PHOTO CREDIT: @whoisjazel @blackcardfilms
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 the new instrumental/post-metal project Lybica’s Justin Foley (of Killswitch Engage) as he reveals his pets enjoy a wide variety of music from Sigur Ros to Cannibal Corpse.
Tell us more about your pet(s) and their names?
Gladly. Leviathan is my old lady cat. She’s fluffy and sweet and her favorite thing to do is sit next to me, belly up. fluff exposed for a petting. Daphne is another fluffy beast. She’s touch activated, purrs as soon as you make contact. She acts shy but is secretly a lover. Velma is the third kitty, and if there was a step counter on her, she’d probably average 100 a day. She’s the chattiest and will have long conversations about where and where not to pet her. And the newest member is Lily, a collie mix. She is desperate to be friends with the cats, but they are still trying to figure her out. Lily is all play outside, all snuggles inside.
Have you ever taken your pet on tour?
Nope. I can’t imagine any of them would be happy in that environment. Instead I just have to settle for a ton of pictures and videos while missing them terribly.
Who looks after your pet while on the road?
My partner Leigh. She’s about as obsessed as I am, I’d say. The last time I was out she said Daphers was sleeping on my side of the bed every night, so she either missed me or was trying to take my place.
What’s your pet’s favorite song or album?
I discovered that Leviathan likes Sigur Ros while driving her to the vet one day. It calmed her. It must be because the vocals are in her same register. Pretty sure Velma is into Cannibal Corpse, she has some aggression to work through. I think Daph is more into pop punk because she’s pretty bouncy. And Lily just sings her own theme song in her head 24/7; “I’m a dog, I’m a dog, I’m a beautiful dog!”
How did you introduce your pet to metal?
I said to them “You guys like your food, right? And your litter? And toys? Well, this is how I can afford to buy all those things for you, so you need to like this too.” They understood.
What animal charity means most to you?
Probably the Humane Society, but really, every place that rescues animals and every person that fosters them is doing beautiful work. My Instagram page is basically for following animals, and @kitten_faces is probably my favorite. I also need to mention Dogs And Cats Forever in Ft Pierce FL, that’s where we found Lily. All our animals are from shelters or from the streets, and we’re happy to try to give them their best possible lives.
