Red Hot Chili Peppers mistaken for Metallica by Belarus custom officials

'We tried to explain to them that we weren't Metallica but they insisted that we sign anyway'

The band were completing their European tour when they were stopped by customs officials in Belarus (Getty Images )

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees the Red Hot Chili Peppers were subjected to an embarrassing case of mistaken identity as they completed their European tour, being confused by airport officials with heavy metal band Metallica.

The band were touring between Kiev, Ukraine and Moscow, Russia in the wake of the release of their eleventh studio album, The Getaway, when they were stopped by customs officials at a Belarus airport.

According to bassist Flea, once in the customs office the band were asked for their autographs only to be given an array of Metallica merchandise to sign.

A picture posted by Flea on Instagram shows him writing his name on a series of Metallica pictures.

Heavy metal band Metallica (Getty Images ) (Getty Images)

Writing of the incident, Flea said: “We were called into [the] customs official’s office at an airport in Belarus and they asked us to sign a bunch of Metallica cd's and photos.

“We tried to explain to them that we weren't Metallica but they insisted that we sign anyway. They had the power.

“Well I did play fight fire with [fire] with Metallica once. I love Metallica anyways but I'm no Robert Trujillo,” referring to the heavy metal outfit’s bassist.

It remains unclear why the Belarus customs officials made the mix-up – Metallica will not be visiting Europe at all during their Summer tour - or why they had such a vast supply of Metallica merchandise readily available.

On Sunday, Red Hot Chili Peppers headlined T in the Park’s main stage, bringing the festival to a close. They will next play in Ottawa, Canada at the Ottawa Bluesfest before performing in South Korea and Japan.

In May, the band were forced to cancel two of their gigs after front man Anthony Kiedis was admitted to hospital with intestinal flu.