TESLA's BRIAN WHEAT Says METALLICA Is One Of 'The Top 10 Greatest Bands Of All Time'

In a new interview with Radioactive MikeZ, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM program "Wired In The Empire", TESLA bassist Brian Wheat was asked for some of his earliest recollections of hanging out with METALLICA. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, we've known each other since we both started, 'cause we were from Sacramento; they were from the Bay Area. We had Q Prime management [in common]. Me and Lars [Ulrich, METALLICA drummer] used to always rib each other about who would win in a racquetball match, him being a tennis guy and I used to play a lot of racquetball. We used to get drunk and hang out, and I'd tell him I'd beat his ass in racquetball and he'd tell me I was high.

"I have nothing but the utmost respect for METALLICA and what they've done and what they've built," he continued. "I'm friends with Jason [Newsted, former METALLICA bassist]. He lives here, right in New York where I do. He lives about four miles from here. I knew those guys and used to hang out with them a lot back in the day. I did see James [Hetfield, METALLICA frontman] and got to catch up with James when I was in Chicago a couple weeks ago or whenever it was. And like I told him, I'm, like, 'Dude, I'm so proud of you guys, just what you've done.' 'Cause, listen, I remember when they used to play the Keystone in San Francisco. So, what they've done is phenomenal. God bless 'em. It's great."

Asked what he initially thought of "Enter Sandman" and the "Black Album" after seeing METALLICA during some of the band's earlier years, Brian said: "When I first heard 'Enter Sandman' — you've gotta remember, my favorite METALLICA album is 'Master Of Puppets'. So 'Enter Sandman', and I think 'Enter Sandman' is brilliant, and I see what they did and how they evolved from their first albums to that to where they are now. But let's just say that the 'Black Album' was a real mainstream commercial record for them. And they had to do that. They did it. And they expanded their audience. I mean, the METALLICA that was playing when you'd go see 'em on the '…And Justice For All' tour to the METALLICA you went and saw after the Black Album, it was three-quarter houses in arenas on '…And Justice For All' and three days in arenas after the Black Album. And now you're talking about two days in football stadiums. And you can't say that about many people except for maybe Paul McCartney that's done that. THE ROLLING STONES. METALLICA's in that league. LED ZEPPELIN. You know what I mean? QUEEN. METALLICA, when you probably list the top 10 greatest bands of all time, they're in that top 10. And I'm saying of all time. And not just rock bands. I'm saying you put in THE TEMPTATIONS in there and you put in James Brown and you put THE BEATLES and THE STONES and ZEPPELIN and QUEEN, they're in the top 10 universally, not just rock, not just rock. So, I could never say anything bad about METALLICA, nor would I, nor would I, because I'm a fan. I love METALLICA. So happy with what they're doing. I'm so proud of them. And it tickles me, because I used to see 'em, like I said, at the Keystone in San Francisco, which was 80 miles from Sacramento."

Wheat added: "We all grew up in the same time. We all had dreams of of being the biggest rock band on the planet. They did it. We didn't, but I'm okay with TESLA not being the biggest rock band on the planet because TESLA's in the game. We're still playing in the game. We're still in the major leagues playing. METALLICA has won the World Series lke multiple times. I'm happy to just be in the league. But they're the champions. And to achieve what they achieved, it's just… All the best to everyone involved, from [Q Prime's] Peter [Mensch] and Cliff [Burnstein] to [producer] Bob Rock to the dude that did their first albums and [METALLICA bassists] Cliff [Burton] and Jason and Robert [Trujillo], just the whole thing. It's a thing all in itself."

This past June, Wheat was asked by "Wired In The Empire" which METALLICA album he thinks is better, "Ride The Lightning" or "Master Of Puppets". He responded: "It's 'Master Of Puppets', hands down. It's just more — I think the songs were better, the performances were better. I don't know — it just spoke to me. You know what I mean? I mean, you'd be hard pressed to find a better record than 'Master Of Puppets'. And you can go on about the 'Black Album' and any other record. In their catalog, my favorite record of theirs all time is 'Master Of Puppets'… I mean, '[Welcome Home] (Sanitarium)', [the] 'Master Of Puppets' [title track] — come on. It's tough. But, for me, I'm gonna stick with 'Master Of Puppets'."

Wheat, whose band shared management with METALLICA early in their respective careers, said that he has "nothing but the highest respect for all those guys [in METALLICA]. I'm such an admirer of what they've accomplished and how they've stayed true to what they do. And [I have] nothing but the utmost respect for every one of those guys. And they're all great guys."

Asked to pick a METALLICA song to play as part of the KCAL "Mandatory Metallica" segment, Wheat said: "If you're gonna play anything, play 'Sad But True'. I think it's the greatest groove song they ever did. Just the groove is just so deep and fat and wide."

TESLA will release a new six-song EP, "All About Love", on Friday, November 29. The EP includes four versions of "All About Love" (acoustic, electric, hybrid, live); a live version of "Walk Away", a concert favorite from "Reel To Real, Vol. 1"; and another new song, "From The Heart", an instrumental track by guitarist Frank Hannon.

Some fans criticized TESLA for adopting a 1980s-style polished production for its latest album, 2019's "Shock". The follow-up to June 2014's "Simplicity" was helmed by DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen, whose own group is no stranger to slicked-up, glossy-sounding recordings.

In September 2023, TESLA released the official music video for its cover of AEROSMITH's "S.O.S. (Too Bad)". The song is a bonus track on TESLA's live album, "Full Throttle Live!", which arrived in May 2023. The LP includes the band's "Time To Rock!" single, plus other songs, all recorded in August 2022 at Full Throttle Saloon in Sturgis, South Dakota.