Metallica

[Deleted]

I've decided to venture into starting a thread on thee guys.

I watched the documetray they did "Some Kind Of Monster" only a few months ago (I understand it came out in 2002 or something).

Talk about the real life Spinal Tap only even funnier.

Does anyone know what prompted them to make the film.

I listened to the album St Anger and well the lyrics were kind of ...um

"My lifestyle determines my deathstyle"

"Frantic, tick, tick, tick, tick, tock"

Well.

But I liked the music. I had never listened to metal before ever and it wasn't what I expected musically. In fact I thought it would just be a bunch of noise and nothing exciting about it - just loud.

Are they the "greatest metal band of all time" (or whatever Laars kept refering to themselves) as in record sales or what it in concert attendance?

If there are any metallica fans here who can post I'd appreciate it. I'd really like to know more about this band and where they were coming from.

Oh and what is this Napster shit? They touched on it in the movie but I still didn't get what they did and why the level of hate from their fans or the public. Did they singlehandedly close Napster? I'm too young or just too stupid to remember what happened to Napster.

And how did the new bass guy they hired at the end of the movie pan out? Do the fans like him?

[Dr. Freude]

Whenever I see an interview with them or read an article about them, Lars Ulrich always comes off as the whiniest, bitchiest little tool. Isn't his wife another musician's or an actor's ex-girlfriend?

[Deleted]

It's not so much as them closing down Napster themselves, rather them being the first to outright condemn filesharing. Didn't help matters that Fred Durst was pretty much taking potshots at them and bragging how Limp Bizkit's better (I believe Napster was sponsoring them at the time as well).

Robert Trujillo's (the new guy) pretty awesome. He previously worked with Ozzy on his "Down to Earth" and "Live At The Budokan" albums. He had to be, given that Zakk Wylde was also part of Ozzy's group at the time, hehe...

ETA: Yes, Dr. Freude, Lars' now ex-wife was Matt Damon's ex-girlfriend and the inspiration for Minnie Driver's character in Good Will Hunting.

[twodollars]

I am not a Metallica fan, but their documentary was so entertaining. I can't believe they thought the documentary was a good idea though. They came across as the whiniest, litte posers ever. There was crying, talking about their emotions, cheesy collaborations with some Hip-Hop group. So, so sad.

From what I understand on the Napster issue, Metallica's fans were pissed because the band had become famous due to bootlegs being passed around and converting fans. The band knew about the practice and encouraged it. But, once Metallica made it big and had millions, they were against file-sharing programs like Napster. It was hypocritical in their opinion.

I understand where artists are coming from in being opposed to file-sharing programs, but Metallica (Lars in particular) were so humorless about it. They acted like they were on this noble crusade. At some MTV award show, the head of Napster (some teenager) came on stage to announce an award wearing a Metallica shirt. Lars was pissed as hell.

[Deleted]

I am not a Metallica fan, but their documentary was so entertaining. I can't believe they thought the documentary was a good idea though. They came across as the whiniest, litte posers ever. There was crying, talking about their emotions, cheesy collaborations with some Hip-Hop group. So, so sad.

There are so many comedy gold moments in it.

Like when Lars plays his dad a piece of the album and his dad sits there in silence then strokes his beard and basically tells him it's crap. "But Dad! The manager's heard it, the head of the record compnay even came in here and said he thinks it's so great it should open the album." Dad's response. "Yes, yes. I understand all that but if I were your manager and you played me that I would just say..deleeete that...deleete that from the record".

Then there was the Dr Bob or whatever his name was. He also goes through a "journey" in personality thru the film in that as time progresses he turns into thinking he's part of the band. And Lars snaps at him "Why don't you play the drums today? It only thing you haven't done!" Heh! And those signs he put up around the studio with such helpful pieces of advice and "Be creative!" WTF?

Then poor Het. Man. Going into rehab it tough. And I really felt for him. No joke. I felt for the guy. But he basically come out speaking as one might expect from a man whose spent and year in rehab and intensive therapy just like a guy who just came out of a year of rehab and intensive therapy.

And their crazy manager. I know managers have to given their artists the necessary tongue-baths from time to time to stroke their egos and keep them productive but nothing the man said seemed to make any sense. He sounded like he was on something.

The only two people who acted and sounded completely down-to-earth and unffected were Bob The Producer Guy Who Played Bass and Kirk.

I was so sucked in by this documentary. It was fascinating. I have actually ordered the DVD off Amazon.

[twodollars]

My favorite part of the documentary is when Lars decides to sell his expensive artwork collection and he gets drunk because he is so upset about it.

And like you mentioned, I loved the scene with Lars' father partially because he's wearing these cheesy short-shorts that make him look like a serious loser.

I might have to order this DVD also. It is so entertaining.

[Mutagen]

Oh man, the Monster documentary! I couldn't decide if I respected Metallica more or less after I saw that -- obviously, I respected them less because they came off as SUCH delusional morons. But honestly, the fact that they released such an unflattering portrait of themselves (and I think on some level they HAD to realize they didn't look good) almost made me like them in spite of the art collections and Therapist Phil.

Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't point out Ruthless Reviews' really funny summary of "Some Kind of Monster".

[luciano]

flipper said:

Does anyone know what prompted them to make the film.

It was originally supposed to be a documentary about making the album, without all the drama. When everything got shot to hell, they just decided to continue on with it, for whatever reason.

I love the band, but Ulrich was really annoying. Actually, so was Hetfield, but I could find his whining more understandable due to all that he was going through. Ulrich was just a self-righteous little munchkin - although it did lead to some spiffy moments, like the aforementioned snapping at the doctor that would not leave. Poor Kirk looked like he wanted to just retire to tend to his horses.

Mustaine came across as whiny.

I watched the documentary and then heard the album and was like, "All that for this? Blech."

[ishtarzana]

Where to begin, where to begin...
I've been a Metallica fan since Kill Em All (oops, my age is showing). I've been to their shows, listened to many an album, married a Mettalifreak (folding laundry at my house is like working the tshirt stand at their concert!), etc.
James Hetfield in the Black album tour-days....oooo baybee! I'd crawl over broken glass and passed my own husband for that! For years I referred to James, in front of my husband , as 'my future second husband'.
Then came Load.... ok, I liked it, not a problem. I didn't jump the bandwagon screaming "sell outs" because I realize change is just a part of growth. It would be sadder if they were stuck in the same groove as 15-20 years before.
Reload and S&M and Napster (not sure which was first)... well the Napster thing really pissed me off. Lars is such a whiney b*tch, and how much money DOES a person need? Really do not like Tiny Ulrich at all.
I found I just stopped listening to the new stuff. But my husband had to have all the new dvd's/cd's/etc that came out. So I watched Some Kind of Monster. Fitting title really. Maybe it should be "some kind of monster: our ego".
First the "dr.".... dayum. what a schiester. Slimey, money driven, and along for the perks is what he seemed to exude. Second is Lars and his artsale... what a pretentious piece of american/euro trash. You want sympathy from you fans about Napster??? Bite me twit. Try lowering your prices a bit on your swag.
Thirdly...my James Oh how the mighty have fallen. We all go thru major sh*t around this point in our lives and need to talk about it. But videotaping your dirty-ish laundry for the world to see, over and over and over. Eeek, it's just pretentious and tacky. Tacky tacky tacky.
St. Anger...it's the first Metallica disc that I've never listened to. Husband has it....loves it. I can't be bothered anymore.
James...with the long hair...in black...onstage....yum. I'll remember him this way thank you very much.
Sorry this is so long

[Casino Bride]

I haven't seen the documentary but I saw a "Behind The Music" or something on them and they said this was initially their "group therapy" - after Jason left and James went into rehab and all that. Those were supposed to be "private" tapes but they decided to turn them into a documentary on the making of their album.

I agree with you all about greedy little drummer boy. I liked when South Park let him have it.