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Lars Ulrich Accepts Will Ferrell and Chad Smith’s Drum-Off Challenge

Lars Ulrich, Will Ferrell, Chad Smith, drum-off, Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, battle, challenge, accepted, bring it on

Lars Ulrich has picked up the gauntlet. On June 10, Will Ferrell and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith told SPIN the Metallica founding member was their next target for a drum battle. The actor-comedian, who dueled with his RHCP lookalike for charity in a “traditional drum-off” this past May on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, called Ulrich’s physical appearance “eerily similar” to that of him and Smith.

“Lars gets pissed because he gets mistaken for both me and Chad Smith,” Ferrell said over the phone. “He can settle that score now, too.”

Enter the guy who played drums on “Enter Sandman.” In an exclusive statement to SPIN, Ulrich has accepted the challenge. You can read the whole thing below. But here’s the gist: While some may question whether the Metallica kit-pummeler truly resembles Ferrell as much as Smith does, Ulrich accepts that he’s a “dead ringer.” And of course, he’s concerned that the former Saturday Night Live star might be unbeatable.

But the Danish-born thrash-metal icon is “definitely up” for a potential three-way drum-off. “Bring it on!!!” he writes. Now it’s just a matter of finding a time and a venue for what will surely be an unparalleled display of sticksmanship (that’s a word, right?).

Here’s Ulrich’s statement:

It was a little lonely on the sidelines during the first drum-off, given the somewhat forced nature of the lookalike element between Chad Smith and Will Ferrell, when I’m TRULY the one carrying that dead-ringer gene around! As for any further drum-offs, I’m sure that with a bit of practice, I could give Chad a run for his money. But Will? That’s a whole different story. He rules the “bad-ass drummer universe.” I mean, you’re talking about a guy who’s so next level, actually, so beyond next level, that he may just be completely unreachable! That said, I’m definitely up for the challenge…Bring it on!!!

UPDATE: Smith has responded on Facebook, writing: “Two pieces of advice for Lars: Leave the double bass drums at home and load up on cowbells!”

The rivalry between Ferrell and Smith reached drum-off levels early this year after Ferrell acknowledged Smith’s doppelgänger status in a Reddit AMA. Once they raised $300,000 for charity, the drum battle was set. Watch Ferrell and Smith’s ferocious Fallon competition below, benefiting Cancer for College and Little Kids Rock. Oh, and Weezer’s Patrick Wilson, it’s not too late to throw your Frisbee into the — um, do they ever hold traditional drum-offs in a ring?

//www.youtube.com/embed/0uBOtQOO70Y