Lars Ulrich is now a knight
Photo: Getty Images, Metallica. All rights reserved.
For 42 years, Metallica have known exactly what they want. That’s how they became the biggest metal band in the world. Now they have finally recorded a strong album again. An exclusive conversation with drummer Lars Ulrich about the ebb and flow, about trust, gray everyday life and plans for the future – singer James Hetfield and Ulrich are celebrating a milestone birthday this year. Read an excerpt from the cover story here, in the 05/23 issue of ROLLING STONE, in stores from April 27th.
“I just can’t get my head around the idea that I’ll be 60 soon,” says Ulrich. “My body may look like 60 years of wear and tear, but my mind vehemently disagrees. I still feel like the 18-year-old who doesn’t even check it all. After all, we’re taking better care of ourselves now. And in my case… My father is 94. That’s a few years away. Again, my eldest son is already 24. Crazy! It all makes me very mad. In Denmark, they take birthdays very seriously, especially round ones. So I guess I’ll have to hide then, otherwise they’re expecting a huge party.”
But first there’s another anniversary to celebrate – the Metallica debut “Kill ‘Em All” will also be 40 years old in July. Then Ulrich only shakes his head – the somewhat different kind of headbanging. “The concept of time seems very abstract to me. I know what we did in that time, but Metallica still seems like these underdogs to me, we’re still underground to me. The feeling is still there. We don’t really belong and we’re all just a bunch of misfits and outcasts. Kids stuck in their bodies trying to figure out what the hell is going on… I don’t usually think about things like that. Most of the time I’ve got enough to do with being a husband and a father and getting on with everyday life. And still be creative. I actually only look until the next day. The present and a bit of the future, that’s all… 40 years: That can’t be true! Who would have thought that Metallica would still exist, that we would survive all of this, and that people would still care about us? For this madness and this noise. That’s really cool!”