Following the news that Metallica’s former bassist Jason Newsted will rejoin the band on stage at this weekend’s Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, we understand drummer Lars Ulrich is also arranging surprise guest appearances from “a host of New Wave Of British Heavy Metal legends”.

Ulrich said: “As everyone knows, the NWOBHM was a big influence on me in particular and Metallica in general.

“What better way to celebrate our induction into the Hall Of Fame than to invite the likes of Kevin Riddles along to join us for this spectacular occasion?”

Riddles, of course, rose to fame as the bassist with NWOBHM combo Angel Witch.

As well as Riddles, Classic Rock understands that Montalo (Witchfynde guitarist), Sniffa (Spider guitarist), Mick Dunn (Split Beaver drummer), Woolfy Trope (Witchfinder General bassist), Gary Lettice (Holocaust vocalist), Derick Pickles (Dragster vocalist) and Stef Prockopczuk (Gaskin bassist) have been invited to appear.

The all-star NWOBHM cast is expected to jam with Metallica on a version of Diamond Head’s Sucking My Love. “Assuming the song title doesn’t offend the Hall Of Fame powers-that-be,” quipped Ulrich.

However, one notable absentee will be Diamond Head guitarist Brian Tatler.

Even though Diamond Head are Ulrich’s favourite NWOBHM band, Tatler is too busy working on a solo album.

“It’s a concept album with an ‘eco’ theme,” Tatler revealed exclusively to Classic Rock.

“I’m very concerned about the world’s melting ice-caps and I came up with the idea of covering them in giant sheets of tin foil, so the rays of the sun are reflected back into the atmosphere. The title of the album is Polar Foil.”