Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo, who performed at Download Festival, visits Rocka-buy Records in Oakham

A music-lover was overwhelmed when “rock royalty” visited his record store.

Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo dropped into Rocka-Buy Records in Oakham on Friday while staying in the area for Download Festival.

Shop owner Dean Poole was visited out of the blue by the band’s management team during the morning and by 1.30pm the rock star was browsing his shelves.

Dean said: “Metallica are the biggest rock band in the world. They are rock royalty and no one else comes close. It has made my year.”

The band’s management team told Dean they follow him on TikTok and were keen to visit the shop while staying in the area. Knowing Dean is a big Oasis fan, they initially chatted about managing the band when they broke America before conversation switched to Metallica.

Although Dean admits the band isn’t his cup of tea, he was keen to hear more about their history and their two headline performances at Download Festival in Castle Donington.

Dean said: “They said it would be great to bring Robert in as he’s a big record fan. I didn’t think they would but at about 1.30pm he rocked up with his entourage. I was pretty sure I knew who he was but he looked different from the photos I’ve seen so I didn’t want to assume.

“I got talking to the guys he was with and they confirmed it was him. I was a bit star-struck.”

Dean immediately called his son Chris, a Metallica fan, who dropped everything to get to the store and meet his idol. They spent an hour-and-a-half talking about music and listening to records.

Dean added: “He was one of the nicest guys you could meet.”

It was only when Robert pulled out two albums for Dean to review that he realised the trip had been planned while the band was still in America.

“He gave me two albums by his son’s band Ottto which he wanted me to review on TikTok. I thought that was pretty cool. It was obviously a pre-planned visit because he brought them with him,” he said.

In exchange for the albums, Dean gave Robert a Rocka-buy Records hoodie which he can be seen wearing on a TikTok video filmed in the shop.

Before leaving, the bass player bought a £25 Ian Dury album which he paid for with a £20 note and four plectrums which had been used by guitarist James Hetfield at Download the night before.

On Saturday, Dean gave one of them to a 16-year-old Metallica fan who visited the shop .

He said: “It’s crazy to think rock royalty came to my little shop in the smallest county.”