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Metallica apologizes to Canadian cover band for 41-page cease-and-desist letter

Metallica performs onstage during Rock In Rio USA on May 9, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Christopher Polk/Getty Images

Sandman, a Canadian Metallica cover band that’s been performing under that name and branding for years, received a 41-page cease-and-desist letter from the real band Metallica over the weekend.

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In the letter, the Metallica legal team asked that Sandman stop using the Metallica logos to promote their upcoming gigs on social media and YouTube.

Joe Di Taranto, guitar player for Sandman, told Rolling Stone “The band [has] been using this logo for years with no problems at all,” so when the musicians received the letter, they were taken aback.

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After Sandman announced what happened on social media, the onslaught against Metallica was vicious.

Shortly thereafter, Metallica issued an apology to Sandman on their official Facebook page, saying their lawyers had gone too far. The band denied any knowledge of the cease-and-desist letter:

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“We hear that a Canadian Metallica tribute band is a little upset with us and with a little digging, figured out why,” the band wrote. “It turns out that a certain letter was delivered to the band Sandman that neither we nor our management were aware of until it surfaced online. Lucky for us, the band was kind enough to post it for us to see, and it turns out that we have a very overzealous attorney who sent this letter without our knowledge.”

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Metallica even instructed Sandman to burn the letter, and to add the final touch to their apology, fired the “overzealous” lawyer in question.

“Sandman should file the letter in the trash,” the band wrote. “Keep doing what you’re doing… we totally support you! And in the meantime, our attorney can be found at SFO catching a flight to go permanently ice fishing in Alaska.”

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