Metallica: A Culture Show Special
Kerrang! Magazine has given this year's Inspiration award to Metallica, and I thought it might be a good moment to mention a couple of Metallica-related events coming up in addition to the coverage of the titans of metal at Reading and Leeds. On Sunday 31 August at 11pm we are showing a special 30-minute programme about Metallica, following on from the item we showed on The Culture Show earlier in the month. It's on BBC Two but Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland will see the programme at a later date - I don't have details as yet of when that will be. [the programme will now be shown around the UK in the same slot - BBC Two 11pm.] Check out our item on the band if you haven't already.
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~01~RS~)
CommentsSign in
You need to sign in to contribute to this page. If you're new to BBC Blogs, creating your membership is quick and easy.
12th September 2008. The day, that the seventh biggest selling act in American history, Metallica gracefully return to reclaim the Heavy Metal thrown which is rightfully theirs. Metallica have already created a huge buzz by performing/releasing two of their songs, ?Cyanide? and ?The Day that Never Comes,? from their new ten track album, ?Death Magnetic.? However these songs haven?t been fully accepted for what they truly are.
This is partly because their last album ?St. Anger,? was notably the worst album released by them since James, Lars and Kirk were independently trying to fix their lives as well as collectively releasing their statement of expression. Thus ?St. Anger? unenthusiastically resulted in pushing the accumulated Metallica music boundaries so far, that it became questionable as to whether this was really a Metallica album or an effort by Bob Rock to break into the industry as an artist.
A lot of ?so called fans? have been complaining and whinging on ?Youtube? that these songs are ?disjointed? and that the return of the famous solos are ?generic.? They seem to hold such advanced music ideologies that it seems laughable as to why they are not as big as Metallica. However the reason they are not part of the music industry is because they are ?all talk and no action.?
These nostalgic fans have been belligerent because they have been desperately trying to draw parallels between this new album and arguably Metallica?s best album ?Master of Puppets.? This leads me on to say that a band does not live in the past but the present. They have got where they are because their stream of talent has flown into an ocean of prominence. So when the day beckons, Metal fans have to accept Death Magnetic as a present from the heavyweight band because of their accumulated talent. Hence despite what vulture-esque critics may say Metallica will have produced Death Magnetic through relentless effort and hard work.
At the end of the day they are talented human beings not Gods. They know what the fans like and it is only them who have control over what they want to produce. Unnecessary, vile comments made by a small proportion of ?so called fans? does not have even have a small impact on the band. The reason why they did not hype ?St. Anger? was because it was literally ?raw and unpolished.? They have chosen to hype this album with ?Mission Metallica? because they know that it is that damn good. Respect Metallica. Hail Metallica.
Complain about this comment
Have you heard the limeted eddition Vinal Track, Where Death is a field, to siply put A post ironic boy band such as Duran Duran wist no doubt exposed to brown, could not evoke the weireness Fear and sublime agression better. Wilst A crowning glory, other bands have been buisy with their own stalistic tributes all be it exposeing their own iner most insecurities for fear that this track will prevent a development of style for a further (2.4) years.
Complain about this comment
Having just watched this episode of the culture show I have to say that I was shocked at how appauling the host Verity Sharp was at presenting.
She clearly had no interest whatsoever in the band and her performance was far from genuine.
Verity clearly had no rock and roll in her whatsoever and showed up for the last scene in a particulary rancid pea green ensemble.
Although I am fan of Metallica I have to say that I was also dissapointed that when they atempted to say something profound they failed to make any sort of coherent sense.
I attempted to watch the show and found that I could not take my eyes away - due to the pure hideousness of the show.
Come on Laverne and co... you can do much better than this!!!
I have, thanks to this documentary, come to realise that Metallica are in fact a bunch of morons - thank you bbc, Verity and Metallica for ruining my perception of a much loved band.
Yours in matrimony,
Aquadossantos
Complain about this comment
For any fans of thrash music Rick Rubin is surely most famous for producing every Slayer album since Reign in Blood. Yet the show tried to make it look as though he knew nothing about metal. Or did they not do their research?
Complain about this comment
Having been a fan of the band from their first album, I enjoyed the programme. The show was clearly aimed at its target audience and was a delight for older Metallica fans. I actually disagree with Aquadossantos in that Verity came across as a start struck fan when interviewing James H. Most of us aged rockers have long since cut our hair (like James and Lars) and I hardly think Verity's 'Pea-green ensemble' was a problem! It's all about the music, man. It was a lot to fit into 30 mins. Well done Culture Show! A real treat would have been to show 'Some Kind of Monster' afterwards.
Complain about this comment
Can anyone advise the name of the song Metallica played in the tiny tune-up room before going onstage in Norway ....something by Budgie , I think ? I missed the name !
I really enjoyed the show and am looking forward to getting the new CD . They sounded so tight ... yo !
Complain about this comment
I have just watched the programme, and I think that aquadossantos was incorrect/missed the point. Verity Sharp I thought handled the interviews ok, (Not sure about her dress sense though!). However, have Metallica become a three-piece? As usual, (no offence, as I am a big fan of them both), most of the film revolved around Lars and James. There was time spent discussing Jason Newsted role and that of his 2nd replacement Rob Trujillo. (Producer Bob Rock played bass on the St. Anger album) What about Kirk Hammett? He's been in the band since April 1983, through most of the trials and tribulations of the band. What are his thoughts on the return of the guitar solos, so sorely missed from St Anger? In the clip of 'Some Kind of Monster' he slapped his forehaed as James and Lars argued, what was he thinking at the time? did he think, well that's that? What does he think now?
Rob Trujillo, has had to live in the shadow of the great Cliff Burton. How does he relate to that? I have heard several of the new songs, and it sounds like 'a return to form'.
The band are a tight unit, but did we really find out what makes them tick in 2008? In answer to 'ronross' the song was 'Breadfan' by Budgie. (on Garage inc)
Complain about this comment
Thank you very much , CuthbertsBede . I think everyone should remember this was a 30 minute condensed programme about a band releasing a new album , albeit eagerly awaited . And who cares about the presenters wardrobe ?
Complain about this comment
View these comments in RSS