Honestly should Metallica give it up and retire?

[EXPcustom]

I am starting this thread as a fanboy or former fanboy as some may view me because of this thread and my intention is not to be a troll.

I have followed Metallica since I was a kid living in the San Francisco Bay Area and when I was old enough went to my first Metallica show in 1991 at the Cow Palace. I had seen them at almost every show since then including the first ever TruckLOAD free show in San Jose, 1997 Bridge School benefit and the SF symphony show at Berkley community theater in April of 99. I even recorded the Bammies on a cassette tape off the radio when Kirk played with Carlos Santana on stage in 92 since I could not get my parents to let me go to the award show.

I was a huge fan of Reload and Load albums. Not only was the music evolving in the 90s but I felt the lyrics were very well written and actual tapped into emotions we all could relate to on a universal level and that is why Metallica was so huge as a metal band even in the mainstream market.

Fast forward to today. This was not a good decade at all for Metallica. They have become a bad cliché or caricature of themselves. I really think it is time for them to hang it up in order to be viewed as respectable and credible in a historic context.

I think Hetfield would do well as a solo act doing more rock, country western, bluesy stuff. He simply outgrew Metal just like many of the Punk rockers from the late 70s or early 80s outgrew punk. Its how people evolve nothing wrong with that.

The lyrics no longer really mean anything and the riffs just sound like cutout fills from the Justice For All recording sessions. Kirk no longer really tries it seems to even play solos correctly anymore live on stage. A future in Satriani style solo albums and instructional videos would be a good way for him to go after Metallica.

Trujillo I thought was pretty cool back in the Ozzy, Suicidal Days but with Metallica his stage antics just seem to take it down to a Gene Simmons type of maturity level. Where the only one who thinks he looks cool anymore is himself.

As for Lars he was really pushing the edge of thrash drumming in the late 80s and something happened in the mid 90s that made him decide to downsize his kit and then add the Napster fiasco and what we have now is a super ego centric rock star that not even Jacko himself can relate to.

This is why I come to the current conclusion that the best career move for Metallica would be to retire now before they totally become a traveling circus or some sort of freak show that comes to town but everyone still wants to come and see kind of like a car accident.

Thanks for reading my rant.

 

[Random Hero]

In short, yes.

Although having said that, I saw them for the 5th time a few months ago and it was enjoyable. But that's more because of the songs as the performance was still pretty woeful.

 

[Jakem]

They still deliver very entertaining live shows with huuuuge amount of energy. It's hard to find a band that delivers the same amount of energy and who takes huge crowds as well as Metallica does. Their last album has 4 very good songs but I have to admit that they're not as good as their old stuff but what is? The thing with their old stuff is that the songs aren't only FANTASTIC but, at least I, have nostalgic and legendary feel towards those. It makes those even more immense, IMO. So I say no, they shouldn't retire.

 

[Jakem]

Forgot to say: BRING JASON BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's embarrassing to watch Rob's performance. He sounds great and is a great bassist but his showmanship is embarrassing whereas Jason's backing vocals and showmanship were fantastic.

 

[Szar]

Forgot to say: BRING JASON BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's embarrassing to watch Rob's performance. He sounds great and is a great bassist but his showmanship is embarrassing whereas Jason's backing vocals and showmanship were fantastic.

+2

 

[mrp5150]

I think they suck now, but I'm sure they actually like the shitty music that they're writing. They're still making money and I would assume they're enjoying touring and such so I'd say no.

 

[steve_k]

They can retire after I see them at Knebworth on August 2nd

Hell yes, I would go out on top too.

Steve

 

[Les Zombie]

I saw met 2xs this year and they were pretty good, better than when i saw them during the st anger era. i also thought DM was good.

 

[Mudder]

I'm a big Metallica fan, by far the best show I've ever attended was Motorhead, Metallica, GnR in the Tacoma Dome.

That said I think the things in their lives that drove their early music and lyrics are totally different than now. And when you're inspired by different things you generate different music. IMHO they can play as long as they want, I think they have earned that much. I'd like to see them bow out gracefully before they become a comic act.

 

[Subclavian]

If I had to play enter sandman 50 billion times there is no way I could maintain the level of energy those guys do.

sub

 

[bbaug14]

I have seen them at least six or seven times over the years. I saw them this year and although it wasn't their best performance to date, it was still a great show and I had a lot of fun. If they came back to Detroit every year, I'd see them every year because I enjoy their shows and their music. If you aren't a fan of them anymore and you think they should hang it up, stop going to their shows and buying their albums. It's a simple as that. I'm sure sold out shows across the world isn't sending them the message that they should give it up and retire

Just my $0.02

 

[Code001]

You tell me...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjvajNHPewY#t=3m48s

 

[Random Hero]

I think they suck now, but I'm sure they actually like the shitty music that they're writing. They're still making money and I would assume they're enjoying touring and such so I'd say no.

True.

 

[PeteLaramee]

I never liked them so I could care less either way, but if they retire will there be even more chatter about them? I vote for whichever answer makes people stop talking about them.

 

[RockNRollBabyHead]

Yes. I stopped liking them after AJFA.
Rob is way too good to be in that band. They hold him back from what he is capable of. It's like a PHD professor sitting in a kindergarten class.

 

[Anonymous]

YES

As good as Rob is, his stage antics are freakin ghey. I'd be a liar if I said that James didn't influence me at least somewhat. Hell anyone that palm mutes probably owes a tip of the hat.

 

[IHateRap]

Kirk no longer really tries it seems to even play solos correctly anymore live on stage. A future in Satriani style solo albums and instructional videos would be a good way for him to go after Metallica.

 

[Joeytpg]

Who are you guys to tell someone else what to do with their lives?

If I or anybody else got in here and told you all to fuck off and stop buying so much gear most of which you only use in your living room or in a shitty 100 ppl bar I'm sure you'd all get really mad and tell me/him to shut the f up right? that's because no one is entitled to tell anyone what to do with their lives.

Metallica is such a great band that today, 25+ years later, prob. three generations later are the biggest heavy band. Metallica costs 1.6 mill to book (fact from the metclub boards) and they have a world tour SOLD OUT. Man, that's something, and for those of you that think the money/croud size ain't nothing, well they seem to REALLY be enjoying themselves out there, so what more could you ask as a musician.

I REALLY think ppl just don't get what music is all about sometimes....music is not about being able to play 2000 notes at 200bpm, it's not about NAILING your past material 100% all the time, it's about ENJOYING the moment, and 25+ years later, thousands of shows later, you can do to a Metallica concert and honestly say the energy level was as high or higher as new band full of 20 year olds....

Jesus man....

 

[Code001]

Who are you guys to tell someone else what to do with their lives?

If I or anybody else got in here and told you all to fuck off and stop buying so much gear most of which you only use in your living room or in a shitty 100 ppl bar I'm sure you'd all get really mad and tell me/him to shut the f up right? that's because no one is entitled to tell anyone what to do with their lives.

Metallica is such a great band that today, 25+ years later, prob. three generations later are the biggest heavy band. Metallica costs 1.6 mill to book (fact from the metclub boards) and they have a world tour SOLD OUT. Man, that's something, and for those of you that think the money/croud size ain't nothing, well they seem to REALLY be enjoying themselves out there, so what more could you ask as a musician.

I REALLY think ppl just don't get what music is all about sometimes....music is not about being able to play 2000 notes at 200bpm, it's not about NAILING your past material 100% all the time, it's about ENJOYING the moment, and 25+ years later, thousands of shows later, you can do to a Metallica concert and honestly say the energy level was as high or higher as new band full of 20 year olds....

Jesus man....

Someone's butthurt

 

[Mailman1971]

I still dig Metallica. Newer stuff is ok. We play their tunes almost every weekend.
Of course its all off Ride the Lighting and Master of puppets / Kill em' all!