METALLICA Drummer: 'We Definitely Had The Days Of Hiding Behind The Big Walls'

August 6, 2012

The Owl Mag recently conducted an interview with METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

The Owl Mag: You know, Orion was your festival. You guys played some four albums and it was really centered around you guys, and people that were friends of yours within relatively similar music. So, with that in mind, how do you approach something like Outside Lands where there's so many different types of music, so many different types of fans you know, how do you approach it with the mentality that is going to draw other people in that are unlikely fans or maybe new fans vs. a festival that's totally yours?

Lars: I, a lot of times, you know, write the set list 30 minutes before we go on stage, but obviously with these types of situations, when you're playing to 50- 75,000 people it becomes a mixture. Obviously there are some songs that you should play in those types of settings, so you try to put a few of those. I hate to use the word hits, but what you know, two of those songs, and then there are some songs that work great in live situations. I think that we're always at our best when we're just in the moment.

The Owl Mag: It seemed like backstage at festivals like these with bigger more established groups, like METALLICA, and sort of smaller bands all kind of in their same general area…I was wondering if you relish the experience to give advice or intermingle with a lot of younger bands?

Lars: I'll tell you. I give as little advice as possible, man. We always try to go and kind of hang out, but we definitely had the days of hiding behind the big walls and we may have been guilty of doing some of that stuff in the '90s, but we really try to put ourselves out there because it's more fun for us and it's great to meet other people and immerse yourself in some of that energy that's out there. If somebody asks me, I'll try to just answer their sincere questions, but we don't walk around like some sort of elder statesmen. I'm 48 going on 16, but, I have a tendency, I mean, when I'm around Jack White or when I'm around Dave Grohl or when I'm around people like Neil Young or whatever, I'm like a fucking kid in the candy store myself. When I went down last year to see, you know, MUSE and THE ARCTIC MONKEYS and BLACK KEYS and whatever else, I mean, these are great experiences for me too.

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