Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
princess

Metallica

Recommended Posts

[CDATA[Metallica Gets 'Monster' of a Deal<br />Mon, Feb 23, 2004, 09:02 AM PT<br />By Holly Aguirre<br /><br />LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) -- <strong>The documentary film made about one of the world's most popular and outspoken bands has been acquired for distribution. Picking up "Metallica: Some Kind of Monster" is IFC Films for U.S. theatrical distribution as part of a unique partnership with the hard rock band Metallica.</strong><br /><br />This new strategy could bring more independent films to a wider audience, further integrating art-house audiences with mainstream fans.<br /><br />"Metallica has always defied the rules in just about everything it does. Why should it be any different with this film?" says Metallica's drummer Lars Ulrich.<br /><br />The film, which is owned by Metallica, was directed and produced by acclaimed documentary filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky.<br /><br />The filmmakers and the band agreed to pursue an unusual way of managing the release of the movie, opting for a more unconventional approach in which Metallica will oversee and pay for all of the marketing costs. As part of the deal, IFC plans to match Metallica's P & A funds and partner in the endeavor.<br /><br />The rockumentary played to sold-out crowds at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival and met with high critical acclaim for noted documentary filmmakers Berlinger and Sinofsky.<br /><br />"It's an almost unprecedented opportunity to bring together the resources of the world9s most successful hard rock band with savvy distribution partners such as IFC and Paramount," says Berlinger.<br /><br />The filmmakers were allowed to follow Metallica's every personal and professional move as they embarked on the tumultuous creation of their Grammy-winning album "St. Anger." Berlinger and Sinofsky were allowed near-limitless access to the band's creative process, business maneuvers and heated debates. Most astonishing is the presence of group therapist Phil Towle, who is brought on to help the band put out emotional fires.<br /><br />In life and in their intense group therapy sessions, subjects are raw, unpredictable, and run the gamut from substance abuse to their controversial crusade against Napster.<br /><br />The theatrical release is planned to coincide with Metallica's upcoming North American tour.<br /><br />"Metallica: Some Kind of Monster" marks the fourth feature-documentary collaboration between Berlinger and Sinofsky. Their previous films include the self-distributed "Brother's Keeper" and "Paradise Lost."<br />]]

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

popbitch.com

 

Metallica Mayhem

Chiropractor/Cokehead

 

Metallica always take their own chiropractor

on tour with them. He's a nice, short, bald guy.

 

To celebrate the end of their tour in London in

December the band held a party at their Covent

Garden hotel. As befits an ageing, grimly

professional rock band the party was very

quiet. Guests just stood around sipping drinks.

 

Except for the one member of the band who

still likes to think of himself as a

hellraiser. He stood in the middle of

the room snorting lines of coke off the

top of his chiropractor's bald head.

 

Sounds like Lars Ulrich to me.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Some major details about this movie, if you don't want spoilers don't read!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Film Review: "Metallica: Some Kind of Monster"

Written by 08-19-2004 by BrianOrndorf

http://www.filmjerk.com/new/article-1007--0-0.html

 

Coming from a former fan, "Metallica: Some Kind of Monster" is a remarkable documentary that investigates just how much this band lost their way over the past couple of years, seen through unbelievable access to the members and their emotions. This terrific film will also appeal to non-fans, because, let's be honest, who doesn't love to see spoiled rock stars fight? A must see.

 

 

It started innocently enough: filmmakers Bruce Sinofsky and Joe Berlinger (the ?Paradise Lost? documentaries) were called in to document Metallica?s (singer James Hetfield, drummer Lars Ulrich, and guitarist Kirk Hammett) return to the studio to record their new album, which would eventually become 2003?s ?St. Anger.? The studio time was booked, the equipment set up, and the filmmakers ready to capture the creative process. But the band was a mess, having just lost longtime bassist Jason Newsted, and internal friction had heated up to such a degree that the presence of Phil Towle, a $40,000-a-month psychologist and ?life coach,? was necessary to assist band communication and focus. What was intended as mere months in the studio became over two years of footage. ?Some Kind of Monster? chronicles this difficult journey.

 

The film opens in 2001 with Metallica fractured into little pieces due to the loss of their bass player over artistic differences, as well as their own fatigue from being one of the biggest bands in music history. As they enter The Presidio, a former San Francisco military outpost, to record, the mood is grim and interpersonal feelings are hostile. The band manages to bang out some songs, but the vibe isn?t correct, and because of the newly introduced therapy session, the band members walk on eggshells with each other, attempting to communicate their feelings through their new vocabulary of ?I?m OK, you?re OK? psychological babbling. It?s apparent right away that Sinofsky and Berlinger are not going to be capturing a simple episode of ?Behind the Music,? or even the fluffy, frat-boy fun overtones of Metallica?s own stabs at previous documentaries. ?Monster? is just that; depicting a time in the band?s life where the pieces of fame, friendship, and musicianship are breaking up, with Towle and producer (and temp bassist) Bob Rock holding Hetfield, Ulrich, and Hammett together so they can create one more album. The camera watches as the trio scrap with each other, each seemingly loathing their new therapeutic angle of communication, but respecting the results it brings. Unexpectedly, ?Monster? also sheds some light on Hetfield and Ulrich?s parenting skills, allowing their kids to be around the recording sessions, and includes a terrific scene showing Hetfield attending his daughter?s ballet recital.

 

Months into recording, Hetfield, tired of the band dynamic and his own crippling problems, takes off for rehab, leaving the rest of the team in a lurch for almost a year. This second act of down time without Hetfield begins to probe where Lars Ulrich is coming from, as he?s considered to be the most publicly hated member of the band due to decades of unfettered ego and his attempts to shut down file-sharing computer program Napster over claims of song theft. The audience meets Ulrich?s eccentric father, who openly criticizes his son?s music, driving Lars up the wall. We see the frustration of the drummer watching his beloved band slowly erode; coming to terms with a break-up that is potentially on the horizon. Finally, in the film?s most revelatory moment, former guitarist (and Megadeth frontman) Dave Mustaine is called into Ulrich?s therapy session to vent his own feelings of anger, regret, and resentment for having been tossed out of the band for drunken behavior back in 1982 (this coming from a band who were commonly referred to as ?Alcoholica?). For Metallica fans, this moment is incredible, providing some much need circle closing for the two participants. For the rest of the audience, the scene is indicative of the entire film, which is fearless in displaying the emotional abysses the band is facing, using unbelievable access to capture these moments of the rock gods on their knees begging for emotional clarity and forgiveness.

 

Eventually, Hetfield returns, and the band goes back to work. But restraints on the creative process due to Hetfield?s rehabilitation rules threaten to topple Metallica once again. The reemergence of Hetfield as a clean living, introspective person is fascinating, and the filmmakers make sure to remind the audience of what his life was like pre-rehab, through archival footage of a beer-swilling singer, shoulder-deep in anger and control issues. The new, cautious Hetfield almost seems like a robot in comparison. It?s interesting to see the two sides constantly at war with each other throughout the film.

 

And Kirk Hammett? An integral part of the band since the ?Kill ?Em All? years, the free-spirited, new age-ish Hammett has learned well how to survive under the thumb of Hetfield and Ulrich, either keeping his nose out of their business, or desperately trying to play peacemaker as he walks carefully through the minefields the years have planted in the band?s dynamic. His best moment comes when Rock suggests that Hammett?s complicated guitar solos should take back seat for the new album, which a panicked Hammett quickly tries to justify, fearing his only thread to the Metallica sound will be cut loose and he will be forced out like Newsted was.

 

The final thread that Sinofsky and Berlinger weave throughout the film is the presence of Towle, who comes close to rivaling Eugene Landy in his attempts to latch on to this sugardaddy of a band. At first, Towle is a necessity for communication, dragging honesty and respectful tones out of the band members. But as soon as Hetfield takes it upon himself to clean up his act, Towle?s role becomes obsolete, which he refuses to recognize, even going so far as to make plans to move out from Kansas to the Metallica headquarters in San Francisco to permanently set up shop. Scary stuff. The filmmakers slyly showcase the argument against Towle?s involvement throughout the film, ending with Hetfield?s not-so-joking questioning of the therapist?s desire to join the band.

 

After a star-studded search for a bass replacement, Metallica settled on former Ozzy Osbourne employee, Robert Trujillo. The frog-stomping, slightly bewildered musician brings a joy and dynamism back into the band?s music, which was lost almost a decade ago. Coming as a former die-hard fan of the Metallica who long ago gave up the religion, ?Some Kind of Monster? reminded me just how special a group these men are. It also brings an essential understanding and perspective to the previously disregarded ?St. Anger? album. As an aficionado, this is an incredible, and incredibly honest, look at band mechanics, and a portrait of psychological unrest that many musical acts wouldn?t dare make available to their fans. But ?Some Kind of Monster? will even appeal to the non-fans too, through the sheer energy of conflict and the humanization of rock stars. It?s a long journey (140 minutes), but riveting to the last frame.

 

My Rating: A

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I know this is an old thread...but does anyone have any gossip on these guys? They seem to keep their lives pretty private.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I know this is an old thread...but does anyone have any gossip on these guys? They seem to keep their lives pretty private.

I LOVE Metallica. Master of Puppets and Seek and Destroy were two old favs for me.

 

Metal's always been notoriously sexist and homophobic, maybe a bit less now because of Nu Metal and Gothic influences. James Hetfield was a monstrous homophobe at one time several years back. A UK mag took him to task once for making a joke about killing gays. He had to knock that on the head once Kirk and Lars apparently started going to gay bars to hang out in the 1990s and Kirk started going goth and painting his nails black. Probably because of his bandmates and the circles they were moving in, plus he then married and had loads of kids he mellowed out some. He was very fiery though, and sometimes spoke about his tough upbringing. I got the impression James might have been physically bashed about by someone as a kid. I remember him as a very angry man mostly. But what a pair of lungs! :D

 

I recall a BI about a very famous metal band snorting an enormous amount of coke backstage which people suggested was Metallica. I can't imagine them being saints can you? But apparently very gracious and good to their staff, roadies and catering folks on the road. Another item I remember about Metallica (not too long ago either) was that at some backstage do or other there was a whole load of groupie types that had turned up as if expecting favours and the band were said to have ignored them and mingled with the catering staff and backstage workers/crew, etc.

 

As far as I know James is still married with several kids, Jason Newsted is married, Lars is possibly recently separated from his wife, and Kirk was married, not sure now though. She was a beautiful black-haired goth woman, can't remember her name though.

 

It was corny but I loved my heavy metal. Still do but I listen to more mixed things now.

Edited by GimmeSumSugar

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Metallica to do in-store show in California

Band hopes event will boost independent record store community

 

 

NEW YORK - Metallica will make its first in-store appearance in nearly a decade on April 19, as part of Record Store Day, a promotional event for independent music retailers.

 

The band will participate in a signing and meet-and-greet at Rasputin Music’s Mountain View store, near San Francisco.

 

In addition to promoting the vinyl re-release of the band’s classic albums “Kill ’Em All” and “Ride the Lightning,” Metallica’s appearance is meant to bolster the indie record store community.

 

Spearheaded by the Alliance of Independent Media Stores, Coalition of Independent Music Stores, Music Monitor Network, Newbury Comics and Value Music Group of Indie Stores, the inaugural Record Store Day will feature special events at all participating stores, which will provide customers with goodie bags filled with new formats, new albums and information on music, theatrical, comic book and gaming releases.

© 2008 Billboard

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Lee Denies Metallica Collaboration

 

EVANESCENCE singer AMY LEE has denied she is to record a collaboration with METALLICA for the heavy metal band's forthcoming album.

 

Lee was rumoured to have teamed up with the legendary rockers to rework their classic track Fade To Black, as well as providing vocals for their new LP which is due out later this year (08).

 

But the star has dismissed the reports with a posting on her website, according to Blabbermouth.net.

 

She says, "I am NOT going to be collaborating with METALLICA. I have absolutely no idea where this rumour came from, but it is not true."

 

Source: contactmusic

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Metallica Consider Online Album

 

Heavy metal rockers METALLICA are considering following in the footsteps of RADIOHEAD and releasing their music online.

 

The Whiskey In The Jar hitmakers are set to release their highly anticipated ninth studio album later this year (08), marking the end of their record deal with Warners.

 

And the bandmembers admit they are not looking for a traditional album deal they want to be able to keep up with the digital age for all of their future releases.

 

Drummer Lars Ulrich reveals the band has been inspired by other artists who have embraced music sales via the web - and they are thinking of following suit.

 

He says, "We’re looking at how we can embrace everything. We want to be as free players as possible.

 

"We’ve been observing Radiohead and Trent Reznor (of Nine Inch Nails) and in 27 years or however long it takes for the next record, we’ll be looking forward to everything in terms of possibilities with the internet."

 

Radiohead sparked controversy when they released their latest album In Rainbows as a download only LP last year (07), allowing fans to name their own price for the recording.

 

Nine Inch Nails also released a digital album, making their instrumental LP Ghosts I-IV available through their official website last month (Mar08).

 

Source: pr-inside

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Metallica to do a Radiohead?

Metallica have hinted that they are considering releasing music in the style of Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails, who recently gave away material free online.

 

Drummer Lars Ulrich told Rolling Stone that he had observed the behaviour of both acts, and said Metallica may be influenced by them in the future.

 

The band's traditional record deal with Warners expires when they release their next studio album.

 

"We're looking at how we can embrace everything," Ulrich said. "We want to be as free players as possible. We've been observing Radiohead and Trent Reznor [of Nine Inch Nails] and in 27 years or however long it takes for the next record, we'll be looking forward to everything in terms of possibilities with the internet."

 

The news may come as a surprise to some Metallica fans. Ulrich has traditionally been opposed to free downloads. In 2000 the band sued peer-to-peer software company Napster for distributing their songs.Band hint at future internet releases

 

 

Metallica have hinted that they are considering releasing music in the style of Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails, who recently gave away material free online.

 

Drummer Lars Ulrich told Rolling Stone that he had observed the behaviour of both acts, and said Metallica may be influenced by them in the future.

 

The band's traditional record deal with Warners expires when they release their next studio album.

 

"We're looking at how we can embrace everything," Ulrich said. "We want to be as free players as possible. We've been observing Radiohead and Trent Reznor [of Nine Inch Nails] and in 27 years or however long it takes for the next record, we'll be looking forward to everything in terms of possibilities with the internet."

 

The news may come as a surprise to some Metallica fans. Ulrich has traditionally been opposed to free downloads. In 2000 the band sued peer-to-peer software company Napster for distributing their songs.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Metallica 'Make Appeal For Missing Fan'

 

 

Metallica have donated $50,000 (£30,500) to a reward fund for the safe return of a girl who went missing at one of their gigs earlier this month.

 

Student Morgan Dana Harrington, 20, was last seen on October 17 outside the John Paul Jones arena in Charlottesville, VA where she was attending a Metallica show.

 

The band have also posted photos and a message on their official website, saying that they are "deeply concerned" about Harrington's disappearance.

 

Speaking on NBC's Today Show, the girl's parents said that they suspect "foul play" and have called her disappearance "a parent's worst nightmare".

 

Source digitalspy.co.uk

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Fans arrested in Metallica concert riot

 

 

Police in Bogata, Colombia failed to prevent riots at a Metallica concert on Wednesday night - more than 100 fans were arrested after violence erupted outside the venue.

 

Members of the nation's military were drafted in ahead of the gig in a bid to prevent trouble following reports that the band's show in Santiago, Chile in January was marred by rioting.

 

More than 1,500 officials were organized to patrol the streets around Simon Bolivar Park ahead of Wednesday's concert.

 

But despite the extra efforts, approximately 160 people were detained by cops and at least eight injured as hundreds of fans without tickets attempted to force their way into the sold-out gig.

 

Police reportedly used water cannons and tear gas in an attempt to disperse the angry crowd.

 

Officer Ruben Castillo tells Sky News, "Those people that did not get in wanted to get in by force. The presence of police and riot teams was necessary because these misfits - there's no other name for them - damaged some windows in the surrounding area."

 

Despite the havoc surrounding the event, Metallica still managed to perform the concert, their first in the country since 1999.

 

 

 

source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate...7#ixzz0i10byjfB

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×