I thought I’d never live to see Metallica at Slane
I knew if I lost the battle with cancer my family could keep Slane going..
HENRY Mountcharles yesterday told of his incredible journey from death’s door to signing Metallica for Slane next summer declaring: “It’s good to be back.”
The 67-year-old is still battling cancer and revealed at a critical point last Christmas he thought he would never see another live gig in his famous back garden.
But he said he has been re-energised by the Nothing Else Matters hitmakers’ first Irish gig in a decade.
In an exclusive chat after a press conference to unveil the US headliners, the Irish Mirror columnist:
said he knew if he lost his cancer fight, his family would continue the rock legacy he kickstarted by the banks of the River Boyne in 1981
hinted he would love to get Oasis back to headline
insisted he will never repeat the double sold-out shows which saw 160,000 fans pack into his castle to see U2 in 2001, and
paid a touching tribute to the late Cranberries frontwoman Dolores O’riordan, 46, who was found dead in a bath at her London hotel room in January.
On his continuing health troubles, Lord Henry said: “I’m undergoing the second cycle of chemotherapy at the moment and it’s not an easy ride.
“I had a very close shave with death over Christmas [last year] and the New Year.
“It’s a tough thing and it alters your perspective on life.
“I find one of the interesting things is how much I enjoy nature. I have the great privilege of living in such beautiful surroundings.”
At his lowest point, lying in St James’s Hospital in Dublin, he added he believed he would never get to witness another concert.
Lord Henry said: “But I knew my family would continue. You have to plumb your inner strengths. I have an amazingly supportive family. “Iona [wife] lived in my hospital room for months and I could never have got through it without her. “I was in hospital when Guns N’ Roses performed [last year]. “I lay in my hospital bed seeing live photos coming in over my mobile phone, so I was still rocking in my bed.
“I was obviously sad I missed the show, but my kids are now part of the operation, this is very much a family affair. I hope the shows will go on.
“The most important dimension in life is one single word – hope. And if you have hope, you have everything.
“The sun is shining this morning and every day I wake up on God’s earth is a blessing.”
Speaking of the Metallica gig, which he said was on the band’s bucket list, Lord Henry added: “It is very special; it’s going to be energetic and uplifting. It does give me a thrill.
“The hunger is still there and it was lovely being up at that top table with my son and my daughter and seeing Iona grinning in the audience.
“We were on the band’s wishlist, people tried to twist my arm and my
I had a very close shave with death last year. It alters your perspective HENRY MOUNTCHARLES SLANE CASTLE YESTERDAY
arm ain’t for twisting, I shake hands.” Asked if the band – which performs a strict 50 live gigs a year – approached him to play, he revealed: “It was a bit of both, two-way traffic.”
No Metallica members attended yesterday’s briefing but in a video message beamed into the castle for the media, the group said: “We are psyched to be back to play this legendary venue.”
Lord Henry also told how he recently bumped into Queen legend Brian May, who told him he remembered the band’s 1986 gig there as one of his all-time favourites.
One group which never got to headline was The Cranberries and Lord Henry spoke of the shock loss of Limerick singer Dolores earlier this year.
He said: “What a wonderful voice. It fills me with sadness that as it happens, a lot of musicians and rock’n’roll heroes have been taken young.
“I never knew Dolores personally but what a beautiful voice.”
On the future of Slane, he added it is highly unlikely fans will see a repeat by any band of the two U2 gigs which rocked Slane twice in a week in 2001. Lord Henry said: “I’d be very reluctant to do that [again].
There were very special circumstances.
“U2 are special in my heart. Adam Clayton is one of my closest friends, the band recorded The Unforgettable Fire here, they lived here for six months on and off when they were recording that and they were the main support for the first show.”
On the possibility of welcoming back Oasis to the castle, he reckons it could be a runner, but only if the band patch up their differences. Lord Henry said: “It is up to them, I have great affection for Oasis.
“The first time I saw them live was in New York. I was blown away and there were only 600 people there.
“They played support to REM in 1995, then when they headlined it was deemed to be one of the great Slanes.
“I’ve had some very engaging conversations with Noel in this very room, so I’m watching with interest.”
Tickets for Metallica’s Worldwired Tour Slane date on Saturday, June 8, 2019, go on sale this Friday at 10am.