gerrythedon

LOU REED Says His Collaboration With METALLICA Is 'Maybe The Best Thing Done By Anyone, Ever'
Legendary singer and former VELVET UNDERGROUND frontman Lou Reed recently spoke to New York Magazine about his collaboration with METALLICA on songs he'd written for "Lulu", a theatrical production of stories by German author Frank Wedekind, which is currently running in Berlin.

When asked if there was any chance of him staging "Lulu" with the music he did with METALLICA, Reed said, "I don't think METALLICA wants to be a band on Broadway! [Chuckles.] They're metalheads. They're not going to do that. But the version of the 'Lulu' music I did with METALLICA is awe-inspiring. It's maybe the best thing done by anyone, ever. It could create another planetary system. I'm not joking, and I'm not being egotistical."

Regarding what the METALLICA version of the "Lulu" music sounds like, Reed said, "There are two stories 'Lulu''s based on, and I rewrote 'Lulu' from the get-go, taking the original plot — mostly Earth Spirit, not Pandora's Box — and followed it essentially from the point of view of Lulu and the various people who love her, until she gets involved with Jack The Ripper. The basics. So the METALLICA version will have absolutely all of that and more. It'll probably come out by November."

In a statement posted at METALLICA's official web site, the band wrote about its collaboration with Reed, "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."

The statement added, "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."

Rolling Stone spoke with both Reed and members of METALLICA about the surprising announcement. Writer David Fricke described the disc as "a raging union of [Reed's] 1973 noir classic, 'Berlin', and METALLICA's '86 crusher, 'Master Of Puppets'." The songs were all written by Reed with extensive arrangement contributions by METALLICA.

Reed called the collaboration "a marriage made in heaven. I knew it from the first day we played together: 'Oh, man, this is perfection, right in front of me.'"

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich said, "I don't think we've ever felt this free. There's nothing that's totally outside of the boundary for us, nothing that feels like 'Oh, what happens if we go there?'"

Frontman James Hetfield added, "Lars and I listened to [Reed's demos] and it was like, 'Wow, this is very different.' It was scary at first, because the music was so open. But then I thought, 'This could go anywhere.'"

Songtitles on the record include "Pumping Blood" and "Mistress Dread".

Reed does not have a record deal and METALLICA is no longer signed to Warner Music Group after completing their contract with 2008's "Death Magnetic", so it is not clear how or when they intend to release the yet-to-be-titled album.


BLABBERMOUTH.net

gerrythedon

Gelsenkirchen, Germany
July 2, 2011
Veltins Arena

1. Hit the Lights
2. Master of Puppets
3. The Shortest Straw
4. Seek & Destroy
5. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
6. The Memory Remains
7. All Nightmare Long
8. Sad But True
9. Wherever I May Roam
10. The Call of Ktulu
11. One
12. For Whom the Bell Tolls
13. Blackened
14. Fade to Black
15. Enter Sandman
Encore
16. Helpless (w/ Megadeth & Anthrax)
17. Battery
18. Creeping Death

gerrythedon

Gothenburg, Sweden
July 3, 2011
Ullevi

1. Hit the Lights
2. Master of Puppets
3. The Shortest Straw
4. Seek & Destroy
5. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
6. Ride the Lightning
7. The Memory Remains
8. All Nightmare Long
9. Sad But True
10. The Call of Ktulu
11. One
12. For Whom the Bell Tolls
13. Blackened
14. Fade to Black
15. Enter Sandman
Encore
16. Am I Evil? (w/ Megadeth & Anthrax)
17. Damage, Inc.
18. Creeping Death

gerrythedon

Milan, Italy
July 6, 2011
Fiera Open Air Arena

1. Hit the Lights
2. Master of Puppets
3. The Shortest Straw
4. Seek & Destroy
5. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
6. Ride the Lightning
7. Through the Never
8. All Nightmare Long
9. Sad But True
10. The Call of Ktulu
11. One
12. For Whom the Bell Tolls
13. Blackened
14. Fade to Black
15. Enter Sandman
Encore
16. Die, Die My Darling (w/ Slayer, Megadeth & Anthrax)
17. Damage, Inc.
18. Creeping Death

gerrythedon

Stevenage, England
July 8, 2011
Knebworth House

1. Hit the Lights
2. Master of Puppets
3. The Shortest Straw
4. Seek & Destroy
5. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
6. Ride the Lightning
7. The Memory Remains
8. All Nightmare Long
9. Sad But True
10. The Call of Ktulu
11. One
12. For Whom the Bell Tolls
13. Blackened
14. Fade to Black
15. Enter Sandman
Encore
16. Am I Evil? (w/ Diamond Head, Slayer, Megadeth & Anthrax)
17. Battery
18. Creeping Death

gerrythedon

Amneville, France
July 9, 2011
Sonisphere France

1. Hit the Lights
2. Master of Puppets
3. The Shortest Straw
4. Seek & Destroy
5. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
6. Ride the Lightning
7. The Memory Remains
8. All Nightmare Long
9. Sad But True
10. The Call of Ktulu
11. One
12. For Whom the Bell Tolls
13. Blackened
14. Fade to Black
15. Enter Sandman
Encore
16. Helpless (w/ Diamond Head & Anthrax)
17. Damage, Inc.
18. Creeping Death

Supermallet

I'm really curious about this. I love Lou Reed. Metallica, not so much anymore.

banthafett

Funny that I think of Metallica as old farts, but not Lou Reed. Maybe its the type of music.

Supermallet

Because Lou Reed takes chances, something Metallica hasn't done since 1991.

gerrythedon

Halifax, Canada
July 14, 2011
Halifax Garrison Grounds

1. Creeping Death
2. For Whom the Bell Tolls
3. Fuel
4. Ride the Lightning
5. Fade to Black
6. Cyanide
7. The Memory Remains
8. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
9. Sad But True
10. All Nightmare Long
11. One
12. Master of Puppets
13. Blackened
14. Nothing Else Matters
15. Enter Sandman
Encore
16. Last Caress
17. Hit the Lights
18. Seek & Destroy

islandclaws

I'd say Load was a MUCH bigger chance than The Black Album. It failed, but they definitely took a major risk.

Supermallet

Load was a hit, wasn't it? They liked the sound so much they made an even lamer follow-up album called Re-load.

nodeerforamonth

Huh? Are you serious? Really? REALLY?

Every single album Metallica has done has been taking a chance!

I'll only document the ones from 1991 onwards though.

They completely changed their style with the Black Album and went more commercial. For a band that basically started thrash metal, that was taking a HUGE chance! They won that one (despite being a crappy album).

They took more chances with Load and Re-Load. They cut their hair. Lars and Kirk kissed. Load and Re-Load were even softer than The Black Album! More chances. They kind of went even on that one. Crappy albums, but they still did ok.

They put out an album with the SF Symphony. Yet another risky chance. A symphony! They lost on that one.

They tried to go back to their roots with "St Anger". They took a chance musically and sonically. They lost that one too. Big time. You got one of the best metal guitarists in the world in your band and you're not going to let him solo? That's not taking a chance?

They successfully went back to their roots with "Death Magnetic". They took a chance going with Rick Rubin and going even further back "to their roots" musically with that album. They won that one.

They're taking another chance being Lou Reed's backing band.

nodeerforamonth

I thought Lou Reed was an old fart back in 1979!

Supermallet

The reason I said since 1991 was because I thought The Black Album was the last time they took a chance. Stripping down their sound, going softer, becoming more commercial was a chance for them given the sound and style of their last few albums. Load and Re-load was just taking that idea to an even further conclusion. Not much of a chance there.

The SF Symphony thing wasn't much of a chance. Kiss and Queen and several other bands have done the same thing. Their latter day albums are just them falling apart creatively. Not much risk taking there.

The stuff you're talking about are nuances. Tiny differences that diehard fans will point to and say "This is SO different" when in fact it sounds the same to most everyone else. Metallica hasn't done anything with a true creative spark since The Black Album. Maybe this pairing with Lou Reed will remind them what creativity is.

For comparison's sake, Lou Reed's last two studio albums were a double disc homage to Edgar Allen Poe and an ambient album to meditate to. Now that's taking a chance! The studio album before that featured an 18-minute track imagining what it would be like to be a possum. I'm not saying this is all gold here but Lou Reed is totally unafraid to change his sound and do something completely unexpected. The last time Metallica surprised anyone was in 1991.

islandclaws

Sure it was. Just like every Metallica album since the Black Album - #1 on Billboard and multi-platinum. And the reason for the follow-up was because they had so many songs left over from the sessions.

I don't see Load/Re-Load as a natural progression of the change brought on by the Black Album. Sure, it was heavily hinted at they might be going in that direction, but if you ask their fanbase 9.5/10 fans would say they'd have taken Black Album 2 over Load/Re-Load. That was a much more drastic shift tonally.

cungar

banthafett

I didnt mean "old farts" as in looks and age, we all know Reed is their fathers age. Just that Metallica music wise is old fart now compared to when they were good. Really, did anyone when Puppets came out, say these guys should work with Lou Reed? Seems they are grasping at straws or just doing weird shit just to be different. They will always be big and famous, but theres a difference between that and good. But I forgot, they like to cry and talk about feelings now.

nodeerforamonth

I wholeheartedly disagree.

anomynous

Bullshit, Kill 'Em All & Ride the Lightning sound way different than The Black Album & Load

Supermallet

Okay, once again, my point is that The Black Album is the last time Metallica took a serious chance with their music. I'm not saying they've never taken chances nor tweaked their sound. My point is that their music was going a certain way (more complex, heavy, apocalyptic, etc.) and then they did a 180 and turned in a smart, commercial album with The Black Album. That was a big risk for them. Ever since then, they've been coasting on inertia. That is why they feel older than Lou Reed, as another member put it.

Josh-da-man

I don't think they took any chances with the black album. It was basically their RTL/MOP/AJFA sound distilled down into radio-friendly pop songs. It wasn't risky, it was commercial and cynical.

While I think "Load" (and "ReLoad") had their problems, they took more chances with those albums than the black album, experimenting with style and even changing their look.

And ReLoad wasn't so much a follow up to Load as it was the second half of the album, sort of like Use Your Illusion I and II, though released at separate times. I think Load would have been a much stronger album had they taken the best tracks off of both and only released on album.

Supermallet

It was risky to alienate their audience by going so commercial. They also added in ballads and other things that don't normally play to speed metal audiences.

nodeerforamonth

And they alienated me with gay songs like "Nothing Else Matters".

Once they gained that mainstream audience, they turned around and completely took risks by going back to their thrashy roots and putting out an album like St Anger (they alienated the new, commercial fans with that one AND the old thrashers on that one (who needed guitar solos) AND the whole human race in general with that horrible drum sound). Then again alienating their "newer", fairweather fans with Death Magnetic. VERY risky, in my opinion.

auto

Making a crappy album does not equal taking risks. Saying that is just an easy way of givng them a pass.