Randy Blythe is one of metal's most physically dynamic performers. The Lamb of God frontman is 51 years old, and he still thrashes his body onstage with the vigor of someone half his age, but the Richmond, Virginia-based musician isn't sure how much longer he can keep doing it.
In a new interview with Metal Hammer, Blythe said that he won't be able to handle the "total physical immersion" of a Lamb of God performance forever, and that the idea of retirement has been on his brain lately. Lamb of God will turn 30 in 2025, and Blythe fully plans to make it to that landmark, but his recent comments suggest that he might not hold the mic for Lamb of God for too much longer after that.
"I haven't seen that exit ramp yet," Blythe said. "That's very specific to Lamb of God, too — not to music in general, as I plan on making music for as long as I possibly can. But nobody needs to see 70-year-old Randy Blythe up onstage jumping around and yelling, 'This is a motherfucking invitation."
"I'm such a physical performer; that's what it is for me," he continued. "Total physical immersion in our music. I don't know how long I'll be able to do that. I know for a fact that, unless something horrible happens, if we make it to 2025, that'll be 30 years of the band. I gotta make it to 30 years, and I think my body can take that."
As Blabbermouth points out, Blythe also opened up about this topic during an appearance on the Metalsucks Podcast back in 2015. In that conversation, he bet "every penny in my bank account" that fans won't see him onstage with Lamb of God when he hits 60 — which is a lot closer now than it was then.
"I think I'm a better writer than I am a musician. And I'm not gonna be in Lamb of God when I'm 70 years old. But hopefully I'll still be writing books. I will bet you every penny in my bank account that you will not see a 60-year-old Randy hopping around, screaming 'walk me in hell.' Fuck that. That's not gonna happen… It's not gonna happen. God, that would be atrocious. No one needs to witness that.
"Can you imagine me at 60? I'm skinny enough as it is. By then I'll have a little gut. I'll look like a toothpick that swallowed a bowling ball, probably bald ... My throat will probably fall out if I do that by then."
