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Pit Stories: Skindred's Backstage Espionage

Time for another round of Pit Stories! This week we head over to the infamous Hellfest, where many a metal head has seen some insane moshing.

What those festival goers don't always consider though is that the bands in attendance want to catch the other performances on tap as well - and being in one band that's playing doesn't necessarily get you backstage with any others.

This week, Mikey from Skindred shares a tale of talking his way backstage to see ZZ Top in a very "these are not the droids you are looking for" moment. He had this to say:

So a couple of summers ago, we're at the beginning of a hardcore festival season in Europe. Among other festivals we're due to play at is Hellfest in France. It's a huge rock/metal weekend in the south of France, huge crowds and big names and so on. Our show on the main stage is kinda hectic due to the headliner's production, lighting and gear spilling all over the stage and making everything run late, but that's another story. Our show was killer and the crowd went nuts, I digress. Playing later that day are none other than the almighty ZZ Top; they've got their own compound backstage so no one really lays eyes on them. I've never seen them live before so I'm jazzed to see their show. I'd managed to get a picture with The Rev. Billy Gibbons at the Classic Rock Awards show a couple of years previous. Which was awesome.

Anyway, I'm walking though catering when my eyes meet with a guy across the room, who calls out "Hey!" and beelines over my way to talk to me. He's about my height, has glasses, a baseball cap. I honestly have no idea who this man is but he seems to recognise me from somewhere, not to be impolite I respond and wave "Hey!" back. He gets closer to me and says "....no, sorry I thought you were somebody else" and walks away. No problem mate!

Later that day, Arya and myself are determined to watch ZZ Top. We want to get on the side of stage to catch a glimpse; occasionally I'll go out front to watch a band but this is ZZ Top man! I want to see if I can get up there to watch. We learn it's a closed stage meaning no access for us mere mortals. Arya grabs me by the arm and says "Come with me. Play along." We walk up the stairwell in an attempt to get up there, only to be halted in our tracks by a large French security guard, doing his job and denying us access to the stage. "Don't you know who this is?!" Arya protests. "This is Billy's BROTHER."

The poor guard's eyes jump out of his head, realises his 'mistake' and lets us through with a heartfelt and humble apology. I cannot believe my luck. We try to play it VERY cool like we're supposed to be there, but I am blowing up inside. I can't believe it. There's no obvious access to Stage Left (Billy's side) so we go over to Stage Right (Dusty's side). It's pretty glorious up there, the band rip into "I Gotsta Get Paid" and I am happy as a pig in shit. Somehow Pepper Keenan (Down, CoC) has found his way up to the side of the stage and is laying down the sweetest air guitar I've seen all day. It's all going great until I look over at Dusty's rack of bass guitars and see the same pair of eyes from earlier, looking right back at me. It's the guy from catering. He frowns at us both, shakes his head from side to side, and slowly points and extended finger to the back of the stage. It's time for Arya and myself to leave. We walk away, with our tails between our legs. I guess even Billy Gibbon's long lost brother can't watch ZZ Top from Stage Right.

Hot off the back of another busy summer festival season, Skindred is about to head out across the U.K. on the group's biggest headline tour to date. Dates are available at Facebook here. Skindred's sixth studio album "Volume" is due out on October 30, 2015. Below you can see footage from the ZZ Top incident in question, along with a song from the coming "Volume" release.