Lee Malia says playing Metallica riffs at his daughter’s school hall for “rockstar day” was “more nerve wrecking” than Reading
With a 2025 schedule featuring headline sets at Reading & Leeds, Rock Am Ring and Louder Than Life, Bring Me The Horizon are no strangers to performing before large crowds. But guitarist Lee Malia has revealed his most daunting crowd to date – and it might surprise you.
Malia admits that his most recent case of pre-show butterflies was caused by a pack of giddy six year-olds. “The other day at [my daughter’s] her school they had a ‘Rockstar Day’ where they all dressed as rock stars,” he explains in a new interview with Andertons. “Her head teacher asked me to go in and play for all the kids in the school hall.”
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You’d assume the young crowd wouldn’t phase him – but Malia reveals it “was more nerve-wracking than playing Reading”.
So, what does a bona fide rockstar perform for a group of youngsters? Malia wasted no time on Twinkle Twinkle Little Star – he took is as an opportunity to educate the youth on high-calibre heavy metal. “I just played them, like, deep cut Metallica riffs,” he laughs. “To six-year-olds who didn’t have a clue what I [was] playing. It was surreal – but they loved it though!”
While there wasn’t any moshing, the kids showed their appreciation. “They were all, like, jumping about and stuff,” Malia adds. “So it was pretty fun.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Malia also admits that the more grandiose shows and festival bookings continue to feel “surreal” for the band. “It’s not normal,” he says. “It’s just surreal when you actually play [those] shows, because it’s just as far as you can see – especially Rock Am Ring. It’s on a race course, and you look out and it just never ends…”
This year has welcomed in another milestone for Malia. This week, Jackson announced that it was partnering with the Bring Me riffer to create his own Pro Series signature guitar.
Based on Charvel’s Surfcaster which debuted in the early ‘90s, the Jackson LM-87 Surfcaster is the guitar of Malia’s dreams. “I’m beyond excited to bring my Jackson LM-87 Surfcaster to life,” says Lee Malia. “It’s the guitar I’ve dreamed of making for years and we’ve made sure it’s super accessible for a wide range of players. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I do.”
“Lee’s guitar is a perfect example of a guitar that can do it all,” says Tim Hillier-Brook, Artist Marketing Manager of Jackson Guitars. “From heavy down-tuned riffs to glassy clean leads, the playability and versatility of this guitar matches the musical breadth of the band’s discography.”
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
