to the venue and do some — well, kind of light training. A lot of it’s more kind of geared towards movement, kind of rolling around on the floor, doing various drills and stuff like that. It sounds pretty weird and strange, but it actually works really well for the type of performance we do. Lars [Ulrich, METALLICA drummer] has a whole deal that takes literally like 75 minutes or something, and he has to stick to that. He’s kind of wired that way, where it’s certain things — a bit of a creature of habit, and that’s the way it is. So we all have our routines that we do, and it just works for us.

“To be in this business this long and to perform for two hours, doing what we do, especially on this stage [during the ‘M72’ tour] — I don’t know if you’ve seen it, but it’s crazy, it’s a beast,” he continued. “It’s involved. There’s a lot of cardio involved, all this kind of stuff. You get to navigate the terrain after a while. It’s one of those things that just comes with time, especially on this stage. So, you basically cater to the needs of the performance and where you’re at with yourself and the transitions and how you eat and life. Things like Jack Daniel’s and tequila shots and all that kind of stuff till five in the morning, maybe not so much.”

Last month, Ulrich told METALLICA‘s fan-club magazine So What! that he has “made some pretty conscious changes” in his diet in recent years. “I basically don’t drink anymore,” he explained. “I drank, I don’t know, probably a handful of times this year. I can tell you I haven’t had a drink since April. There’s no cosmic reason other than I like to enjoy not drinking. I had a couple glasses of champagne in April. It tasted like sugar water, and I didn’t really enjoy the taste of it. So, I’ve made serious changes to my diet. I basically don’t drink. I basically don’t do sugar. I don’t eat dessert anymore, and I don’t eat junk food. I used to allow myself [things], like, ‘It’s okay. I’m going, going, going, going, and now I can have a pizza. I’m going, going, going, and now I can eat this crazy dessert. I’m going, going, going and now I can allow myself a cheat day,’ as they’re called. I don’t do any of that anymore. I don’t really enjoy it, to be honest with you. I don’t want to be disrespectful to pizza, but the idea of eating a slice of pizza just doesn’t do anything for me. So, I eat the same ‘mushy’ stuff every day, and I feel very, very happy doing it.”

The “M72” tour features a bold new in-the-round stage design that relocates the famed METALLICA Snake Pit to center stage.

METALLICA is visiting a total of 22 different cities around the world and playing two nights in each city.

Opening acts include FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, ICE NINE KILLS, MAMMOTH WVH, PANTERA, ARCHITECTS, GRETA VAN FLEET and VOLBEAT.

METALLICA promises fans who purchase a two-day ticket that they won’t see the same song twice for a total of over 30 songs spanning the band’s 40-plus-year career.