I interviewed him for 30 mins in 1997, and got in a question about his about face re: politics. the black album has "Don't tread on me" which I said to him was unmistakably a pro-Gulf war sentiment. He denied this somewhat unconvincingly, but went on to say that his travels around the world made him appreciate what he understood as American values, and that his lyrics afterwards were about "what you feel inside" (paraphrasing here) and no longer the result of watching CNN with Lars and saying lets be topical. So the band's orientation initially was to be anti-authoritarian in the manner of many of the non metal bands they liked, but clearly this was posturing on his part: when he became an older guy, late 20s-mid 30s, he reverted to the quasi-Nugent views that he probly would have had were he never to have heard Crass or Anti-Nowhere League.
― veronica moser, Wednesday, 12 September 2018 20:28 (six years ago) link
Also, he got rich.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 12 September 2018 22:22 (six years ago) link
Lars is the cool one, confirmed yet again
― change display name (Jordan), Wednesday, 12 September 2018 22:39 (six years ago) link
But Echobrain remains ... the future.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 12 September 2018 22:58 (six years ago) link
So the band's orientation initially was to be anti-authoritarian in the manner of many of the non metal bands they liked, but clearly this was posturing on his part: when he became an older guy, late 20s-mid 30s, he reverted to the quasi-Nugent views that he probly would have had were he never to have heard Crass or Anti-Nowhere League.
I don't think it's fair to call it "posturing." Hetfield grew up in Downey, California, an aerospace industry town, and his parents were Christian Scientists, so he rebelled against all of that pretty hard when he was growing up, as one does. But as he got older, and richer, he got more conservative, which happens to about 75% of human beings. Some of it's not even "conservatism" in the red/blue Republican-Democrat sense, it's just old-guy thinking.
― grawlix (unperson), Wednesday, 12 September 2018 23:22 (six years ago) link
Many xxps - The lack of bass never bothered me on this album, but there are these annoying little oomph sounds in the negative space between two guitar notes that I find very irritating. It's very clear right after the intro of the title track, as soon as the drums kick in, but once you hear it, it's all over the record. Anyway, excited for the rough mixes.
― ArchCarrier, Thursday, 13 September 2018 08:54 (six years ago) link
I get the impression Hetfield's lyrics on the thrash albums were written to provide an atmospheric context to the music rather than because the issues massively converned him. In a way I think his songwriting's grown more personal as it's got worse.
― chap, Thursday, 13 September 2018 13:06 (six years ago) link
I could watch Kirk Hammett open boxes all day.
the result of watching CNN with Lars
I mean, this would probably make me go MAGA too.
― pplains, Thursday, 13 September 2018 13:24 (six years ago) link
That may have been what I was thinking of. Thank you, veronica.
― how's life, Thursday, 13 September 2018 14:45 (six years ago) link
man I doubt very much that what you read was my shit. Was for Timeout NY in 1997, which is not archived online. But he has said as much very widely.
thread has sent me to listen to Hardwired for the first time…four songs in, I got bored with the album per se and went to the Dio/Rainbow, Maiden and Deep Purple covers. Gotta say that I liked mid 90s Metallica just fine ("the Unforgiven II" is one of my favorite things they ever done) and don't think much of 00s material.
― veronica moser, Thursday, 13 September 2018 15:23 (six years ago) link
The ultimate in vanityExploiting their supremacyObama's birth certificate's fakeI can't believe, I can't believe the priceHe paid
― fuck the NRA (Neanderthal), Thursday, 13 September 2018 15:26 (six years ago) link
Your best friend is deadYou know there’s not an answer in BudweiserWhat do you do?
― calstars, Monday, 10 December 2018 01:39 (five years ago) link
the drums on this record kick ass
― american bradass (BradNelson), Saturday, 25 May 2019 21:07 (five years ago) link
Yes they do!
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Saturday, 25 May 2019 23:32 (five years ago) link
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the songs or the performances but the record definitely could’ve sounded better.
― Siegbran, Sunday, 26 May 2019 06:51 (five years ago) link
no it couldn't!
― longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Tuesday, 28 May 2019 16:17 (five years ago) link
there's no bass tho
also drums sound kind of funny
― findom haddie (jim in vancouver), Tuesday, 28 May 2019 16:20 (five years ago) link
To ease my misgivings over the bass/other misc. issues, I like to think of AJFA as sonically one big rhythm guitar
― Master of Treacle, Tuesday, 28 May 2019 17:00 (five years ago) link
i mean i like it!
― findom haddie (jim in vancouver), Tuesday, 28 May 2019 17:00 (five years ago) link
I enjoy this album very much
― brimstead, Tuesday, 28 May 2019 18:35 (five years ago) link
anybody have a parametric equalizer hooked up to their stereo?
― brimstead, Tuesday, 28 May 2019 18:37 (five years ago) link
Lars on fire
― calstars, Saturday, 5 October 2019 01:46 (four years ago) link
Helluva way to deal with Jaymz's recent news
― When I am afraid, I put my toast in you (Neanderthal), Saturday, 5 October 2019 01:57 (four years ago) link
Shortest Straw ftw
― calstars, Saturday, 5 October 2019 03:03 (four years ago) link
This album
― calstars, Sunday, 16 February 2020 04:16 (four years ago) link
Anyone complain about the bass sound above?
― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Sunday, 16 February 2020 08:28 (four years ago) link
What bass sound?
― the british empire's coming back, back back! (j/k) (Matt #2), Sunday, 16 February 2020 08:38 (four years ago) link
Oh wow, they actually played my favorite song once, in its entirety, and did it justice (lol): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eF5OHUXamFQ
― change display name (Jordan), Tuesday, 1 September 2020 19:52 (four years ago) link
Which is the one that was supposedly "unplayable," due to punch-ins and overdubs and stuff?
I know it's traditionally metal and all, but I guess James still gets a pass for the Iron Cross?
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 1 September 2020 19:55 (four years ago) link
That's Dyer's Eve. They've now played it, with Lars gutting the drum part.
― pass the cur's dossier (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 1 September 2020 20:04 (four years ago) link
XPS
Iron crosses have a long history in California Biker/Surfer/Hot Rod culture. One of the times he cleaned up, Hetfield really got into Hot Rods, which I imagine informed both the cross and pinstriping on his guitar.
― "...And the Gods Socially Distanced" (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 1 September 2020 20:26 (four years ago) link
https://www.hotrodders.com/forum/maltese-cross-14960.html
― "...And the Gods Socially Distanced" (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 1 September 2020 20:30 (four years ago) link
Just searched "Dyer's Eve demo" on youtube on a hunch, and there you go:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXtSwgCEktE
See, Lars used to be able to play that ridiculously fast & long double bass part in the verse even without punch-ins.
― change display name (Jordan), Tuesday, 1 September 2020 20:37 (four years ago) link
But the Maltese cross is not the Iron Cross. That's an Iron Cross, which is associated afaik just with Germany. Right?
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 1 September 2020 20:45 (four years ago) link
(Not picking a fight with James, who already has a history of being associated with or saying questionable stuff about a bunch of bad shit.)
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 1 September 2020 20:46 (four years ago) link
I remember hearing this version on a bootleg in a used CD store listening station when I was a kid, and realizing that the best riffs are the actually the ones under the solos (maybe because James doesn't have to sing, or even lock in with another rhythm guitarist): https://youtu.be/WAfcp54co4M?t=257
― change display name (Jordan), Tuesday, 1 September 2020 20:47 (four years ago) link
I don't hear any double bass on that demo in the verse? Sounds like a simplified drum beat compared to the studio recording? Unless that was the joke...
― pass the cur's dossier (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 1 September 2020 21:30 (four years ago) link
Or it could be the shittiness of the recording and my waning hearing. I hear something approximating double bass but it's faint
― pass the cur's dossier (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 1 September 2020 21:34 (four years ago) link
I hear something approximating double bass but it's faint
That's our Lars ....
;)
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 1 September 2020 21:36 (four years ago) link
I'm on headphones and can definitely hear it throughout (not a lot of attack on that demo recording), and his time is super tight compared to most live shows.
― change display name (Jordan), Tuesday, 1 September 2020 21:40 (four years ago) link
Lars rules
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 1 September 2020 21:40 (four years ago) link
Lars is like Ringo: love him or not, I can't imagine anyone else in his place.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 1 September 2020 21:54 (four years ago) link
Or I guess I can imagine it, but wouldn't want it.
Protect Lars
― change display name (Jordan), Tuesday, 1 September 2020 23:18 (four years ago) link
Imagine being in your 50s and having legions of lunkheads caring about your double kick skills
― change display name (Jordan), Tuesday, 1 September 2020 23:20 (four years ago) link
Seriously, not least because all the young guns trigger anyway.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 1 September 2020 23:56 (four years ago) link
My god the instrumental section beginning four minutes into Eye of the Beholder is tight.
― chap, Friday, 29 January 2021 11:30 (three years ago) link
yeah that's my fav part of the song
― if Spaghetti-Os had whammy bars (Neanderthal), Friday, 29 January 2021 14:50 (three years ago) link
i listened to that tune a lot during Trump's inauguration week lol
Great track.
― chap, Friday, 29 January 2021 14:55 (three years ago) link