Jam band fan or Taliban?

Daniel Freed says,

As the recent UK airport shakedown of Metallica's James Hetfield has shown us, it's way too easy to mistake a guy with a beard for a member of a terrorist organization.

One blog has been courageously pointing out this fact since way before authorities in London questioned Hetfield.

That blog is mine and it's called Jam Band Fan or Taliban.

If you think airport security officials have an easy job separating terrorists from dudes with beards, you should give it a try.

Reader comment: Justin says,

Just found this great pic of James Hetfield taken at the live earth concert and thought it needed a bit of captioning in light of his recent detainment for the alleged "Taliban-like beard" (looks more Amish to me). He looks angry … I wouldn't want to detain him. Link.

And BB Phil Too was among many to point to reports that the Hetfield thing is bogus:

A quick Google will bring up links to a number of sites reporting that Metallica have stated that the story is not true.

James Hetfield: 'Airport Story False'

Metallica frontman James Hetfield has laughed off reports he was temporarily detained by security officials at a British airport. It was rumored the rocker was interrogated by officials at Luton airport ahead of Saturday's Live Earth London gig because he had a "Taliban-like beard".

But a spokesman for Hetfield says, "It's false. It's not true."