THEY are unlikely bedfellows.One is a quiet, rural pub, a place of solitude to take a partner, friend or relative for a peaceful meal or drink with the chance to catch some occasional laid back live entertainment.

THEY are unlikely bedfellows.

One is a quiet, rural pub, a place of solitude to take a partner, friend or relative for a peaceful meal or drink with the chance to catch some occasional laid back live entertainment.

The other is one of the world's most successful black metal bands with the ability to create a musical onslaught of noise and the power to scare the timid and unsuspecting.

However, Martlesham's Red Lion has now become inexplicably linked with Suffolk's own guitar heroes Cradle of Filth and gained new credibility among thousands of headbangers.

The quiet, family pub found itself cast in this unlikely scenario when it featured in music magazine Kerrang!, a publication read by thousands of rock fans.

In a recent edition of the weekly mag the pub featured in an interview with the band's lead singer, Dani Davey, aka Dani Filth. It was unknowingly chosen as a venue for the informal interview and ended up being featured as part of article.

The irony of the pub's association with a controversial heavy metal band has not been lost on the licensees of the pub, in Main Road.

Pub landlady Jane Shelley said the pub's sudden notoriety among music-loving youngsters had come as quite a shock.

She said: "The first we knew about it was when one of son's friends bought Kerrang! last week. My son mentioned it to me but I never thought anything of it until I saw how big it was.

"None of our customers read it but we have been having a laugh about it. We would have expected to be in a country life magazine or something but not this!"

Her husband, Charles, has often seen the singer in the pub but was unaware of his fame or that an interview was taking place until he saw the article.

He said: "It's good fun really and we're happy to serve anybody. His act on the television is a bit bizarre but when you meet him in person he is very pleasant."

Their 19-year-old son Max, who also lives at the pub, was said to be thrilled about the singer being interviewed by a Kerrang! journalist in the pub. He plays in a band of his own, one:day:life .

WEBLINK

www.redlionmartlesham.co.uk

www.kerrang.com

Fast Facts

Cradle of Filth are one of Suffolk's most successful ever bands, selling millions of albums across the world.

Dani lives with his girlfriend Toni and their daughter Luna in a 400-year-old house in Hadleigh.

The band have recorded material at Springvale Studio, in Hadleigh Road, Ipswich.

They formed in 1991 and are famous for dressing in black and, among other things, for their fascination with blood.

They have released ten albums and have a world wide following of fans.

They begin a new European tour later on Friday.

Their new album, Damnation and a Day, is released today.

Source: www.cradleoffilth.com