Country music artist Charley Crockett shared a photo with Metallica frontman James Hetfield on social media. The image featured Hetfield making the iconic “devil horns” hand gesture, and it sparked immediate backlash from fans. Crockett wrote “Master Of Puppets” in the caption, referencing the legendary Metallica album.
The backlash was swift and pointed. One music fan commented: “Metallica used Satanic imagery but I guess that’s ok.” Another questioned Crockett’s motives, writing: “Oh man…so this is how Chuck gets back on all our good graces? Playing the Hetfield card?” A third fan was more direct, stating: “Restarting your ig to try and big boy folks having a little fun with your clowning around, using this pic while James is doing the fucking DEVIL HORNS Charley is really a choice.”
The controversy stems from Crockett’s recent decision to drop the indie rock duo Twin Temple from his tour lineup. He cited their use of Satanic imagery as the reason for the removal. The move came just a week before the scheduled shows, leaving the Los Angeles-based band scrambling to find alternative performance opportunities. Hetfield attended one of Crockett’s shows with his fiancée Adriana Gillett, and the photo’s publication created an ironic situation that fans were quick to exploit.
The Twin Temple incident had already generated significant controversy within the music community. The self-proclaimed “satanic doo wop” duo comprises married couple Alexandra and Zachary James. They announced on Instagram that Crockett had informed them of their removal from his tour dates due to their artistic aesthetic. The band’s catalog includes songs with titles such as “Lucifer, My Love” and “Satan’s a Woman,” which form the core of their theatrical and musical identity.
Crockett defended his decision by asserting it was his prerogative as a headliner to remove any opening act at his discretion. He framed the situation as part of broader discussions about artistic boundaries and personal values in the music industry. His response to the backlash included a cryptic post featuring a Johnny Cash photograph, accompanied by the statement: “If they did it to Jesus, imagine what they’ll do to you.”
This defensive posture intensified criticism from those who viewed his actions as inconsistent with his willingness to associate with imagery traditionally considered transgressive or provocative. The country artist’s appearance in photographs with Hetfield’s devil horns gesture created a narrative of perceived double standards. This narrative resonated across social media platforms.
The incident gained further traction when rock musician Jack White publicly offered Twin Temple an opening slot at one of his upcoming shows. This development elevated the controversy beyond a simple tour booking dispute into a broader conversation about artistic freedom, religious imagery in music, and the inconsistent application of moral standards within the entertainment industry. The juxtaposition of Crockett’s actions—removing a band for Satanic imagery while posing with Hetfield’s devil horns—became emblematic of what critics viewed as selective moral outrage.
