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- or -  VF: Before becoming a personal assistant, didn't you work on the Metallica road crew? How did you get that job? What were your duties? How long did the road crew job last?
SW: Each tour was different. It all started at the Slim Shows. [Ed. Metallica played some club shows in
 Article about the 1996 club shows written by Steve (from So What! 3.3) SW: Then there was Lollapalooza (Summer 1996). Lars had me videotape shows for him...and this spilled over into the Load/Reload tour (1996-97). I think me working on the Load tour was instigated by Niclas and Tony Smith. It felt like sort of an internship. I wasn't making any money, but I didn't have to pay for meals, hotel, rides on the bus, etc. which allowed me to continue to work on the tour. At that time, I was thinking that this will maybe go somewhere...maybe it won't. Lars would get me to do some personal things for him (handle his guests, tape shows, etc.) SW: Next was the Summer '98 tour. I was Zach Harmon's right-hand-man for that tour. I already knew a lot about instruments...I played guitar, etc., so I was probably the prime candidate to work for Zach. My duties varied from distributing setlists to putting the picks on the mic stands to holding guitars between songs to putting drinks on the side of the stage to grabbing shoes that were thrown onstage, etc. Real glamorous stuff, right?
 Last day of mixing for Garage, Inc. (from So What! 6.4) SW: Right after that, Metallica went straight into rehearsals at Kirk's house in San Francisco for “Garage, Inc.” Lars was like, "Let's keep you around for a while." I loved the studio stuff, so it was a fun studio experience, for sure. Back to The Plant! Brian Tatler (of Diamond Head) came over to Lars' one night and we jammed on Diamond Head songs ‘til the sun came up (Brian on guitar, I was on drums and Lars sang his ass off). Oh, and the Mercyful Fate make-up day was pretty fun(ny). James got into full King Diamond regalia for the Fate vocal tracks! Oh, and being in the passenger seat with Lars driving 300 mph (that’s 275 mph over the speed limit, by the way) up to his house listening to the Fate medley was a bit insane too.
 (picture courtesy of MetClub.com) SW: Then there was the “Garage, Inc.” Tour where I literally "turned the page" for James. I would sit right in front of James, jump up and turn the page (of his lyric book - since they sang all cover songs on that tour) between songs.
SW: For the Millenium tour it was doing that video crap with Niclas – METALLIVISION or whatever it was called. I think all of the episodes are available on the MetClub website now. [Ed. The
 StivOnTour.com? (picture courtesy of MetOnTour.com)
 Steve (far right), James, Kirk, Bob Rock, the SKOM cameraman and some MetClubbers/contest winners Relaunch Party - July 2002 (picture courtesy of Metclub.com)
 Steve (2nd from left), Lars (orange shirt), and some MetClubbers/contest winners Relaunch Party - July 2002 (picture courtesy of Metclub.com) VF: What is the most bizarre thing that's happened to you or the most bizarre thing you've seen while working as part of the Metallica road crew? SW: The whole thing in itself is very, very bizarre. The whole fame thing is pretty bizarre. People bowing, freaking out, all that stuff is bizarre to me. For instance, when we're in a car driving to the gig, in some places it's sort of like Beatle-mania. People will run up to the car and if the window is cracked, people will stick their camera right in the band's face. I'm not trying to sound mean, but that's kind of rude – as a human being. But, I can't forget it's a fandom-based thing and this may be that person's only chance to see Lars or James or whomever. So, I guess I can understand where these people might be coming from. SW: Also, things can get a little 'bizarre' if you hang around Dr. Don long enough...
 Dr. Don and Steve - Norfolk, VA - April 2004 (picture courtesy of MetOnTour.com)
 Dr. Don and Steve (foto by Fixxxer)
 The Doctor is in! (picture courtesy of Steve Wiig) VF: What is the coolest experience that you've had working with the Metallica road crew? SW: 'Playing bass with Metallica at The Playboy Mansion' is a statement that very few people can say. I should get a t-shirt made – "I played bass with Metallica @ the Playboy Mansion"
 This image has been photoshopped - this shirt does NOT actually exist...yet. VF: That's right! You were at the Playboy gig, and you got to do sound check with James, Kirk and Lars because Jason was at a friend's wedding? Any juicy stories to tell us? SW: Yes...but what happens at the Mansion stays at the Mansion (wink, wink).
 Metallica at the Playboy Mansion - Oct. 1998 (picture courtesy of Metallica.com) VF: Metallica has a reputation of playing jokes on crew members on their birthdays (i.e., pies in the face). Have they ever gotten you? SW: My birthday falls between Christmas and New Years (December 30th), so I'm relatively safe these days... Working with the band… VF: Obviously, working for Lars meant you had to move to California. How did you parents, family, and friends react when you first told them, "Hey, I'm moving to California to go work for Lars Ulrich of Metallica." Was it hard leaving Minnesota or were you ready to leave and start a new life? How did the move from Minnesota to California affect you, and do you like it in California? SW: I actually moved to California to work with Jason at The Chophouse in 2000. That happened when Metallica took that big long break during the Napster stuff after Summer Sanitarium. I already had a friendship/relationship with Jason (i.e., Papa Wheelie, Guzzinta Brothers, jamming, hanging out with Metallica, etc.) and he said he wanted to do Papa Wheelie fulltime and that he needed someone to help him record bands, etc. Right before he asked me to come and work with him, I was already doing some Echobrain t-shirt designs and logos for Jason.
 (picture courtesy of ChophouseRecords.com) SW: I'd been shuttling back and forth living in Minnesota and working in California and anticipating a move, so when Jason asked me to come work for him I was like "Perfect timing!" I had already moved away from home after college to Minnesota (Duluth and Minneapolis) and my family was still in Michigan. So moving to California was not that big a big deal. It feels like home to me. Every time I land at SFO (airport) it feels great to be back.
 "San Francisco has only one drawback. 'Tis hard to leave." – Rudyard Kipling Working with Lars... VF: Even though you spoke about this before (when talking about Jason), did you officially start to work for Lars as his assistant after Jason left Metallica? Or was it a gradual thing that happened over time? SW: Pretty much like that. It happened as soon as Jason left Metallica. But I guess it was gradual to some degree because I'd been 'around' for awhile... SW: I had done some personal stuff for Lars in the past though. During the recording/making of the Garage, Inc. album, I was working for Lars around the clock. We've always had a good rapport, so it was an easy choice for me. It's kind of funny now, because Lars made some wise-cracks to me in the past -- while I was working for Jason -- "Why aren't you working for ME?"
 Steve (red shirt) and Lars right before the show (from So What! 11.4) VF: In that article you wrote for So What! 3.3 (about the club shows in the summer 1996), Jason had some comments about not getting songwriting credits and changing up the setlist. That's kind of interesting now, don't you think? Especially since Jason has left Metallica and Metallica now varies their setlist from show to show. Yes it is. VF: Are there any conflicts of being a friend of Jason's and working for Lars?
SW: I never agreed to NOT be friends with Jason. Plus, I wouldn't allow myself to be controlled in that way. On the other side, I would never say something to Jason like, "Hey, here's the inside scoop on Metallica." My relationship with Jason was based on music (Papa Wheelie, Guzzinta Brothers, etc.) and the same musical interests (Kyuss, Sabbath, etc.) There may have been spots where it may have been awkward, but it never got like the situation with Toby (MetClub). It was never like that. [Ed. Steve
 Lars and Steve (picture courtesy of Steve Wiig) VF: What does an "assistant" do? Please tell me you don't cut Lars' grass or do his laundry? HA HA HA!!! Explain what a "typical day" (if there is such a thing for you) is like for you. SW: Sorry – no grass, no laundry. Typical? It all depends on where we are - the road, the studio, or at home. What I do is pretty broad. It's constantly changing. SW: Lars has a pretty full plate - whether he's in Metallica-mode or not, so basically I help him with whatever he's got going on in his life at the time. Some of the more ‘routine’ stuff I do might include organizing Metallica stuff, computer stuff, business stuff, art stuff, random errands, etc. The only guarantee there is that it'll be something different each day. As Lars would say, "The only thing that stays the same is change." What's the saying - 'it's not a job, it's a lifestyle'? It can get kinda gray sometimes... the blurry line between work and friendship, but it's all about balance in the end. It's a very 'intimate' situation because you end up spending a lot of time together - which means you can go from sharing huge laughs and amazing adventures to bickering like a couple of old ladies. But we've had this sort of relationship for over a decade so I think we know each other's dynamics figured out pretty well by now.
 Who's the star? Steve or Lars? (picture courtesy of Steve Wiig) VF: What’s the worst part about being Lars' assistant? SW: "The Curse" (ask Lars next time you see him) SW: Oh - and Snot Ropes! When he sneezes, he has these long, quarter-inch thick ‘snot ropes’. On one of the MetOnTour videos, you can see/hear me puking in the background because I had just seen another one of his snot ropes. I took the picture (below) for Lars' 'Word from the Sponsor' section (for So What! 9.2). He made me get up really close up. When I took that picture, I threw up in my mouth. (laughing) He knows I hate it, and he loves it. (more laughing)
 The Snot Rope Master (from So What! 9.2) VF: As Lars' assistant, what do you do during a Metallica show? Do you check them out? Hang out backstage? SW: During the actual show is often times the most relaxing part of the day for me - sometimes. I usually stay within shouting distance of Lars - standing behind him or behind the mesh screen. Depending on where we are, however, I might spend the entire show tracking down or entertaining his guests. I might get something to eat if there’s time. Lars always has a little break during the 1st half of "Nothing Else Matters" so we might chit-chat a little bit about what needs to get done, etc.
 I guess Steve doesn't like Lars' drumming (picture courtesy of MetOnTour.com)
 Hard at work... (foto by Fixxxer)
 Hard at work... (foto by Fixxxer) VF: Do people think you’re brothers? SW: We get asked that question almost every day on tour.
 Are you guys brothers? (picture by Ross Halfin) VF: Being Lars' assistant also means you travel to every Metallica show. Do you like to travel or does it become boring after a while? And how does it affect your personal life? SW: It's never boring. Maybe repetitious (hotel-gig-airport, hotel-gig-airport, etc.), but never boring. Lars doesn't let it get boring. He’s quite an ambitious ball of energy. Being in the 'band party' (which consists of the four band members, a tour manager, personal assistants & security) is very, very different from going to shows as a fan or even as a crew member. The Band Party usually flies everywhere while The Road Crew travel from city to city on a bus, while going as a fan you usually travel via car; eat crappy food; stop at truckstops; stay in creepy hotels; see the places you travel to/from, etc. There's something fun about that...that road dog kind of spirit, but I don't know if I could ever do the fan version of it again. It's fun when you're in your 20's, but I don't know if I could travel like that again today - especially with a family.
 Steve with Lars and Kirk - Metallibash 2001 (who's the wanker on the far left?) (from So What! 8.3) SW: Plus, they don't tour like they used to, so it's not as bad as it was, but of course touring will affect a person in some way or another. The week or so before we leave is actually harder than once we’re gone. The build up is much more stressful: I'm in my home groove...I hate packing...I gotta get a lot of things done before I leave...tie up loose ends, etc. But, once you get to where we're going, it's not that bad. Nobody wants to be away from home more than they have to. I'm pretty lucky compared to some of the crew guys though because they have to travel from city to city and stay in that city even if there are 3-4 days between shows. Sometimes I may get to go home with the band if there are several days in between shows. So, I may get to see my family a little more often. VF: Now that you travel with the band and see every show, do you remember the last time you were at a Metallica show as a member of the audience? (Come on, admit it – you miss being mashed up against the rail by sweaty, smelly guys, right?) SW: I do miss that feeling actually. But it's more the feeling than the physical aspect. That young, hungry, curious feeling. Nostalgia maybe? But I think I always knew I could only do that for a limited time – I would have to go in hard and fast and 'figure it all out' vs. going to shows in the front row for 10-20 years. That's just me.
 Steve on the front row - San Fran - June 1996 (picture courtesy of Metallica.com) VF: Do you miss being at general admission Metallica shows and headbanging? SW: Like I said – I miss the feeling – in a nostalgic way, but I wouldn't want to be there now – but it'd be fun to go back in time to the actual 'old days' and check 'em out again...
 Steve on the front row - will it ever happen again???
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