The Metallica Thread v. Reloaded

[Adami]

Makes me wonder if Kirk has arthritis or something...

I find it more likely that he just hasn't seriously practiced in possibly decades.

Imagine getting a super high paying job and then realizing after a while that you no longer have to try. You can't get fired. You can't get demoted. Your job is 100% secure, no matter how you perform. Wouldn't you just stop caring and phone it in? Especially since your job is just to recreate (mostly) what other people told you to do?

[Stadler]

Makes me wonder if Kirk has arthritis or something...

I find it more likely that he just hasn't seriously practiced in possibly decades.

Imagine getting a super high paying job and then realizing after a while that you no longer have to try. You can't get fired. You can't get demoted. Your job is 100% secure, no matter how you perform. Wouldn't you just stop caring and phone it in? Especially since your job is just to recreate (mostly) what other people told you to do?

Add to that the concept that intellectually you have moved on to another job in your head (meaning, Kirk is at this point possibly more interested in other music forms, not the form he has been playing in some form or another for the last 35 years). 

[mikeyd23]

Makes me wonder if Kirk has arthritis or something...

I find it more likely that he just hasn't seriously practiced in possibly decades.

Imagine getting a super high paying job and then realizing after a while that you no longer have to try. You can't get fired. You can't get demoted. Your job is 100% secure, no matter how you perform. Wouldn't you just stop caring and phone it in? Especially since your job is just to recreate (mostly) what other people told you to do?

Personally if it was me, no freaking way I would phone it in, that's not how I'm wired. Everyone's different though...

[Adami]

Makes me wonder if Kirk has arthritis or something...

I find it more likely that he just hasn't seriously practiced in possibly decades.

Imagine getting a super high paying job and then realizing after a while that you no longer have to try. You can't get fired. You can't get demoted. Your job is 100% secure, no matter how you perform. Wouldn't you just stop caring and phone it in? Especially since your job is just to recreate (mostly) what other people told you to do?

Personally if it was me, no freaking way I would phone it in, that's not how I'm wired. Everyone's different though...

Which is probably why a guy like James isn't phoning it in, but it's also his music. It's not Kirk's music.

[mikeyd23]

Which is probably why a guy like James isn't phoning it in, but it's also his music. It's not Kirk's music.

Agreed.

[Kotowboy]

Makes me wonder if Kirk has arthritis or something...

I thought it was well known.

[TheCountOfNYC]

Makes me wonder if Kirk has arthritis or something...

I find it more likely that he just hasn't seriously practiced in possibly decades.

Imagine getting a super high paying job and then realizing after a while that you no longer have to try. You can't get fired. You can't get demoted. Your job is 100% secure, no matter how you perform. Wouldn't you just stop caring and phone it in? Especially since your job is just to recreate (mostly) what other people told you to do?

Add to that the concept that intellectually you have moved on to another job in your head (meaning, Kirk is at this point possibly more interested in other music forms, not the form he has been playing in some form or another for the last 35 years).

This is another good point. I've heard him do some bluesy stuff recently and his playing sounded great and fresh. He's probably just burnt out from playing metal for his entire career going all the way back to his days in Exodus.

[cramx3]

Makes me wonder if Kirk has arthritis or something...

I find it more likely that he just hasn't seriously practiced in possibly decades.

Imagine getting a super high paying job and then realizing after a while that you no longer have to try. You can't get fired. You can't get demoted. Your job is 100% secure, no matter how you perform. Wouldn't you just stop caring and phone it in? Especially since your job is just to recreate (mostly) what other people told you to do?

Add to that the concept that intellectually you have moved on to another job in your head (meaning, Kirk is at this point possibly more interested in other music forms, not the form he has been playing in some form or another for the last 35 years).

This is another good point. I've heard him do some bluesy stuff recently and his playing sounded great and fresh. He's probably just burnt out from playing metal for his entire career going all the way back to his days in Exodus.

Not even just playing metal, but the same damn songs all of the time. 

[Kotowboy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfVNWcLG15M

James singing MotorBreath acoustic.

[mikeyd23]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfVNWcLG15M

James singing MotorBreath acoustic.

Cool video, James' voice is sounding really good these days.

[dparrott]

Is that acoustic show recording available (not fan shot)?

[El Barto]

I keep saying it but Lars now is better at his instrument than Kirk.

Listen to the entire Record Store day from Rasputin. Lars is SOLID bar Hit The Lights.

Kirk is all over the place.

I'd find it a tough call. Clearly neither of them give a shit anymore. You check out one of their last shows and it's hard to tell what song Lars is even trying to play. Adami mentioned earlier that Lars simplifies things down to the point of nothingness, and that's on display here. Any time he tries to use the kick drums he falls apart, so he mostly just ignores them (which actually helps).

Viewer discretion is advised:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXrRGKKharQ#

[Kotowboy]

Is that acoustic show recording available (not fan shot)?

I imagine it will be soon.

Keep checking www.livemetallica.com.

[Kotowboy]

Viewer discretion is advised:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXrRGKKharQ#

Kirk is absolutely awful there. He doesn't nail a single thing.

[Stadler]

Viewer discretion is advised:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXrRGKKharQ#

Kirk is absolutely awful there. He doesn't nail a single thing.

How does a guy at that level fuck up that repeating figure at the start of "For Whom The Bell Tolls"??  How many times has he played that??  1,000?  More?   Mofo, please.    Though I don't know the material as good as some of you I didn't think Lars did all that bad.

But what must be said is:  there aren't three guys in metal cooler than James Hetfield.   Bruce Dickinson may still be the standard for metal frontmen, but I'm not sure I can name a better guitar player/lead singer at this point.  I've never seen Metallica live (and resist because I'm not a stadium show guy) but if I do go, it will be to see him.  Period. 

[TAC]

Hetfield is amazing. I so wish the band had more material.

[425]

But what must be said is:  there aren't three guys in metal cooler than James Hetfield.   Bruce Dickinson may still be the standard for metal frontmen, but I'm not sure I can name a better guitar player/lead singer at this point.  I've never seen Metallica live (and resist because I'm not a stadium show guy) but if I do go, it will be to see him.  Period.

Yep. I love Bruce, and I like Iron Maiden better than Metallica, but Bruce isn't cool in the way Het is. He's cool, but in a slightly nerdy way. Hetfield is just cool. There's a lot to be said for the way that he stands in front of these sold-out packed stadiums and just does his thing with an attitude that is somehow both professional and rock star. While I'll admit that a lot of Metallica's publicity photos are eminently uncool, I think James hasn't really lost any of his cool and has maybe gained a bit of gravitas with age when he's up there performing.

In that same "The Night Before" stadium show, where Kirk looks out of it and Lars looks like a crazy old guy trying to keep up with the metal crowd, James is still perfectly in his element.

[El Barto]

While I share everybody's opinion of James, he's burning through that respect pretty quickly by putting shit like this out there. Given his stature, he's the one that should keeping the knuckleheads in line. At some point pride should kick in, and that has to be embarrassing as hell. Does he not care either?

Unlike Stadler, I've seen them many times. Ranging from when they were an opening act to the last tour. I wouldn't have any interest at this point, though. Even with two of them sucking as bad as they do now, the energy and music at a Met gig is worth the price of admission. At the same time this is just insulting. If they want me to spend my money to see them, they need to put forth some sort of effort to actually play their parts. Frankly, it seems to me that they're treating their fans like suckers.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Always had a huge respect for Hetfield as a front man. Really good rythm guitar player and his voice is still pretty great.

Speaking of Kirk, kind of surprised how tight he nails the intro to Motorbreath here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDZ3Neho0Qs

Kill ém All, always had a special love for that album.

[kaos2900]

I always wished Hetfield would have done a side project with other (more talented) musicians.

[JayOctavarium]

I'm watching the '89 show from Live Shit.


So fucking good. I've grown to respect Jason a lot more in the last year or so. Great showmanship. So Metal. Much bass .

[Adami]

I'm watching the '89 show from Live Shit.


So fucking good. I've grown to respect Jason a lot more in the last year or so. Great showmanship. So Metal. Much bass .

Yea, Jason brought more energy to any show than I can imagine most people bringing to a single show. And it was always completely authentic. It never felt like he was playing a part, or forcing it, he was just on stage doing his thing.

[fadetoblackdude7]

I'm watching the '89 show from Live Shit.


So fucking good. I've grown to respect Jason a lot more in the last year or so. Great showmanship. So Metal. Much bass .

Love that show, so badass. Miss Jason mucho

[JayOctavarium]

Funny note... my dog totally started going nuts during Fade To Black's riffage. Bitch was moshing.

[Prog Snob]

Is that the same dog you were having the clam bake date with?

[TAC]

I'm watching the '89 show from Live Shit.


So fucking good. I've grown to respect Jason a lot more in the last year or so. Great showmanship. So Metal. Much bass .

Love that show, so badass. Miss Jason mucho

Jason was ALWAYS awesome!!

[JayOctavarium]

Now I am on to Cunning Stunts.

The lack of hair is disturbing.

Is that the same dog you were having the clam bake date with?

Yea. Haha

[TheCountOfNYC]

Now I am on to Cunning Stunts.

The lack of hair is disturbing.

Is that the same dog you were having the clam bake date with?

Yea. Haha

I hate Cunning Stunts. This was the point when they weren't really playing their old stuff. Hell, even Master of Puppets was only being played up to the end of the second chorus.

[mikeyd23]

Live Shit is soooo good. Might have to rewatch it myself...

[JayOctavarium]

Now I am on to Cunning Stunts.

The lack of hair is disturbing.

Is that the same dog you were having the clam bake date with?

Yea. Haha

I hate Cunning Stunts. This was the point when they weren't really playing their old stuff. Hell, even Master of Puppets was only being played up to the end of the second chorus.

I noticed that.  I skipped around to a few specific songs...  Then gave up.

[Kotowboy]

Cunning Stunts was what introduced me to the band so I love it.

Plus they were tight and Lars could still play like a boss.

[seasonsinthesky]

Now I am on to Cunning Stunts.

The lack of hair is disturbing.

Is that the same dog you were having the clam bake date with?

Yea. Haha

I hate Cunning Stunts. This was the point when they weren't really playing their old stuff. Hell, even Master of Puppets was only being played up to the end of the second chorus.

I noticed that.  I skipped around to a few specific songs...  Then gave up.

Jason's bass/solo doodle is really great on Cunning Stunts. I also dig the Kill/Ride medley but I know why those get a lot of thumbs down (especially on a Dream Theater forum...).

[Dream Team]

Live Shit is soooo good. Might have to rewatch it myself...

89 is great but IMO you can already see a sharp drop in quality by 92. Huge sections of the show taken up by slow, plodding, unexciting songs; crowd "singalongs", etc.

[kaos2900]

Live Shit is soooo good. Might have to rewatch it myself...

89 is great but IMO you can already see a sharp drop in quality by 92. Huge sections of the show taken up by slow, plodding, unexciting songs; crowd "singalongs", etc.

That's because this is when Metallica turned from being a kick-ass metal band into a business.

[mikeyd23]

Yeah I think I'd generally agree. I will say though, I think the peak of their live performances was early on the Black Album tour. Before Het blew his voice out obviously.