Tag Archives: Metallica

Eureka Metallica Forges Their Independence

Posted on by Musicofourheart

I am reminded by the revealing 2004 documentary movie, Some Kind of Monster, that Metallica was forced to examine the nature of their very existence.  Soul searching can sometimes prove beneficial when it comes to shedding skin and replenishing your mission.

Last week I wrote about Spotify, Sean Parker and Metallica forming a new understanding with each other. Metallica’s entire back catalog became available for listening on the Spotify cloud. This set the stage for a monumental  announcement the very next day.

Metallica announced that were now are an independent band with their own label, Blackened Recordings.

From now on, every Metallica project from future studio albums to reissues will be released via Blackened. The label will even boast its own in-house marketing and promotion staff and will be distributed by WMG reissue subsidiary Rhino Entertainment. Blackened Recordings will also license their releases to Universal Music Group internationally

Blackened Recordings was created by Metallica as a home for all of their recordings, both audio and visual, and anything else that suits them.

“We would like to thank everyone at the Warner Music Group for 28 years of a fantastic relationship, particularly since 1994 where we truly felt we had partners in every aspect of our business in North America,” said Metallica frontman James Hetfield.

“It’s always been about control for us as a band,” said Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich.  “Forming Blackened Recordings is the ultimate in independence, giving us 100% control and putting us in the driver’s seat of our own creative destiny.”

The first Metallica Blackened Recordings product is a live concert DVD called Quebec Magnetic, two World Magnetic Tour live shows from Quebec City in the fall of 2009. In typical fan focused fashion  the set list for Quebec Magnetic was voted on by 35,000+ fans at Metallica.com a couple of months back.

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Spotify Continues to Kick Butt and Take Names

Posted on by Musicofourheart

Spotify announced two new features the Discover and Follow Tabs (and more) today that continue to separate them from their competition.

For a look at the screen shots of the next version of Spotify look here. I urge you to browse the evolver.fm Website to view the most comprehensive coverage about Spotify’s announcement in New York City today.

Watch this video about these soon to be available Spotify features (early 2013…)

Oh and Spotify Just Got Louder as Lars Ulrich from Metallica showed up to let Sean Parker know there were no hard feelings over Napster ;)

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Lars Ulrich, Howard Stern Discuss Lulu, Closing Track “Junior Dad”

Posted on by Musicofourheart

Lars Ulrich phoned in to Howard Stern‘s show today. They discussed in detail the Lou Reed & Metallica collaboration, Lulu.

Howard Stern corrected his earlier misinterpretation of Lulu:

Howard took the opportunity to commend (unlike many critics*) the band’s recent album, “Lulu,” a collaborative effort with Lou Reed–particularly “Junior Dad”, the album’s 20-minute final track: “I started crying. It got me. I loved it–no bullshit!”
Lars laughed that Howard wasn’t the only one: “You should have seen grown men cry out in the studio when we were recording it. I’m telling you, I’ve been with James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett for close to 20 years and I’ve never seen them cry before. It was amazing. It was truly moving.”
*Uncut gave the record a positive review,[34] singling out the album closer “Junior Dad” for praise and calling it “breathtaking” and “astonishing”, a “perfect ending to the most extraordinary, passionate and just plain brilliant record either participant has made for a long while.”
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Metallica 30th Anniversary Party at The Fillmore

Posted on by Musicofourheart
English: The Fillmore, San Francisco, California.

Image via Wikipedia

Metallica continues to knock the cover off the ball, 30 years on ;) .  They have taken up a week-long residency in San Francisco (their hometown) at The Fillmore. They are celebrating their 30th anniversary as a band. Metallica is performing for their fan club members for four nights, 12/5, 12/7, 12/9, and 12/10. The guest star list so far has been fantastic, ranging from Jason Newsted rejoining them on Monday night to Kid Rock, Marianne Faithful, Biff Byford from Saxon to just name a few.

I must applaud Metallica for how well they treat and care about their fans. To attend the concerts you had to enter and win a lottery, travel and transportation was up to you. Fans are coming in from all over the world. I am reading about Monday night’s show, learning about how Lars Ulrich is hanging with the audience, how they invited another fan up to shred with them, who else does that these days. The mutual love between Metallica and its fans is strong and genuine.

Listen to one fan shout out, “Oh My God, We’re Not Worthy” in the video below and you’ll get my drift.

I can only imagine what that is like at The Fillmore, a 1200 person venue as I have seen Metallica rip the roof off at the Garden. The night we saw them at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary (2009) the stage looked like a city block of stacked with amplifiers and equipment. When they played they lifted me right out of my seat, they cranked it up so loud and crushing (which I loved). The Fillmore block must be quaking if you don’t mind my saying.

It’s important to point out that those fans who were narrow-minded in their reactions to Lulu, Metallica is more than that single collaboration. I like Lulu and I believe in what the music accomplishes strongly. I got a kick out of Lars Ulrich’s tongue in cheek comment after Metallica and Lou Reed played three songs from Lulu. ”If you’re not nice, we’ll play the whole thing,” Ulrich cracked.

Can’t wait to read about last night’s and tonight’s shows. Metallica you rule!

Lou Reed Metallica

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Lulu Full Preview Now Available! Prepared to be blown away!

Posted on by Musicofourheart

I applaud how the Lou Reed and Metallica, LuLu Web site has updated their content on a regular and consistent basis. Many Web sites will state that they have built an initial Web site with more content to follow. I am presuming due to time and situation they are unable to fulfill that commitment in any kind of regular and/or timely manner.

The content provisioning for the LuLu, Lou Reed and Metallica Web site has been very consistent with content updates. The people responsible for this Web site have been very proactive with updating lyric content (which as of today is now complete for all 10 song), photos, video content and press information. It’s the right method to keep Lou Reed and Metallica fans engaged in the subject of a forthcoming product release. Staged content delivery allows a creation to breathe more naturally on its own.

Yesterday it was reported that a music e-tailer had posted all 10 song samples from Lulu prematurely and without permission. (Drop dates are 10/31 Worldwide and 11/1 North America). It was valuable to see the Lou Reed and Metallica record label take control of the “Internet leak” by countering the e-tailer sample listing with a SoundCloud page for all the samples. They did not name the e-tailer, which was a smart move, as they will need them when real product is available. I am betting that the official Sound Cloud sample page of LuLu received far more hits and comments because SoundCloud allows direct interaction as part of the SoundCloud sample along the time scale. It’s a non-aggressive authoritative way to wrest away content control and keep content ownership.

Wow they’ve gone one step further, I just discovered the entire recording available as a preview on their site here!!!! Yessssssssssssss, listen with it turned up full!!!

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Loutallica – LuLu Trailer

Posted on by Musicofourheart
Cover of "Lulu (Nick Hern Books Drama Cla...

Cover of Lulu (Nick Hern Books Drama Classics)

You can feel the energy pulsating in the Lou Reed and Metallica LuLu Trailer as you watch it unfold.

Formula: Frank Wedekind (German Playwright) + Lou Reed (21st century sponsor & narrator)  + Metallica (Metal Orchestra) = über genius collaborative metal literature experience.

A game changer from three sources building epic theatre to a new crescendo.

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Lou Reed and Metallica, LuLu

Posted on by Musicofourheart

A real electric synergy ignited between Metallica and Lou Reed the night they first appeared together live at the 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert. Rosemary and I witnessed this incredible collaboration in person at Madison Square Garden on October 30th, 2009. It was the first time we were seeing Metallica and Lou Reed in concert. They performed two Velvet Underground classics, “Sweet Jane” and “White Light/White Heat“. It was powerful!

The raw force they generated with “Sweet Jane”, done Lou Reed, Rock and Roll Animal style made me think to myself…(Wow, I hope that Lou Reed and Metallica get around to recording together some day because they are just scratching the surface for what they can carry out together seismically.) Loutallica! My silent wishes have been granted. Lou Reed and Metallica will be releasing a new studio recording, LuLu on November 1st, almost two years to the day of their auspicious NYC concert début.

There is a Web site focused on this important teaming, http://www.loureedmetallica.com/. It has published content early and will be further updated as we get closer to the drop date.

Lou Reed & Metallica: Lulu

Five of the 10 songs planned are now listed, (Tracks 3,6-9), ” Frustration, Junior Dad, Little Dog Mistress Dread, and Pumping Blood.”

I find the inspiration of the LuLu recording, challenging and revealing all at once. 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.” Lou Reed says about LuLuand Metallica:

We had to bring LuLu to life in a sophisticated way, using rock and the hardest power rock you could come up with would have to be Metallica. This is the best thing I ever did. And I did it with the best group I could possibly find. By definition, everybody involved was honest. This has come into the world pure. We pushed as far as we possibly could within the realms of reality.

Gentlemen, Bring It On! (60 days and counting…)

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The Kinks – You Really Got Me

Posted on by Musicofourheart
A promotional photo of British rock group The ...

Image via Wikipedia

Classic rock and roll song from 1964 by The Kinks. The track that invented “heavy metal”.

Metallica invited Ray Davies to join them at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary concert in 2009 at Madison Square Garden.

The Best Musical Performance I've Attended

Posted on by Musicofourheart

You Really Got Me

Metallica and Ray Davies at Madison Square Garden in New York City. They were an act as part of the 25th Anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Metallica created a sound unlike something I’ve never heard before, they raised me from my seat with their crescendo. When James Hetfield stated, “We’re Metallica and this is what we do.” I was hooked.

It was even cooler when Ray Davies joined them as a surprise guest as they rocked together on “You Really Got Me”. Rosemary and I danced in the aisle to that one.

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