Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliot has revealed that he is sponsoring the 2014 Heavy Metal Truants charity bike ride, and is urging all fans of rock and heavy metal music to do the same.
The ride – which raises money for Nordiff Robbins, Teenage Cancer Trust, and Childline – is a three day, 162 mile trek from London to the Download festival at Donnington Park.
The riders will set off from the UK capital on the 11th of June, and aim to arrive at Download around midday on the 13th June, just in time for the festival to begin. This year’s pack of riders includes Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood, who founded the Heavy Metal Truants, Metal Hammer magazine editor Alexander Milas, and the man that Def Leppard’s Joe Elliot is sponsoring, heavy metal fan Andy Huuns.
“This is a great cause,” says Elliot, “so I’ve decided to sponsor Andy, and I’m encouraging everybody to do the same thing – and if not Andy then somebody else they know.”
“London to Donington – that’s pretty hardcore,” continues the singer, before breaking out the Leppard puns. “These guys can’t do it in a day, so they’ll have to cycle on through the night, which would leave them high ‘n’ dry in the morning. They would have to start a campfire to warm up – hence being pyromaniacs. This in in turn would probably affect their brains, causing mass hysteria. And then they would need lots of Red Bull to adrenalise themselves to finish the race. And you can quote me on that!”
You can donate to Heavy Metal Truants here.
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