The battle was over, but the war rages on. Just weeks after actor Will Ferrell and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith had their epic showdown on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, the two doppelgängers teamed up and challenged Lars Ulrich of the almighty Metallica. After days of speculation, our friends over at SPIN have confirmed that Ulrich has indeed accepted the challenge. In an exclusive statement to SPIN, Lars states:
“It was a little lonely on the sidelines during the first drum-off, given the somewhat forced nature of the lookalike element between Chad Smith and Will Ferrell, when I’m TRULY the one carrying that dead-ringer gene around! As for any further drum-offs, I’m sure that with a bit of practice, I could give Chad a run for his money. But Will? That’s a whole different story. He rules the ‘bad-ass drummer universe.’ I mean, you’re talking about a guy who’s so next level, actually, so beyond next level, that he may just be completely unreachable! That said, I’m definitely up for the challenge…Bring it on!!!”
A statement from Will Ferrell says, “Lars gets pissed because he gets mistaken for both me and Chad Smith. He can settle that score now, too.” Ferrell and Smith’s drum-off came to fruition when the duo raised $300,000 for Cancer For College, as well as Little Kids Rock.
Metallica and world-renowned pianist Lang Lang recently performed “One” at the 56th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. Shortly after, the band released “One (Awards Show Rehearsal Version)”, a special recording made on January 23rd at EastWest Studios in Los Angeles, CA during rehearsals for their dual performance. A portion of the single’s sales will be donated to MusiCares, a Grammy foundation that 
provides services and resources for musicians, including financial, medical, and personal assistance. The song is available for download on iTunes now. Shortly after the Grammys, Lang Lang headlined Carnegie Hall in New York City. Metallica are still touring relentlessly in support of their 2008 Grammy Award-winning album, Death Magnetic. Metallica released another live DVD from their World Magnetic Tour, Quebec Magnetic, last fall. It was the band’s first release on their own newly founded North American label, Blackened Recordings. In September 2013, the band released their first-ever feature film, Metallica Through The Never, an explosive live concert film combined with an original story line that thrilled fans in IMAX theaters around the world. Metallica are currently touring, hitting several major festivals around the world. They are also working on new music, and released a demo version of a new song “The Lords of Summer” which they have been playing live.
Red Hot Chili Peppers were one of the top-grossing touring artists in 2012. It was a banner year for the Red Hot Chili Peppers as well, who were touring off their 2011 release, I’m With You, which debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album. The band mounted a monster 77-show run, with which they hauled in almost $58 million. Together for over 20 years, the Red Hot Chili Peppers have been one of the most successful and inventive rock bands in history. With over 60 million albums sold worldwide, the band has 5 multi-platinum albums. Both Californication and Blood Sugar Sex Magik were ranked in Rolling Stone Magazine’s “500 Greatest Albums of All-Time.” Throughout their illustrious career, the band has garnered 7 Grammy Awards, and they were inducted into the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame on April 14, 2012. Back in September 2013, Red Hot Chili Peppers began writing music for their next album. On February 2, the band rocked out at the NFL Super Bowl XLVIII Halftime Show. – by Matt Bishop (@The_MattBishop)