Paws, Pets & Metal is Metal Insider’s newest column on bands with pets, discovering who watches them on the road, and more. Get to know more about these metal furbabies. We caught up with Culled as they revealed their pets enjoy a diversity of music from Metallica to Yes.
Tell us more about your pet(s) and their names?
Ben (Guitar): Freyja. She’s a rescue German Shepherd mix.
Chris (Bass): Tubbs, looks like a black lab, but he is a Shepard Pyrenees and lab mix, Tubbs mother Nezzy Shepard wolf cross.
Curtis (Drums): Hetfield is a Chocolate lab / Alaskan Malamute mix (no mystery who we named him after), and Finnegan is (we think) – a German Shepherd / Blue Heeler mix. We rescued him when his mother died of hypothermia. Sad, but the whole litter survived!
Shane (Vocals): Cupcake, she’s a Toy Poodle, Noelle is a Pomeranian/Papillon mix
Have you ever taken your pet on tour?
Ben: I couldn’t. As much as I love having her around, I don’t think touring is the life for her.
Chris: never taken the dogs on tour.
Curtis: My dogs are almost horse-sized and take up too much room, so they’d need to either play an instrument or work the merch table. They stay in a countryside kennel when I’m on the road.
Shane: Not much room in the tour van for people let alone a pet.
Who looks after your pet while on the road?
Ben: My parents or my good friend Sasha. She keeps my parents busy, and Sasha has a couple of Springer Spaniels that make amazing playmates for Freyja.
Chris: my wife and son look after pets when I play shows abroad.
Curtis: A great kennel out of town that lets them run around and have some fun.
Shane: My family, I can barely tie my shoes before leaving the house.
What’s your pet’s favorite song or album?
Ben: She’s super calm with little bursts of energy here and there, so probably Close to the Edge by Yes.
Chris: Nezzy seems to enjoy Pig Destroyer, while Tubbs is really into Hatebeak
Curtis: Hetfield’s would obviously be a Metallica song (although I’ve never asked him) – my guess is Eye of the Beholder off …And Justice for All. Finnegan is more of an 80’s new wave fan – Talk Talk by the band, Talk Talk.
Shane: Cupcake clearly fucks with Napalm Death, Noelle’s more of a Tool girl, and Zakki’s all about Cattle Decap
How did you introduce your pet to metal?
Ben: Poor girl has to constantly put up with me demoing ideas, so her first exposure was probably early Psycles riffs.
Chris: the dogs listen to what we listen to
Curtis: Road Trips, and jamming at home mostly.
Shane: Mostly at home and in the car… we tend to leave them home for gigs
What animal charity means most to you?
Ben: In the Woods Animal Rescue in Nampa, AB. They took care of Freyja until someone showed me her picture, and I just knew. Drove 4.5 hours there to adopt her and 4.5 hours back home in -30°C. Best road trip of my life.
Chris: I support all no kill animal rescue charities, especially scars, and wild north
Curtis: Any organization big or small that does whatever they can to help animals that are in need of foster care, medical assistance, or a new home. We love our furry friends.
Shane: Any local shelter is doing the hard work, I would suggest supporting them if you can.
