Back when MTV was actually, you know, about music, they had an annual special called the MTV Icon. Each year from 2001 to 2004, the channel chose an artist to honor with a celebration, and Metallica were the stars of the 2003 segment.

To commemorate the thrashers' legacy, a large event was thrown on May 3 of that year and was attended by a large variety of prominent celebrities at the time. Even the performances were diverse — Snoop Dogg, Avril Lavigne, Staind — and they all did covers of Metallica songs. Other present figures included Sean Penn, comedian Jim BreuerKelly Osbourne and more. The 90-minute televised special aired on May 6.

The early 2000s were a weird time, dominated by nu-metal, power pop, pop punk, post-grunge, strange hair and even stranger clothing. But odds are if you didn't know this celebration existed, then you've probably never seen photos of Lars Ulrich being flipped off by Korn's Fieldy while talking to Jonathan Davis, or Rob Zombie posing with Lisa Marie Presley. But they exist, and you can check them out down below.

Unlikely Rockstars Hanging Out Backstage

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