The fact that people use their mobile phones and film shows has been controversial for years, with people like Tool‘S Maynard James Keenan to be vocal against this practice. Now you can add Lamb of God Singer Randy Blythe to those who are against it.

In an interview with Kyle Meredith, Blythe said fans should “put down their damn phones and be there,” and later noted how ridiculous it was that anyone was filming the shows at all.

“Put your damn phones down and be present. I haven’t done that yet, but I will. As phones become more prevalent, one day at a particularly phone-driven show I’m going to go out and bring a stool and put it in the middle of the stage after a song or two. Then I’m going to turn my phone on and point it at the audience. I’m going to sit there and sing a whole song.

“I’m not going to move. I’m going to do what they do. And then at the end I’m going to say, ‘Did you like that? No? Me neither. So why don’t we stay here together? Put your damn phone down.’ The memories you’re going to have from experiencing this show through this digital filter or whatever, a crappy cell phone video… You’re not going to Steven Spielberg.

“Sit here and enjoy the show with me. Be here with me, because that’s how it was when I first started going to shows. Except – thank God – those people in the ’80s who were photography nerds. Those weird people, there was always one or two with a camera taking pictures, and thank God for them, because they were documenting things. But everyone else was there. And people miss it these days by watching a show through a tiny iPhone screen. Be here with me.”

Blythe was later asked why he did not Tool-similar approach and ban on phones from Lamb of God shows. Blythe said his band probably wouldn’t agree, and later noted that he wasn’t specifically against cell phones – it was just that fans should maybe be a little more conscious about their use. Which is fair enough, to be honest.

“I’ve thought about it. My band probably wouldn’t agree with it. I would be absolutely thrilled if there were no cell phones. Because these things distort our reality in a terrible way across the board.

“I’m not a Luddite, I’m not against technology – obviously we’re using it right now – but I think it would be good for us to step back and examine our relationship with technology and see what’s being taken away from us, the human aspect,” he continued. “And I’m just going to talk about music here – it has certainly removed that human aspect from shows at times in many ways.

“I’m certainly not one to say, ‘Oh, nobody can take a picture,’ I’m not that kind of guy or anything, but it really bothers me how much people miss,” Randy added. “You’re actually missing the show. You’re not here. You’re looking at your phone, buddy. When I went to shows, I was looking around and not at the band. I was looking at the cute girls that were there. You know what? You can’t do that on your phone. There’s no ‘swipe left’ or anything in the middle of the show. Put your phone down. Be here with us. Meet people, talk, have a human experience.”