The Osbourne family has taken a public stance in the ongoing feud between Metallica frontman James Hetfield and Roger Waters. The family restocked a T-shirt designed to jab at Waters, now repurposed in support of Hetfield, as shared in an Instagram post.
The shirt previously targeted Waters over his criticism of the late Ozzy Osbourne. It is now restocked to back Hetfield.
The Osbourne family’s announcement: “‘Another Pr*ck In The Wall Tee’ Restocked for 48 Hours in support of our friend James.”
The move follows remarks Hetfield made on October 10, during the fourth of Metallica’s 10 shows at the Las Vegas Sphere. He addressed performers who use live shows to push messages, and he appeared to take a shot at artists who use their stages to make political statements. He said the band’s focus was on “love, energy, and heavy music” rather than an agenda.
“Unless you live in Vegas, you’ve come a long way to spend some time with Metallica. We’re grateful for that – your travels, the money you spend, the time it took. Thanks for coming to celebrate with us,” Hetfield said.
He continued with a direct statement about the band’s approach to its performances.
“And I just gotta say, Metallica is not here, like some other entertainers, to influence you with their bullshit, OK? We are here, no bullshit. We’re here to forget about all the outside shit, OK?”
Waters later responded to Hetfield’s comments with sharp criticism of the Metallica singer. His reply drew wide attention and quickly became a talking point among fans of both bands. He went beyond the insult and also questioned Hetfield’s abilities as a player.
“He’s just showing that he’s a complete prick. He’s got an IQ of about three, and why we’re talking about him, I don’t even know, because he’s a nobody. He may have a few hundred million dollars or whatever, but he’s a prick,” Waters said.
“He’s no musician,” Waters added, saying he had heard Metallica play acoustic and was unimpressed. He also said Hetfield lacked someone to explain the importance of kindness and empathy.
The restock puts the Osbourne family firmly on Hetfield’s side of a dispute that has drawn attention across the rock and metal community.
The shirt’s name plays on Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall,” the band Waters co-founded. The word “pr*ck” echoes the insult Waters aimed at Ozzy Osbourne. By restocking the design for Hetfield, the family turns that insult back on Waters and defends Ozzy’s name in the same move.
The back-and-forth has turned a stage comment into a wider argument over whether live music and politics belong together. The Osbourne family’s restock adds a merchandise-driven chapter to that debate. Further updates may follow.
