Lou Reed/Metallica: Yep, It's Friggin' Ghastly

[Diamondjimi]

They've made an album with LOU REED!!!!

METALLICA's Secret Recording Project Revealed - June 15, 2011
METALLICA's official web site has been updated with the following message:

"A few months ago our own Kirk Hammett hinted at a new METALLICA project that's 'not really 100 percent a METALLICA record.' While Kirk may have jumped the gun a little (and has since been properly punished with a series of push-ups!), we are more than proud to announce that we have just completed recording a full-length album that is a collaboration with none other than the legendary Lou Reed.

"Ever since we had the pleasure of performing with Lou at the 25th anniversary of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame at Madison Square Garden in October of 2009, we have been kicking around the idea of making a record together. Some of you astute Bay Area residents may have picked up news of recent Lou Reed sightings in the greater San Francisco area and we have indeed been working at our home studio at [METALLICA headquarters in San Rafael, California] on and off over the last few months. In what would be lightning speed for a METALLICA-related project, we recorded ten songs during this time and while at this moment we're not exactly sure when you'll hear it, we're beyond excited to share with you that the recording sessions wrapped up last week.

"A true innovator and easily one of the most influential songwriters, musicians, and performers in rock music history, Lou's work with the VELVET UNDERGROUND and as a solo artist has such an enduring quality that he has long been revered and respected by us and many of our peers. We can't wait for you to listen to the finished record, so as we like to hear ourselves say around here, keep watching this spot for updates . . . we'll be back with more details as they come together."

[sadaist]

Kirk Hammett hinted at a new METALLICA project that's 'not really 100 percent a METALLICA record.'

I bet it will 100% suck.

Hasn't been 100% since Cliff died.

I bet the store still charges us 100% of suggested retail.

I'd like to kick 100% of Lars' ass.

I bet they use 100% of the profits for more Armani shopping & cool sandals.

Maybe they can keep children & beach balls 100% off the damn stage.

Megadeth is 100% better than Metallica.


Sorry, that's 100% of the jokes I could think of right now. Although my love for Metallica bashing threads is still 100%.

[FORD]

I don't see anything wrong with recording with Lou Reed in and of itself. I just can't imagine Shitallica pulling it off.

[VAiN]

This should be... Umm... Interesting?? Maybe they'll package it with their Metallica Monopoly game that's coming out...

[Diamondjimi]

[binnie]

Well, I thought it was going to be another covers record.

This is a surprise. Kudos to them for doing it - having some fun and experimenting.

Now get on with the next album proper.

[Seshmeister]

The only thing worse than a Metallica 'song' is when they do a cover.

[binnie]

These aren't covers if I've understood correctly.

Lou Reed has written the songs and both he and Metallica has arranged them. It's like them being his backing band. I think Pearl Jam did a similar thing with Neil Young at some point.

[Seshmeister]

Hopefully Lou will sing.

And play the drums.

[binnie]

I believe that Lou is singing.

Rick Allen is playing drums. CC Deville is doing all of the solos.

[chefcraig]

This makes little, if any sense. Lou Reed's best work has more often than not been recorded very quietly, with all of the players in the room. The music is set at an extremely low level so as to reveal the complexity of Reed's lyrical themes. Even albums like the brilliant New York (which sounds blisteringly loud) were recorded in a quiet setting, one so low in volume that the drum set had to be muffled. For him to feel a need to play with these blustery blowhards that know next to nothing about subtlety is a real head-scratcher.

[Hardrock69]

This is fucking stupid.

I thought they reached their low point when they recorded Bob (suckass) Seger's turn the page.

Well, I would say Lou Reed has more integrity than Seger, so I do not think this is as bad as that. But it fucking sucks. Fucking idiots. What's next. Recording an album with Spamulus Flatulus?

[Seshmeister]

All these projects do is show how fucking narrow their ability is and how they should stick to that.

Their cover of Whiskey in the Jar stripped everything good out of the song and replaced it with toilet.

[binnie]

Their cover of Whiskey in the Jar stripped everything good out of the song and replaced it with toilet.

It did indeed. But I liked the cover of 'Turn the Page', and the Mercyful Fate covers were fucking epic. As was the cover of Skynrd's 'Tuesday's Gone'.

It's always going to be a mixed bag when you do covers though, isn't it.

However, experimenting - whether successfully or not - is a lot more admirable than knocking out the same things time and time again. AC/DC anyone? Has ANYTHING they've done since 'Flick of The Switch' held our attention?

[binnie]

I'd kind of hoped that the 'secret project' would be with king of the 'side projects' Dave Grohl. Essentially, I would have liked them to have re-recorded the best tunes of their first four records (ripping it live from the studio floor) with Grohl on drums and called it 'Here's What We Sound like With a Drummer'.

[Seshmeister]

I hoped it was a suicide pact...

[binnie]

You've just triggered a load of Therapy? tunes to come into my head. Their 'Suicide Pact........You First' is a fantastic album.

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Didn't they do a (lame) song or two at that R&R Hall of Fame anniversary show a while back ??

[Unchainme]

I'd kind of hoped that the 'secret project' would be with king of the 'side projects' Dave Grohl. Essentially, I would have liked them to have re-recorded the best tunes of their first four records (ripping it live from the studio floor) with Grohl on drums and called it 'Here's What We Sound like With a Drummer'.

Shake Your Blood was an amazing track, and the only really listenable song on that album. I was disappointed the Grohl didn't go further with more of the old school "New Wave of British Metal Acts" and pulled more guys like Halford, Dio (alright not british, but you get the point) and Dickinson into the fold.

[sadaist]

I thought they reached their low point when they recorded Bob (suckass) Seger's turn the page.

For me it was 'Nothing Else Matters'. I heard it the first time on the radio. I kept waiting & waiting for the heavy part to kick in like in Fade To Black, Sanitarium, or One. Sadly it never happened. That's when I knew things would never be the same.

[WACF]

It did indeed. But I liked the cover of 'Turn the Page', and the Mercyful Fate covers were fucking epic. As was the cover of Skynrd's 'Tuesday's Gone'.

It's always going to be a mixed bag when you do covers though, isn't it.

However, experimenting - whether successfully or not - is a lot more admirable than knocking out the same things time and time again. AC/DC anyone? Has ANYTHING they've done since 'Flick of The Switch' held our attention?

I really liked thier cover of "Am I Evil" too...

[binnie]

I think everyone would agree on that. The 'Garage' EPs are packed with great stuff, even if the cover of 'The Wait' is a little cumbersome.

[Mr. Vengeance]

Dear Metallica,

This is a fucking stupid idea. Please stop giving your audience watered down shit to steal their $$$$.

Sincerely,
The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra

[sadaist]

I really liked thier cover of "Am I Evil" too...

The 'Garage' EPs are packed with great stuff, even if the cover of 'The Wait' is a little cumbersome.

Agree & agree.

It was Metallica fucking around and playing heavy. They weren't trying to be too polished, perfect, layered, overdubbed or produced. They weren't trying to make a hit record or be diverse in their musical influences & tastes. Just sounded like some metal lovers drinking in their garage and cranking out some cool heavy tunes. Something all of us in our Levi jackets and Nike hightops could relate to while smoking a joint after school behind the 7-11 with our friends. This was before they all needed a group hug, shoulder to cry on, young stoner-slacker type to sue, and investment banker tucking them in at night.

Metallica was a reflection of us. They looked like our friends did. They acted like our friends did. No one owned any spandex or hairspray except for that 1 kid we all made fun of for wearing that shit to a concert. They wore the same t-shirts & jeans as us and our friends. Drank beer in mass quantities like we did. And when they played live it wasn't about them being the stars of the show. It was 5,000 metal heads listening to music and they just happened to be the 4 on stage chosen to play it that night.

Metallica wasn't a band of 4 guys. In the sea of glam hairspray makeup spiked shoulderpads 10 inch heels anything for an image look like a girl world that metal was becoming....Metallica was us. They were just like any of us on a Saturday night with friends having a drinking game to see if you could make your buddy puke or pass out so you could hit on his girlfriend.

That's the Metallica I love.....always will.

[Mr. Vengeance]

This is fucking stupid.

I thought they reached their low point when they recorded Bob (suckass) Seger's turn the page.

For I, it was when they followed up a mellow-er but enjoyable Black Album with Load. And then when you thought it couldn't get worse, Re-Load.

[WACF]

For I, it was when they followed up a mellow-er but enjoyable Black Album with Load. And then when you thought it couldn't get worse, Re-Load.

I always gotta chime in on this point....Load and Re-Load are really good Hard Rock albums...lot's of good songs that sound great with headphones.

Just don't think of them as Thrash....

[WACF]

The Black album was a door opener for me...Metallica got no airplay and very little exposure where I grew up.

I fell in love with the Black album...then discovered the old Metallica....and was amazed.

[chefcraig]

For I, it was when they followed up a mellow-er but enjoyable Black Album with Load. And then when you thought it couldn't get worse, Re-Load.

For me, it was the way they responded to Cliff Burton's death by releasing their first full length album without any bass on it, quickly followed by the "anti-video" band showing up on MTV at every conceivable opportunity to say so when the clip for "One" came out.

[Mr. Vengeance]

I always gotta chime in on this point....Load and Re-Load are really good Hard Rock albums...lot's of good songs that sound great with headphones.

Just don't think of them as Thrash....

If people like them, that's fine. I can't listen to them.

[little_dreamer]

AC/DC anyone? Has ANYTHING they've done since 'Flick of The Switch' held our attention?

Well said. Blow Up Your Video was, in my opinion, the sole listenable record of theirs since Back In Black.

[tojoro]

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/bla...sitemID=159582
Seriously, man? I'm just trying to picture a bunch of aging 'bangers swilling Haffenreffers, buying up Hetfield Railroad and Ulrich Place whilst "Call of Ktulu" plays in the background.
I wouldn't be that suprised if Cliff's grave is a property to be bought and sold in the game.

[Mr. Vengeance]

Well said. Blow Up Your Video was, in my opinion, the sole listenable record of theirs since Back In Black.

See, if you ask me, that's probably the one AC/DC album I never play.

Different strokes.....

[sadaist]

I guess us old timers that have been with Metallica from the start just have to accept the fact that they are the same caliber as U2, Stones, Who, Aerosmith, Kiss, etc... The once great small band that made it big and now tours based solely on legend. They'll never be able to touch their early stuff. Metallica is just a brand name now. Way bigger than 4 guys making heavy metal. Way too many people make their livings from this machine.

I suppose the best we can hope for is any new fans end up stumbling across that classic raw early material and have their jaws drop. Which in turn forces them to seek out old Exodus, Metal Church, Megadeth, Flotsam & Jetsam, Helloween, Anthrax, Venom, Motorhead, Testament, Death Angel, Accept and all the other great early metal acts.

[Mr. Vengeance]

I guess us old timers that have been with Metallica from the start just have to accept the fact that they are the same caliber as U2, Stones, Who, Aerosmith, Kiss, etc... The once great small band that made it big and now tours based solely on legend. They'll never be able to touch their early stuff. Metallica is just a brand name now. Way bigger than 4 guys making heavy metal. Way too many people make their livings from this machine.

I suppose the best we can hope for is any new fans end up stumbling across that classic raw early material and have their jaws drop. Which in turn forces them to seek out old Exodus, Metal Church, Megadeth, Flotsam & Jetsam, Helloween, Anthrax, Venom, Motorhead, Testament, Death Angel, Accept and all the other great early metal acts.

Yup. Old bands tend to live on their old output. I'm sure had the Beatles stayed together all these years, people would be saying they haven't had a decent album in 30 years, like they do with the Stones(I disagree).

You never know when an old artist will come out with something spectacular. Bob Dylan's last few albums have been the strongest stuff he did for many many moons.

[Unchainme]

My one major annoyance with Metallica (and it's really not the band's fault)

is the constant propping them up as this end-all greatest metal band ever...when actually in my mind, I'm not sure if they're top 5. Maiden, Priest, Motorhead and hell..even Megadeth, are all better Metal bands in my eyes, and don't get near enough the praise that Metallica has received, whether it's by MTV specials or Radio Airplay.

[sadaist]

My one major annoyance with Metallica (and it's really not the band's fault)

is the constant propping them up as this end-all greatest metal band ever...when actually in my mind, I'm not sure if they're top 5. Maiden, Priest, Motorhead and hell..even Megadeth, are all better Metal bands in my eyes, and don't get near enough the praise that Metallica has received, whether it's by MTV specials or Radio Airplay.

Agree. But for some reason back in the mid-late 80's, Metallica were the chosen ones to be the most popular. Look at grunge. Nirvana is hardly the best band from that genre, yet are by far the face of it. I guess if you wanna look at it another way, Metallica have handled the pressure of being the face of it and championed it fairly well over the last 2 decades. Still selling out stadiums world wide and not blowing themselves out on heroin. Stayed together for the most part without losing an original member.

And yes, Megadeth is better.

[binnie]

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/bla...sitemID=159582
Seriously, man? I'm just trying to picture a bunch of aging 'bangers swilling Haffenreffers, buying up Hetfield Railroad and Ulrich Place whilst "Call of Ktulu" plays in the background.
I wouldn't be that suprised if Cliff's grave is a property to be bought and sold in the game.

Ac/DC have one coming too. It seems to be a new gimmick from Monopoly.

[binnie]

And yes, Megadeth is better.

Huge Megadeth fan. But even Dave Mustaine doesn't believe that.

[Seshmeister]

My one major annoyance with Metallica (and it's really not the band's fault)

is the constant propping them up as this end-all greatest metal band ever...when actually in my mind, I'm not sure if they're top 5. Maiden, Priest, Motorhead and hell..even Megadeth, are all better Metal bands in my eyes, and don't get near enough the praise that Metallica has received, whether it's by MTV specials or Radio Airplay.

I don't think that they are in the top 5 metal bands whose name starts with 'M' but album sales makes them the greatest ever by a mile.

[binnie]

Influence on the shape of metal - and the way it sounds - since the mid '80s puts them in the 'greatest' category.