Nickelback bassist and noted metal fan Mike Kroeger saw Meshuggah at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City this September and had a great time. In an interview with 106.6 Radio Rock, Kroeger said the venue was mayhem throughout the whole show and that he's looking forward to hanging with Meshuggah drummer Tomas Haake. And who knows – maybe Kroeger could even convince him to help Nickelback work on their hypothetical metal covers album?
"I saw Meshuggah play at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. Before we came to Rome to do press, we had a week vacation in New York. And I was really upset that I was gonna miss Meshuggah when they came to Los Angeles, but luckily I found out while we were in New York, they were playing in New York. So through some friends I got into the show.
"I know Tomas, the [Meshuggah] drummer. I don't bother Tomas on show days; it's too much. Especially in Los Angeles, backstage is, like, three hundred people. New York's probably just as bad. And I just said, 'Tomas, do a great show. I'll see you in another…'
"When we go to Stockholm is when we hang out, because he has time then. But they absolutely ripped the roof off the Hammerstein Ballroom. I was in the balcony in the seats, and every head was… Everybody was moving in the seats. On the floor, they were, like, killing each other."
In a 2019 interview, Kroeger voiced his love of bands like Meshuggah, saying he and Nickelback drummer Daniel Adair bonded over their technicality.
"I listen to bands like Meshuggah, Gojira, Lamb of God… and we became friends with those guys. Daniel and I nerd out on stuff they do, and as musicians, we love to listen to it. Have you ever listened to Animals As Leaders?… I've never seen them play live, I've only seen what I can dig up on YouTube, and their newest record, The Madness Of Many, is so heavy. I just cannot believe how sick it is. I love it… The freedom of expression is extraordinary, and really inspirational. There are no boundaries, and that's the kind of music I like."
So… when are Kroeger and Haake gonna form their own technical-but-radio-friendly metal band?
