The use of mobile phones remains a controversial issue in live music, with acts such as Tool, Jack Whiteand Placebo practically bans its fans from using cell phones at their shows.

It may be tempting to do the same, Lamb of God Singer Randy Blythe has another idea: What if he did what we do when we stare at our phones, which is to significantly reduce our energy and act like that?

In a new interview on Kyle Meredith with … To Consequence of sound, Blythe explains that he sees the interaction between himself, the artist and his audience as “a massive form of communication” and that he still gets “the same energy” from an audience that engages with the music.

But if there is no audience to enjoy the show, Blythe has a problem. “Put your damn phones away and be present,” says the Remember the death said the singer. “I haven’t done that yet, but I will.”

He explained his creative new plan to combat phone use at Lamb Of God shows: “One day at a show where there is a lot of phone use, I’m going to go out and bring a stool and put it in the middle of the stage after a song or two, and then I’m going to turn my phone on, point it at the audience, sit there and sing a whole song.

“I’m not going to move. I’m going to do what they do. And then at the end I’m going to say, ‘Did you like that? No? Me neither. So why don’t we stay here together? Put your damn phone down.'”

Blythe urged his fans to continue to “be there” with their music, adding that his goal is not to elicit pity, but to maintain the relationship between artists and their audience.

“I’m not asking for pity, like, ‘Poor Randy, he’s in a bad way.’ But yes, the relationship is missing,” he said. “And I want a relationship with the audience. Because the harder you go, the harder I’m going to go. The more you look at the phone, the more I want to sit on a stool and film you. And one day it’s going to happen.”

Blythe then revealed that he wanted to ban cell phones at concerts, but “my band probably wouldn’t agree to that.”

“It would be absolutely great for me if there were no cell phones,” he said. “Because these things distort our reality in terrible ways across the board.”

You can listen to the entire interview here.

Lamb Of God returned to Australia in March to take part in Knotfest Australia, co-headlined by Pantera And DisturbedThey also played two sideshows in Melbourne and Brisbane with special guests Brand of the victim.

You can check out their Knotfest setlist here.