Please leave your opinion in our comment section below; we’d really like to know what you guys think about this.
Over the years, Metallica has made a lot of bad choices and done shitty things to their fans. As good as the “Black” album is, and as fundamental as it was to the future money-hungry success of the band, it was the beginning of a downhill progression. Core fans were appalled by Load, ReLoad only to be appeased by S&M, which only paid homage to themselves in a grandiose, self-absorbed way. Then came St. Anger — which core fans and Metallica-radio fans alike either loved or hated and ultimately found confusing — and the sappy bitchfest known as Some Kind of Monster; did fans really need to see such snivelling?
Don’t forget, however, about Metallica’s biggest kick to the groin that they ever gave their fans, which was going after Napster and anyone who downloaded their property. Besides scaring the shit out of many of their fans, they also showed just how ignorant and unsavvy they were to the future of music entertainment. And why would they care? Metallica has long had one of the most lucrative record contracts: While most bands only see $1 from he sale of each CD (which they only get after the label recoups recording costs and the band has to split among its members), Metallica has been getting roughly $6 from the sale of each CD. I know this is becoming less and less relevant in today’s download market, but it was very relevant when Napster was king.
Now, in 2011, Metallica is alienating their fans further with what appears to be… well, Christ, I don’t what to call it. Shit comes to mind. Pretentious bullying. Art? Whoa! Hey, Metallica, you’re not artists, you’re a metal band. You’re musicians. At any rate, Metallica has decided to do a project for themselves instead of their fans. Good for you Metallica. You know that coffin on the cover of your last album, Death Magnetic? You might be putting the last nail in with this new project.
The new project is called LuLu, and instead of giving fans more of that promise we heard on Death Magnetic (which was a return to thrash roots), we’re getting Velvet Underground… well, Lou Reed anyway. Now, don’t get me wrong: Lou Reed is a formidable artist in his own right. But Metallica and Lou Reed is like ice cream and kimchi, great on their own, but together… not so much.
LuLu – “The View”
…and that’s what you can expect from LuLu. While the 30-second preview to “The View” was made available last week, it was such a blow to the head that I’ve just come out of the coma today. What exactly is that shit? Wow, did anyone think that Metallica could do more damage to their reputation?
Anyway, there’s an explanation of sorts for where this project got its legs on LouReedMetallica.com and it goes something like this:
“Lulu” was inspired by German expressionist writer Frank Wedekind’s plays “Earth Spirit” and “Pandora’s Box,” which tell a story of a young abused dancer’s life and relationships and are now collectively known as the “Lulu Plays.” Since their publication in the early 1900′s, the plays have been the inspiration for a silent film (“Pandora’s Box,” 1929), an opera, and countless other creative endeavors. Originally the lyrics and musical landscape were sketched out by Lou for a theatrical production in Berlin, but after coming together with the ‘Tallica boys for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concerts in New York in 2009 all guilty parties knew they wanted to make more music together. Lou was inspired enough by that performance to recently ask the band to join him in taking his theatrical “Lulu” piece to the next level and so starting in early May of this year we were all camped out recording at HQ studios in Northern California, bringing us to today and ten complete songs.
1st listen = This is terrible
2nd listen = okay the guitar at the background isn’t THAT bad… but the voice clearely doesn’t fit the music.
3rd listen = The talking part sucks, then… it gets a bit better but… still… So maybe they didn’t choose the right sample. How is the full album gonna be ? Taling? Singing? I mean when you choose a sample, you want one that reflects the album… no?
4th listen = geez I won’t get there
https://twitter.com/YellMagazine Yell!
I know who you are, and I agree… won’t get there and it won’t get my dollar.
R2-D2
This preview sucks for far… I really hope the full album won’t disappoint.
Metalheadbrochu
I think Metallica capitalize on their previous success… No matter how fucking shitty their new music will be, it’s always gonna be a selling success. And they got that…
https://twitter.com/YellMagazine Yell!
It might be a sad truth that no matter what Metallica does, it’s going to sell. However, I know many hardcore fans, and they’re less than impressed. If anything, this album will sell to some Metallica collectors who need it to have a complete catalog. As far as the hardcore fans I know, they’re not interested… well, not interested beyond a good rubber neck.
Distance
O ow! What is this. I was very happy with the previous album. What the hell is wrong with them? Another crisis is on his way!!!
Deathspring
Words do not describe the disappointment. WTF?!?! It’s like Hetfield has hit the drink again and clearly cannot handle it this time round….EVERYTHING just sounds like an amateur mess…does anyone else think this is a joke album and that they actually had their kids come in and play shit on instruments for an hour and a half?
Evil here… Indeed it is craptastic. Have you heard the new Megadeth? What are your thoughts on that?
https://twitter.com/YellMagazine Yell!
Evil here, again… You know, I’m not gonna come down on Lou Reed. He is what he is, and by himself he’s pretty good and a great lyricist, but I hate this LuLu shit.
l0rd
I am very very disappointed! It’s sounds like when an old homeless get’s drunk and blabla talking while some amateur kids improvising in mum’s garage with rock.
https://www.yellmagazine.com Yell! Magazine
Completely agree! At least Metallica is working on a new album, and have written a few songs already. We just need to lay this project to rest for ever like it never happened.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000928952033 Frank Drakman
These over-paid, talentless assholes have received a cent of my money since they made their last good album; Ride the Lightning (I copied that half-assed record Master of Puppets).
If you think that anything they’ve done since warrants any sort of critical acclaim then you are simply blinded by your own fan-boy dumb-fuckery.
Same for Dave Buttstaine; nothing worthwhile since Peace Sells.
https://twitter.com/YellMagazine Yell!
Are you seriously discounting Justice and Rust in Peace and So Far, So Good… So What (a very overlooked album)? I’ll agree that these guys piss me off too; I would have rather seen them retire than make stupid choices, starting with the hiring of Bob Rock. Between the shades of hate, you have more than a couple very valid points.
OUTLAWTORN
Ok lets start by saying that commenting on albums such as load and re-load in such a mannor obviously states the facts as it did in 96 so called hard metallica fans and critics alike proved that they are blood sucking idiots and had a strop because they cut their hair and changed the style of playing in these two records which was meant originally to be a double album.ANYONE who agrees with those people should just shut up and not buy the album in the first place , if you were true metallica fans you would understand what they are about.They have intentionally changed such things as image and style of playing over a massive and incredible career to push their boundries and the intended listeners alike, not to please drones who just want the same thing over and over again , this is what keeps music fresh and different.I have been listening to metallica for 20+ years and don’t like possibly two or three songs that they have done purely because you cannot please every listener the same way.As for Napster let me just say that how would you make money from album sales if they are free !! answer is simple you don’t , why is it so difficult to understand that it wasn’t just about Metallica what Lars Ulrich did , and he had the balls to pull it off so i salute you Danish King of Metal for not just sitting back and letting it happen, so everyone that goes to work should they work for free ? i think not , its easier to slag them off instead heh.This new album may not suit everyones taste but it is something they have wanted to do for ages and they should be alowed to do so freely and share it with the world or whoever wants to listen for that matter thats Metallica’s way. I would have thought by now that people would have grasped this concept and in part or whole understood how Metallica operate and to be mature and say ok so i don’t like it so what lets see what they release next and maybe ill buy it SIMPLES.
https://twitter.com/YellMagazine Yell!
Evil here… Thanks so much for the thoughtful post. We truly appreciate it when fans take the time to state their case — and that’s what really matters, isn’t it? Fans. As long as a band, no matter what they do or experiment with, have fans, that’s all that matters… and the fact that the band is happy with what they produce. I guess I’m a drone, because for more than 20 years I’ve wanted the old Metallica, however, I’ve also moved onto other things within and without the metal genre. What you think of LULU really depends on how you approach it. See, it’s a better Lou Reed album than a Metallica album, but that’s just my opinion.
Just Unreal
Ozzy,
I’m sorry to say that you and Dave Mustaine have won. I have liked your music in the past, but always sided with Metallica over any issues between you guys. I liked the fact that, in their Master of Puppets hay days, they were kind of disrespectful to you, what with the taking the piss out of Black Sabbath songs (they were, I’m sorry, no matter how Lars puts it, taking the piss), and the asking you how long it’s been since you’ve washed your hair, while on tour with you.
But it’s only because Master of Puppets, to me, even some 25 years later, is still the most awe-inspiring dark art “concept” (Lou Reed fans have been dissing metalheads lately, saying we just don’t “get” art concept albums) albums, if not to everyone, at least to metal fans anyway, of all time. I put this CD in recently, and I know what’s coming, because I’ve listened to this album a few times, believe me. After the simple, yet extremely dark (for it’s time, especially) and melodic acoustic intro to Battery, I brace for what’s coming, the most loud and powerful, chilling chords I’ve ever heard to that point. I brace for it, yet when it comes, it still terrifies me. And I ask myself if this whole album is this intense, only to confirm that it is.
I was only 15 when Cliff Burton died, so I didn’t understand the monumental and catastrophic loss this was to Metallica, their fans, or even to me. The same goes for my uncle dying when I was 12 that I didn’t understand the full effect the loss brought to my family until years later. Because, being a music fan, and a metal fan in particular, And Justice for All…for want of some more bass added, was almost just as good. So when people say things like “Cliff Burton must be rolling in his grave”, they, like me, would like to think that Cliff would be the voice of reason in the band, and stop them from making some of the unwise decisions they have made, which I’m going to list. Not everyone is going to agree with me on these, and they are quite subjective. But, needless to say, metal fans are almost assuredly going to agree with at least one:
A. Not enough bass on And Justice for All….
B. Bob Rock was NOT (despite the respect and commercial success of The Black Album) the right choice for them. Bob Rock absolutely crushed Kirk Hammet’s guitar playing, and moved Lars’ drumming style away from punk oriented, which was his norm before this, to this boring style he has to this day, which, no offense intended, Def Leppard’s drummer can reproduce. Metallica has always professed a distaste for Motley Crue, who in their mind represented all that was wrong in the LA metal scene in the 80′s, then they hire their producer? “No Way!”, I’d like to think Cliff would say.
C. Lars telling everyone he hopes Metallica can pull off being an alternative band when Load came out, and them cutting their hair. Not that Load was a bad album musically, looking back, but hey, you just made The Black Album, and with all it’s success, you don’t need to placate anyone.
D. Napster….good God!
E. Whining and bickering on Some Kind of Monster.
F. St. Anger, with no solos, and that God awful snare. Silly lyrics.
It seemed they were back on the right track with Death Magnetic, and Rick Rubin. No, it isn’t your overly hyped Black Album (it’s better…sue me!). It certainly is NOT Master of Puppets, But it isn’t St. Anger either. But then…
G. This monumental, colossal, abysmal piece of garbage they just released with a 69 year old Lou Reed.
A lot has been said about it, and mostly negative. Rightly so, I believe. My two cents about it (well, ok, more than two cents, I’m aware I’ve done a lot of whining, myself) is that Metallica, it seems, didn’t even TRY. And that a 69 year old man didn’t even try to sing.
This is beyond anger, what I feel towards Metallica. This is something new. This is something that, to his credit, I’ve never felt towards Ozzy. I just feel pity. I pity the guys I once worshipped. Very strange, and not in a good way.
https://twitter.com/YellMagazine Yell!
Evil here… thanks for the passionate response. I think you’ve inspired me to actually sit down and review LuLu… so all the hate mail that I get I’ll just redirect to you. Regarding your point about not enough bass on Justice: if you’re referring to bass guitar, there is, in fact, none on that album, which is/was a result of Cliff’s death. It might have been the last dignified thing Metallica has ever done.
https://www.facebook.com/rikk.wolf Rikk Wolf
Lulu isn’t deep, dark “misunderstood” art. It’s Metallica once again abusing their brand name (notice I say BRAND, not BAND) to make money by slapping their logo on another turd.
It’s not “brave” either. How is it brave for a band with an utterly decimated reputation to take a “risk”?
Furthermore, calling this a collaboration is really pushing it. Lou Reed had some vulgar, ranting poetry and Metallica slopped a heap of their post-90′s brand of repetitive, forgettable riffs unfit for listening under his nonsense. I wouldn’t be surprised if they weren’t even in the same rooms for tracking. Last nail in coffin for Metallica for me.
Metallica fans are now infamous for their batted house wife inspired ability to rationalize the almost inhumanly terrible choices and music the band makes these days. This is the apex of that point.
As for the “it’s not a Metallica album” defense, so what? It’s still another sub-standard piece of poorly written, poorly performed and poorly recorded garbage they’ve slapped their name on.
There are millions of infinitely more talented bands out there that will never get a billionth of the attention for brilliant new music these guys do for arranging piles of careless, lazy vomit.
Call it “misunderstood art” if you want, but the rest of us with EARS and STANDARDS are having a blast laughing at such folks and at this monstrosity.
https://twitter.com/YellMagazine Yell!
Evil here… I agree with a lot of what you’re saying. I do, however, feel that if a listener approaches this album as a Lou Reed album they’ll come away with a completely different experience than a Metallica fan will. But, it’s true, Metallica has slapped their brand on this and it marks a new low for even them.
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