PENTAGRAM’s Bobby Liebling on Sudden Internet Fame: “We’ve Needed Police Escorts”

Despite 50 years entrenched in doom metal history, Pentagram have long been associated more with missed opportunities and controversy than mainstream success. Much of that turbulence stems from the erratic behavior of 71-year-old frontman Bobby Liebling, whose struggles with addiction and personal demons derailed the band’s momentum on multiple occasions.

Liebling’s spiral into drug addiction and isolation during the 1990s and 2000s was partially reversed thanks to the 2011 documentary Last Days Here, which reignited interest in Pentagram and showcased his path toward redemption. That renewed spotlight helped the band gain traction again, though the road ahead remained rocky.

In 2016, Wax Idols and King Woman pulled out of a tour with Pentagram, citing unprofessional behavior and harassment. A year later, Liebling was arrested and sentenced to prison for assaulting his elderly mother—a situation his bandmates described as occurring during a “drug-induced rage.”

Following his release, Liebling returned to the stage, reportedly remorseful and rehabilitated. The band has remained active, but their visibility skyrocketed earlier this year when viral footage of Liebling seemingly zoned out onstage racked up millions of views.

In a recent interview with Altars Of Metal, transcribed by Ultimate Guitar, Liebling reflected on the bizarre nature of this sudden fame:

“The whole thing flipped me out at first. It was pretty weird. I always had this dream of maybe someday I can have a post on Instagram or Facebook, and it will be viral. And it was like… Jesus, wow… Careful what you wish for, because it kind of blew up more quickly than I expected it to for damn sure. But it was pretty cool, you know? And it’s really fun, though, playing music for over half a century and then becoming famous for being a joke.”

The attention has resulted in an influx of new fans and surreal experiences, as Liebling explained:

“The band’s profile went through the roof immediately. We got stopped in airports by TSA people, and we’ve gotten stopped on planes by pilots coming out of the cockpit to say hello, and soccer moms in the airport and groups of little kids and stuff like that. It’s pretty wild, man. I really didn’t know how to react, and I still kind of don’t because everywhere we go, it’s someone [saying], ‘Aren’t you that guy?’”

The fame didn’t immediately translate into ticket sales—because most shows were already sold out—but the band’s cultural relevance has undoubtedly exploded:

“When it happened, we were actually on tour already… The places were sold out, actually, when we were doing the West Coast tour, which is when it came about. And then the South American tour, which was mostly sellouts too… People are clawing, trying to get through crowds. And you got police escorts surrounding you to get to a van when you leave a gig. It was wild, man. It still is.”

Pentagram will continue to ride this strange wave of visibility as they hit the road once again this spring.

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