Metallica and Lou Reed Offer Something Old, Something New on UK TV

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You know that old saying about honey -- i.e. something pleasant -- making the medicine go down? The opposite might have been the case last night on the British music show 'Later ... With Jools Holland,' where Metallica and Lou Reed performed two songs.

The unlikely supergroup offset 'Iced Honey,' a song from its much-criticized (if not universally reviled) 'Lulu' album, with something people are likely to find a tad sweeter: 'White Light/White Heat,' a beloved classic by Reed's old band the Velvet Underground.

The songs wound up sounding fairly similar, but no matter what people think of metal's biggest group joining forces with rock's most notorious curmudgeon, the musicians seem to be enjoying themselves. During 'White Light,' Metallica frontman James Hetfield -- rocking a fauxhawk, for some reason -- sang with closed-eyed abandon, growling as only he can. Guitarist Kirk Hammett, meanwhile, worked in some shredding the Velvets (rightfully) never would never have dreamed of.

At the end of 'Iced Honey,' Hetfield flashed a giant grin, while Reed threw his guitar pick to the ground, looking about as close to pleased as he's likely to look. Apparently, neither rocker was aware that 'Lulu' sold a mere 13,000 copies in its first week, as Blabbermouth reports.

Watch Lou Reed and Metallic Perform 'Iced Honey' on 'Later ... With Jools Holland'