One of the biggest controversies in the metal community is not an event, death, or an accident…it is a band, and that band is Metallica. For almost all fans Metallica has betrayed them in the worst way possible by not only selling out, but attacking the fans themselves. There are many fans that say otherwise and that Metallica was nothing but justified in their filing of lawsuits against fans and their “musical direction” if you want to call it that; they never sold out, they just experimented with their musical styling and were trying to be more creative. I have one thing to say to that….bullshit!
Metallica are more or less professional rip-off artist. They have released entire albums (namely Garage Inc.) that are nothing but covers from bands that no one had heard of at the time, which granted catapulted those bands into some money, but Metallica still takes all the credit due to their egos. Their first album was nothing but leftovers from their ex-guitarist Dave Mustaine (Megadeth).The two albums up till ride the lightning were nothing but the shit left from that shit. Honestly the current line up did not start writing their own material until the black album, which is when old school fans got pissed and said to hell with it, were just going to follow Mustaine’s career instead.
The ultimate stab in the hearts of the faithful Metallica fan was, of course, the Napster incident. What kind of self-righteous prick sues the people who gave them money and put them where they were to begin with? Lars Ulrich, you fail at life! Fans of Metallica already were backstabbed with the direction the band took, but to add insult to injury they became complete hypocrites. They used to hand out free demo disks during their shows, and now they decided to sue people for doing the same thing they did before they were established? Even when James Hetfield used to tell them to get their hands on their records by any means necessary, whether it be stealing or buying bootlegs? I say we stick to the original plan.
Metallica did do some good, though as little as that good may be. They killed glam metal, but….that is pretty much it. At this point they are just milking their act for every penny its worth, and more. They play for everyone and anyone and have worked their way into most people’s musical preferences. People think what they play is real metal, but if you want real metal, check this out, and if you like it, THEN you like real metal. As for Metallica, I am afraid the only hope for them is if their fans teach them to quit making them bend over and grab their ankles.
Sincerely,
Bane
I liked "Fade to Black." The "Unforgiven" songs were pretty good too, though I'm sure you'll hate me for thinking this. In any case I'd always been mostly a power metal guy. St. Anger contains one of the most hilarious lines I've ever heard in a song ("I'm madly in anger with you"). llllolololol. Don't act like that's not your favorite album (kidding of course).
ReplyDeleteNice Post. I listen to all types of musics but I never knew any of this about metallica. ha quickens my favorite metallica song is the Unforgiven. yet this post really affects my prospective of this band. I havent really decided on how im going to handle this, whats the word, let down? I really thought that it was interesting that you pointed out about the napster commercial. It's ironic they would advocate that when they themselves take their music from other artists.
ReplyDeleteI'll agree that the later Metallica is, um, not pleasant. But I will say this: you have left out two of their best albums. Between Ride the Lightning and the Black album there is Master of Puppets and ...And Justice for All. These are heavyweight albums, beginning to end. Justice sports "Shortest Straw," which itself contains one of the best guitar solos of the "guitar gods" era.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with Metallica is that they, whether they admit it or not, sold out. That's their right. I don't have to like it (even though, out of desperation, I continue to buy the new shit). But don't discredit their older albums: those albums legitimized metal as a form [their video "One" was the first real heavy metal video to appear on MTV and essentially brought the genre into popular consciousness). Their early instrumentals, "Call of Klutu," And the sophisticated arrangements of the songs on those albums-- Creeping Death, Welcome Home, Disposable Heroes, One, Frayed Ends of Sanity-- showed that heavy metal music could be serious compositions (not just thrash noise). I'm not just talking about the power-ballads.
They inspired thousands of bands. Let them stand as a testament to what happens when you betray your roots (sometimes, you can't go back).
I guess I have always been an old fogey. As a teenager in the 70's we had Ted Nugent, Blue Oyster Cult, Black Sabbath and the the starrt of the metal and punk movement. I remember Wendy Williams and the Plasmatics, who put on a great show and was very controvecial. With the start of MTV, brought on a new age of music and feturing all varieties of music. I never really got into Metallica, Ozzy and Cinderella-I just did not get it. To me it was noise, Everyone has their own thing and for Metalheads, Metal is it. It's not to say I do not enjoy some of the music but for me bands like Bad Company, Fleetwood Mac, Cheap Trick were the bomb.
ReplyDeleteIn the seventies we also had the unusual such as David Bowie, Queen and Elton John. Then cam the boy-Boy George and the Culture Club. now that was music. As I got older I started enjoying hi tech club mixes that you got stone and danced to it. To each is own, I like all sorts of music but metal and rap are two genres I just cannot stomach. Rock on my friend Rock ON!!!
@Pinolafl: I think putting Metallica, Ozzy, and Cinderella into the same genre itself adds an interesting historic perspective to this discussion. Many times the genre distinctions so maintained by "insiders" are completely lost on "outsiders."
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