METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich is featured in Rolling Stone‘s “So, How Was Your 2020?”, a series in which the magazine’s favorite entertainers answer its questionnaire about the music, culture and memorable moments that shaped their year.
Asked which old-favorite album he returned to for comfort this year, Lars said: “ALICE IN CHAINS‘ ‘Dirt’. It’s so inspiring. I think it’s crazy just how transparent and courageous the lyrics are, and it’s a cohesive piece of work. It still sounds as raw, transparent, honest, and courageous to my ears as ever before. I think in the earlier days I was just listening to the music and the riffs and now, hearing the vocals, lyrics, and themes, what an incredible record. It just still sounds so timely. It sounds literally like this could have been made last week.”
As for the album he listened to the most in 2020, Ulrich said: “The first RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE album. From my worldview, there’s nothing that seems to put things more in perspective than RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE. The music, themes, lyrics, delivery — everything seems to be so spot-on and relevant to the daily craziness that shows up whenever you unlock your device. I think it’s the perfect soundtrack to the 2020.”
Late last month, Ulrich said that METALLICA is nearly a month into “some pretty serious writing” sessions for its next studio album.
In early May, the four members of METALLICA overcame social distancing to record a new version of their song “Blackened”, with each member separated in his own home. The split-screen video was posted to the band’s social media channels.
In August, METALLICA broadcast a show to hundreds of drive-in and outdoor theaters across the U.S. and Canada, as part of the “Encore Drive-In Nights” series. The concert was filmed nearly three weeks earlier, on August 10, at the Gundlach Bundschu winery, about a 30-minute car ride from the band’s headquarters in San Rafael, California, and was subsequently edited and mixed by the band’s award-winning production team to the highest standards possible.
METALLICA‘s “Live & Acoustic From HQ: Helping Hands Concert & Auction” was streamed live from the band’s headquarters on November 14. The special acoustic show benefited METALLICA‘s All Within My Hands foundation.
