Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich doesn't even put his own socks on.

The US heavy metal drummer is so demanding, he even likes to have a member of road crew put his socks on for him, according to the band's singer, James Hetfield.

Speaking no Norwegian TV, James - who is joined in the band by Lars, bassist Rob Trujilo and guitarist Kirk Hamett - said: "For high maintenance and demanding it's a tie for first place between Lars and Kirk.

"They need what they need, 'Oh - my shoelaces are the wrong colour', or, you know. It's different, we all operate differently.

"I feel better when people are away from me and I can get into my own space; then Lars - he likes people plugging in his earphones, putting his socks on, all of this stuff."

The 'I Disappear' singer also said that as the group - who have been together for almost 30 years - have got older their riders, or backstage demands, have also developed.

He said: "It's pretty boring these days. My rider is pretty different than it was ten years ago.

"Then it was, 'This vodka, that beer. That's it'. Now it's more, 'These fruits, these vegetables for our smoothies, and a certain kind of tea'. But we're not health freaks."

Metallica are presently touring throughout Europe this summer.