Supporting Metallica - Am i the last one left?

Motley Crue · 26-09-2005 4:03pm #1

Im writing this because im sick and tired of people slagging metallica, im absolutely pissed off about the amount of abuse this band takes. I can understand that compared to their original 3 albums, Metallica are a different band, but theyve been that evolving band since the start. Ride the Lightning was softer and more complex then Kill Em All, the Black album was more commerical then And Justice for All, Reload and Load were experimental and S&M was orchestral. Everything Metallica have done has been a risk, and I for one support them, a band who dont just realise the same crap on every album every 3 or 4 years. I dont care if the last record sold 3 to 4 million copies, or 100 million copies, change is good!

And just one more thing, to all those who keep attacking Metallica and slagging them again and again and again, if you really hate the band, dont turn up to their gigs and dont buy their records and leave their real fans alone. at 60 euro a ticket and thousands in attendance, metallica cant have pulled a 'fluke crowd' 2 yrs running.

Cant wait to see them in the simpsons.

merlinsmerryman · 26-09-2005 4:13pm

I for one will agree with that completly amazing band who helped define a genre with absolute classic albums, belting live shows and for a band to still be selling out tour after tour for well over 20 years especially after all that went wrong(Cliff's death, Newstead leaving addictions and Ulrich's personal vendetta against napster) is a testament to their popularity and longevity.

Doctor J · 26-09-2005 4:31pm

I don't think anyone slags them because they changed, good bands always evolve, they refuse to stagnate. Progression is the key to any quality outfit. The problem with Metallica is their last album is just poor quality music, by anyone's standard (even Lars' dad thought so). Assembled in Pro Tools by cutting segments of jams together it is disjointed and lacks focus. The riffs generally follow the same drop-tuned open, 3rd fret, 5th fret, 6th fret generic metal riff patterns for folks who've lost their inspiration (I believe Lars calls it "stock"). I can listen to all kinds of crap but I've yet to make it through stanger in one go. Their drummer can't play the old stuff (try and count all the missing beats from the live stuff on the Unnamed Feeling live tracks) as Newsted lamented when he left because he just doesn't bother practising anymore and their lead guitarist wasn't allowed play leads on the ****ing album because they were dated at the time (which, as he correctly pointed out, dated it to that time). ****, even my Ma called them pathetic after seeing some of the documentary.

I think the problem a lot of people have, and the resaon they get so much stick, is that their first four albums especially were daring, bold, adventurous, inventive works of genius. Anyone who really loved those albums (I include myself here) finds it hard to come to terms with what the band have ended up as. The Black Album was intentionally commercial, that's fine, they still hadn't lost their roots but then they went through a phase where it seemed they were almost embarrassed of their legacy. Their lyrics lost their relevance to the point of bing almost group gibberish on stanger. Their playing has lost the fire that used to be so enthralling. The gigs are just choreographed productions more suited to a hotel in Vegas(Cunning Stunts anyone?) where every note used to be delivered with conviction. They used to be the very best, now they are little more than a Spinal Tap parody.

And, no, I haven't gone to a gig of theirs since 1992. That isn't likely to change. That doesn't make me happy, I take no satisfaction from it, it's ****ing tragic. I will continue to bemoan what they have become, only out of respect for what they once were.

BTW - Ride The Lightning softer than Kill Em All? Heard Fight Fire With Fire and Trapped Under Ice lately?

cournioni · 26-09-2005 4:41pm

I hate them because they are song stealers.

BrokenArrows · 26-09-2005 4:52pm

PORNAPSTER wrote:

I hate them because they are song stealers.

Why do you call them song stealers?

Doctor J · 26-09-2005 4:53pm

Worms. Can of. Opening.

feylya · 26-09-2005 4:53pm

I still support them. I like pretty much everything they've done, even the stuff they did with Ja Rule (but I ****ing hate Ja Rule's contribution!). Strangely, I rank Kill Em All as one of my least favourite albums although I do love the KEA stuff done with their current live sound.

merlinsmerryman · 26-09-2005 7:32pm

PORNAPSTER wrote:

I hate them because they are song stealers.

Exactly what songs did they steal and from who?

Cungi · 26-09-2005 8:26pm

F*ckin love every album they released and i've seen them them live 3 times. Each time amazing.

Jonny Arson · 26-09-2005 9:51pm

IMO a completely bland band who are the Coldplay of the Metal genre.

One other thing..... Napster! :mad:

OLDYELLAR · 26-09-2005 10:39pm

Zane from MTV2 wrote:

IMO a completely bland band who are the Coldplay of the Metal genre.

One other thing..... Napster! :mad:

OH JESUS CHRIST DO NOT COMPARE THEM TO COLDPLAY!!!JESUS CHRIST!!

metallica are brilliant , Im delighted Lars stood up for what he belived in with that napster thing , love metallica.

Tiriel · 27-09-2005 12:55am

Still love them.. always will.

Baggio · 27-09-2005 1:02am

I dunno,
..dont know much about em apart from the obvious,,, apart that their well liked and well hated...maybe a lot of so called "music" fans are more fickle than theyll admit. I did borrow one cd of theirs once it was the live one with the orchestra...well surprise surprise I actually enjoyed that, but made the point to my pal that I thought their music (that kind of metal stuff) needed an orchestra to lift the mood and give their music life/air. Well thats what I thought.
I've heard much about Lars getting lazy etc with drumming thats A NO NO!!.... but other than that know little of the changes in the band , but as the good Doc has said, I applaud bands who change and adapt to the times, while holding onto their deffinitive flavour shall we say..my 2 fave bands are around years because of this..no Rush fans or Jethro Tull fans snear or geer those bands, coz they know their still top notch players and on top of their game even thru all the changes in music.
The napster thing?? I presume lars gave out socks about the downloadng etc of albums etc??...well I'd have to say he was right!!..if any of us alledged musicians made it in the morning and found our music getting downloaded in thousands and we getting nothing from it...would we not object?!??....ok the record and music industry here are a robbing shower of bastards....but the artists are entitled to their due. When the last studio/comeback Rush album *Vapor Trails* was released in 2002 their was massive anticipation and masive downloading!!,,something like 600,000 in a couple of hours after release time,and the 3 boys went mad..,they were right!!! TRUE fans should support their band ,,as Alex Lifeson Rush's guitarist put it : " I dont expect to go to your workplace and receive everything for nothing"!....is a valid point for sure...
so Lars? : Im with him on that one,,,(even tho Neil Peart has ulrich munchies for breakfast everyday!!..hhahhahhha)

ciao' amigos....Baggio.....

Gazza22 · 27-09-2005 1:07am

Ah Metallica are great...they do take alot of abuse but they are still going strong and deserve to be.

They get my support too

John · 27-09-2005 1:41am

I could dig their shtick up as far as Load. Reload wasn't the best, wasn't an awful album but the cracks were beginning to show. A poor album of covers confirmed my beliefs. They made up lost ground with S&M but it wasn't enough. Everything after that has been horrendously bad. For a band that was at one stage cutting edge and genre defining they are now as the Doc said a parody of themselves. If you like what they're doing now fair enough but for me Metallica died a long time ago and their corpses are dancing to someone else's tune.

silenoz · 27-09-2005 2:34am

Here's an intelligent reply: Lars is a tool.

Seriously though, they've gone to ****. They were great but I don't know what they've turned into now. I think it's a pity they stuck with Lars, the music was always so good apart from his terrible drum work...

rainbow kirby · 27-09-2005 10:52am

They were one of my gateway bands into metal, mostly listening to their older stuff. I've since moved on, but I still like to listen to them every now and then.

billsteersnose · 27-09-2005 11:41am

Yes, Metallica are a fantastic band. They've pushed out the boundaries of heavy music since day one. The thing that I will never be able to come to terms with though, is why they made that feckin film... Were they TRYING to make people squirm in their seats as they watched? Dreadful. Releasing that film, truly was a Spinal Tap moment for Metallica... I felt like I wanted to kick the piss out of James for being a big girl. But, hey, I still paid my money to go and see it...

Civilian_Target · 27-09-2005 12:30pm

Metallica have their moments. Sure, St. Anger is shít but no-one's forcing you to listen to it! They've produced some of the finest metal out there and they deserve the credit for that. They also deserve much of the criticism for some of the ****e they've produced - but every band throws up duff stuff now and again, the Beatles did and no-one thinks less of them for it...

Motley Crue · 27-09-2005 2:42pm

Metallica produced a video in 1990-92 called A Year and A Half in the Life Of.. has anyone ever seen this? This video, which I got recently in a charity shop, is 1000000000 million times better than Some Kind of Monster, and i honestly have to say that the band looked so cool there!

Also, in 1992, Jason celebrates his 22nd birthday with the band. Thats from his own mouth. That would make him 35 this year, and it would also mean he was 17.5 to 18 when he joined metallica and only 13 when their first album was released! That is crazy!!!!!

munky · 27-09-2005 2:45pm

Their later albums may not be great (IMO)but nobody does a live show like em!I aint been in a pit that rock as hard as when they played whiskey!

blastman · 27-09-2005 2:52pm

OLDYELLAR wrote:

OH JESUS CHRIST DO NOT COMPARE THEM TO COLDPLAY!!!JESUS CHRIST!!

metallica are brilliant , Im delighted Lars stood up for what he belived in with that napster thing , love metallica.

Lars stood up for what the record company believed in,more likely....

I was a fan in the early days, but the whole Napster thing turned me off the band permanently. I have refused to spend any money on their albums/gigs since then. Good move, Lars!

Doctor J · 27-09-2005 2:52pm

Motley Crue wrote:

Metallica produced a video in 1990-92 called A Year and A Half in the Life Of.. has anyone ever seen this?

There are two videos, one which covers the recording and release of the Black album and the second one covers the subsequent tour where they became absolutely huge. TBH I wouldn't say it's better or worse than SKOM, it's just fascinating for those who weren't aware of the band at that time to see where they came from (in the opposite sense from me where I knew where they came from and was fascinated to see where they went in SKOM

). The difference in band is amazing, both in character and musically.

I think it's a lot easier for people who got into Metallica in the last 10 years to get into the earlier stuff than it is for those of us who got into them back in the 80's to reconcile with the new stuff.

Ancient1 · 27-09-2005 3:50pm

Motley Crue wrote:

Also, in 1992, Jason celebrates his 22nd birthday with the band. Thats from his own mouth. That would make him 35 this year

Ha! He wishes. He was obviously being sarcastic, coz he was born in '63.

OLDYELLAR · 27-09-2005 5:21pm

blastman wrote:

Lars stood up for what the record company believed in,more likely....

I was a fan in the early days, but the whole Napster thing turned me off the band permanently. I have refused to spend any money on their albums/gigs since then. Good move, Lars!

I think I got more respect for Lars after that actually.

It wasn't me! · 27-09-2005 6:36pm

Doctor J wrote:

There are two videos, one which covers the recording and release of the Black album and the second one covers the subsequent tour where they became absolutely huge. TBH I wouldn't say it's better or worse than SKOM, it's just fascinating for those who weren't aware of the band at that time to see where they came from (in the opposite sense from me where I knew where they came from and was fascinated to see where they went in SKOM ). The difference in band is amazing, both in character and musically.

I think it's a lot easier for people who got into Metallica in the last 10 years to get into the earlier stuff than it is for those of us who got into them back in the 80's to reconcile with the new stuff.

I only got inot them two or three years ago, along wiht most music, and I can't listen to their later stuff. The earlier stuff has too much going for it. I'd give so much to have seen them on early tours. Never forget how lucky you are to have done that Doc.

Doctor J · 27-09-2005 6:47pm

It wasn't me! wrote:

I'd give so much to have seen them on early tours. Never forget how lucky you are to have done that Doc.

How could I, I enjoy rubbing it in everyone's (especially dabhoys and KH) faces too much!!!

Ahh seriously though, you can see tomorrows legends today in a **** venue somewhere. Honestly, this year I've seen Mastodon and Nevermore who I respect greatly and look forward to seeing again in the years to come. Mastodon were supporting Slayer and Nevermore played ****ing Whelans FFS. They're two bands putting out really superior quality Metal and being largely ignored just like Metallica or Megadeth used to be (ok Mastodon seem to finally be getting places but I tell you now Nevermore are ****ing incredible. Check them out). Plus there are plently of local bands out there with huge potential playing to largely empty venues every night of the week. I wish people would take more of a risk and check out more bands on small labels. Quality Metal didn't stop being made after 1989.

mickymg2003 · 27-09-2005 8:07pm

Personally i don't slag metallica i just slag that disaster of a album that was St. Anger and i still think the older stuff will always remain classic.The only beef i have with the band themselves is with lars because for some reason the guy just irritates me!!!

Beekay · 27-09-2005 8:20pm

I've only gotten into them since '03.And i love them,M.O.P. is just awesome. all first four albums get a 9.5 out of 10 for me.The Black album would get a 6 or 7.
But there is no way i would willingly(sp??) listen to anything past the black album.I did buy St.Anger

but i was young and didn't know about the good stuff....

Doctor J wrote:

How could I, I enjoy rubbing it in everyone's (especially dabhoys and KH) faces too much!!!

Ahh seriously though, you can see tomorrows legends today in a **** venue somewhere. Honestly, this year I've seen Mastodon and Nevermore who I respect greatly and look forward to seeing again in the years to come. Mastodon were supporting Slayer and Nevermore played ****ing Whelans FFS. They're two bands putting out really superior quality Metal and being largely ignored just like Metallica or Megadeth used to be (ok Mastodon seem to finally be getting places but I tell you now Nevermore are ****ing incredible. Check them out). Plus there are plently of local bands out there with huge potential playing to largely empty venues every night of the week. I wish people would take more of a risk and check out more bands on small labels. Quality Metal didn't stop being made after 1989.

Damn you Doctor J.........

Thanks for the Nevermore tip.I checked out their free downloads on their website.And they are savage so far.The music is great,im not sure about the vocals,but i also wasn't sure about the vocals of Kill 'Em all and Ride The Lightning when i first heard them but now i love them.....Thanks anyway,im gonna have to get my hands on an album,Which one would be best?

Doctor J · 27-09-2005 8:23pm

Any of the last three are solid gold man, Dead Heart In A Dead World, Enemies Of Reality and the new one This Godless Endeavour. You can get a remixed, remastered version of Enemies Of Reality on centurymedia.co.uk for £5. DHIADW would be my own personal favourite though

It wasn't me! · 27-09-2005 8:43pm

Doctor J wrote:

How could I, I enjoy rubbing it in everyone's (especially dabhoys and KH) faces too much!!!

Ahh seriously though, you can see tomorrows legends today in a **** venue somewhere. Honestly, this year I've seen Mastodon and Nevermore who I respect greatly and look forward to seeing again in the years to come. Mastodon were supporting Slayer and Nevermore played ****ing Whelans FFS. They're two bands putting out really superior quality Metal and being largely ignored just like Metallica or Megadeth used to be (ok Mastodon seem to finally be getting places but I tell you now Nevermore are ****ing incredible. Check them out). Plus there are plently of local bands out there with huge potential playing to largely empty venues every night of the week. I wish people would take more of a risk and check out more bands on small labels. Quality Metal didn't stop being made after 1989.

Stop reminding me! I missed that Slayer gig as well.

I always like hearing new music. Funds tend to prohibit hearing a tenth as much as I'd like to though. Sigh. I'd have liked to hear Nevermore as well, but was in Whelans, so I almost certainly wouldn't have gotten in anyway.

Supporting Metallica - Am i the last one left?

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