Why Do All Metallica Fans Hate Bob Rock?

[D-Rock]

If you stopped listening to Metallica in the 80s because of some personal butthurt than you were never really a fan in the first place.

 

[jlb32]

If you stopped listening to Metallica in the 80s because of some personal butthurt than you were never really a fan in the first place.

+1, And you missed alot of killer music IMO.

If you can't listen to a album for what it is and not compare everything to something past you are wasting alot of great music IMO.

 

[metalsoup]

If you stopped listening to Metallica in the 80s because of some personal butthurt than you were never really a fan in the first place.

+1, And you missed alot of killer music IMO.

If you can't listen to a album for what it is and not compare everything to something past you are wasting alot of great music IMO.

Neither of you are comprehending what the problem is. And it's very simple to explain: IF Metallica had originally sounded like they do on the later albums, I and many others wouldn't have paid much attention to them. To us they would have been "meh", and certainly would not have been lauded as the pinnacle of metal during that mid '80s time period like they were. They might have even been famous and on the radio all the time, but they would still not have been considered the epitome of metal at that time. FURTHERMORE, if they did later change that mediocre sound to something like that heard on the early albums, then those like myself who initially didn't take to them would have been won over because their greatness, as we see it, lies in those early albums. So, it has nothing to do with not being able to get over some personal issue or whatever. It's precisely about what many of us consider great metal. Their later albums may be good, but it's the early albums that are great metal. And that's what we love. And that's what matters to us. Comprende?

 

[Zachalou]

I'm a bob rock fan that hates metallica...

kidding but even though I don't care for metallica, I both appreciate and understand the want/need to try to continue to sculpt your sound and grow and remain fresh, and it seems like Ol' bobby rock helped them along the way. At least very least they liked what they were doing.

 

[jlb32]

You do not know that. It's all about the time, music at that time, etc... If the Beatles, Elvis, etc.... released their great albums today or in the 80's/90's would they be popular?? Probably not.

All great bands change tonally over time, reach a pinnacle and have a historic pinnacle album for them. If they don't then they never changed and didn't have long lasting success.

With Metallica they had the great 80's metal classics but they evolved over time, like most of other great bands/artists, and have more than one pinnacle album depending on what style you love and your personal music tastes.

More 80's metal heads will mostly pick MOP and newer gens will mostly pick Black, Load, etc...

I personally just love their diversity over the years and that has kept me a fan. Depending on my mood I can always find a album that I love.

If it was all the same ole same ole 80's metal in 2017, probably not. Most musicians change as they age, just like we all change with time. Those that do not musically change as they want usually try and fake it and it shows in the music they put out and they fade away.

There is a reason Metallica is still the most popular metal/hard rock band still today and it's not just because they were great in the 1980's. It is also because of Black, Load, Reload, Garage Days, Inc., St. Anger, Death Magnetic, Hardwired, etc.... The Metallica story has yet to end, even after 30+ years.

 

[EvilBatman]

I'm a big Metallica fan and happen to think he's made all of Metallica's best sounding albums (sans St. Anger).

The original American and Japanese CDs and especially the original vinyl pressings of Garage Inc. are perhaps my favorite sounding Metal album. Guitar tones aside, which are some of my favorites, the new recordings were incredibly massive and clear sounding. Quite frankly, I think the sound he helped create for the album is incredible.

Bob Rock will always be in my good graces for this alone.

 

[Beyond Black]

If you stopped listening to Metallica in the 80s because of some personal butthurt than you were never really a fan in the first place.

+1, And you missed alot of killer music IMO.

If you can't listen to a album for what it is and not compare everything to something past you are wasting alot of great music IMO.

Neither of you are comprehending what the problem is. And it's very simple to explain: IF Metallica had originally sounded like they do on the later albums, I and many others wouldn't have paid much attention to them. To us they would have been "meh", and certainly would not have been lauded as the pinnacle of metal during that mid '80s time period like they were. They might have even been famous and on the radio all the time, but they would still not have been considered the epitome of metal at that time. FURTHERMORE, if they did later change that mediocre sound to something like that heard on the early albums, then those like myself who initially didn't take to them would have been won over because their greatness, as we see it, lies in those early albums. So, it has nothing to do with not being able to get over some personal issue or whatever. It's precisely about what many of us consider great metal. Their later albums may be good, but it's the early albums that are great metal. And that's what we love. And that's what matters to us. Comprende?

Nailed it.

 

[metalsoup]

There is a reason Metallica is still the most popular metal/hard rock band still today and it's not just because they were great in the 1980's. It is also because of Black, Load, Reload, Garage Days, Inc., St. Anger, Death Magnetic, Hardwired, etc.... The Metallica story has yet to end, even after 30+ years.

They may be voted most popular by the masses, but that means little. Since when do the masses understand metal, anyway? What radio station besides a satellite subscriber station still even plays metal? There was so much great metal being produced in the '80s, it was everywhere: radio, TV, arenas. Everywhere! Metal bands were springing up every other week it seemed, and you had to really stand out to even be noticed. But to be on top of the heap, well, you had to be truly great. And Metallica was on top during that era because at that time they were absolutely brilliant. They were kings back then and could do no wrong. This is the way we all felt back then. But the day the Black Album came out, all my friends and I, who were all rabid Metallica fans from the first moment we heard them, just looked at each other in stunned silence as we listened to the tracks. We almost couldn't believe it was happening. But it was, and we knew the party was over. Metallica's day as the kings of metal had come and gone, and the day the Black Album came out would be "the day the music died" for many of us. Fortunately, right about that time, there was emerging a new contender on the scene ready to pick up the gauntlet: Pantera.

Whatever Metallica is today, they are to me and many others only pale reflections of their former glory. Sadly, that ends up happening with too many bands. But it isn't surprising, really. It's extremely difficult to maintain that fire, that edge, that brilliance one has as a youth charging ahead with a no holds barred attitude taking on the whole world. It's the kind of intensity that can easily consume and destroy. Not many can hang on to it. And many just grow weary with time and age. It's just the nature of the beast, I suppose.

Incidentally, in your list, I would suggest you move Garage Days, Inc. to the earlier albums because most of that stuff comes from the earlier era. The first Garage Days album was released between MOP and AJFA.

 

[sytharnia1560]

This, and what Corpse said. They stopped being the fast thrash metal band they were and turned into radio rock.

apart from a couple of songs Kill em All was pretty much the same tempos they are using today. Main difference is (apart from age) is the e string chugging is "faster" but its more smoke and mirrors than fast thrash

 

[Steinmetzify]

Not gonna argue semantics. KEA was good, Ride was better and MoP was a masterpiece. I didn't hear anything I liked after AJFA, and that why I don't like Bob Rock in relation to Metallica. I'm not a rabid freak about it, but like said above...the Black album hit, my friends and I sat there in stunned silence and one of us reached over and turned it off.

Haven't really liked anything they've done since.

 

[oldmtlhed]

the Black album hit, my friends and I sat there in stunned silence and one of us reached over and turned it off.
Haven't really liked anything they've done since.

TRUTH.
The Black album sucked rotten eggs.
And it was all down hill from there.

My favorite is "RTL".... with "MoP" a close second.
Honestly, they should have just quit after the "Justice" album.

 

[Tone Monster]

Not gonna argue semantics. KEA was good, Ride was better and MoP was a masterpiece. I didn't hear anything I liked after AJFA, and that why I don't like Bob Rock in relation to Metallica. I'm not a rabid freak about it, but like said above...the Black album hit, my friends and I sat there in stunned silence and one of us reached over and turned it off.

Haven't really liked anything they've done since.

I think I was lucky in the fact that I first heard Metallica via the Black Album at age 14. It's just metal enough to get into and love the old stuff, and it's just hard rock enough to understand and love the loads. I can see hating the new stuff had I been an angry 19 year old 100% metal dude. Sucks for those guys, yet amazing for most others. Like someone else already said, no matter the mood I'm in, there are several appropriate songs.

 

[stephen sawall]

the Black album hit, my friends and I sat there in stunned silence and one of us reached over and turned it off.
Haven't really liked anything they've done since.

TRUTH.
The Black album sucked rotten eggs.
And it was all down hill from there.

My favorite is "RTL".... with "MoP" a close second.
Honestly, they should have just quit after the "Justice" album.

This was the same reaction anyone I knew had when they heard the Black album. They had become a other pop band. My girlfriend insisted we go see the tour. As we left the show she was talking about how much they suck. People that were into horrible bands like Winger, Skid Row, Def Leppard overnight became fans when that album came out.

 

[skoora]

The Black album was indeed the day the music died. It was funny though. I had never like Justice that much so hadn't bought it. Because Black sucked I re-visited Justice and it was like getting a new better album to take the place of the black album. It wore off though. Apart from two-three songs I don't care for Justice that much.

 

[SavageRiffer]

I'm a huge Metallica fan and always will be, but I stopped buying their music after Re-Load. I loved the Black album, And Justice for All, Garage Days, Kill 'Em All, etc.. but even though there was some good stuff on Re-Load, I couldn't get into their stuff anymore. I've never listened to more than 1 or 2 songs from subsequent albums, and what I have heard doesn't make me want to go out and buy their MP3s. Having said that, what Metallica has done prior is legendary, historical shit that will always be some of the greatest metal ever recorded.

 

[D-Rock]

You do not know that. It's all about the time, music at that time, etc... If the Beatles, Elvis, etc.... released their great albums today or in the 80's/90's would they be popular?? Probably not.

All great bands change tonally over time, reach a pinnacle and have a historic pinnacle album for them. If they don't then they never changed and didn't have long lasting success.

With Metallica they had the great 80's metal classics but they evolved over time, like most of other great bands/artists, and have more than one pinnacle album depending on what style you love and your personal music tastes.

More 80's metal heads will mostly pick MOP and newer gens will mostly pick Black, Load, etc...

I personally just love their diversity over the years and that has kept me a fan. Depending on my mood I can always find a album that I love.

If it was all the same ole same ole 80's metal in 2017, probably not. Most musicians change as they age, just like we all change with time. Those that do not musically change as they want usually try and fake it and it shows in the music they put out and they fade away.

There is a reason Metallica is still the most popular metal/hard rock band still today and it's not just because they were great in the 1980's. It is also because of Black, Load, Reload, Garage Days, Inc., St. Anger, Death Magnetic, Hardwired, etc.... The Metallica story has yet to end, even after 30+ years.

This.
They allowed us into their world. They made their early sound that the now turncoats once worshipped. To disparage the band because they didn't do what you wanted after the 80s is reprehensible imo. Shoulda, woulda coulda, and what ifs are not admissible argument points.

They are evolving artists who dread the thought of being stagnant. Thankfully they're not still playing the same stuff they were when they were 18yrs old. That would be pathetic and forced. Like Slayer, and Hetfield would have ended up like Hanneman. Forever drunk, pissed off and dead. And why? To impress some dejected tough talking fan base?

They have lives outside the band, families, etc.
The reason they are still so successful isn't just because of their old stuff, it's because they evolved not just sat around playing their old music or still trying to cop EVHs classic tone some 30 yrs later like members here do. Comprende?

 

[Mailman1971]

I like the early stuff. But also like Death Magnetic.
Sounds like that album should of came out after MOP. Would of been huge back in the day.

 

[nevusofota]

He's the reason they sell out stadiums to this today, and why this thread even exists. On the other hand he's the reason why the early Metallica purist hate him.

 

[Badronald]

I'm an old Metallica fan. Started listening at Kill Em All. Stopped listening at AJFA.
Remember clearly hearing a new tune off the Black album somewhere and thought "what is this"?
Haven't bought anything since Justice until Hardwired. I listened to it a couple times in the truck. The drums drive me crazy.
Guitars are cool. Solos blow.

 

[oldmtlhed]

They made their early sound that the now turncoats once worshipped. To disparage the band because they didn't do what you wanted after the 80s is reprehensible imo. Shoulda, woulda coulda, and what ifs are not admissible argument points.

I disagree.
They had a style. Then they completely changed. Old fans left... new fans came on board.

Trust me, my favorite band in the whole world is SYMPHONY X.
But if those guys started writing and playing CRAP, I would stop buying their music and supporting them.
I would cherish the great works they had done in the past, and chastise them for tarnishing their legacy.
But thankfully.... that didn't happen to SYMPHONY X.
They stayed strong over the years. Their musical direction did shift from "proggy" to more straight-forward
metal, but they stayed hardcore and strong with each new release.
"Iconoclast" was more of a "pure metal" album. "Paradise Lost" is a diverse mix. Something for everyone.
"Underworld" is the same way. A mix of styles. I actually don't care for a few songs on "Underworld", but
the one's I like.... I REALLY like.
Symphony X never disappoints me. They have no weak albums. Not ONE.
Even their FIRST album has some killer stuff on it. "Absinthe and Rue" being my favorite, I think.
If you don't want to listen to the whole song, jump to the 4:00 minute mark where the solo begins.
The solo section of this song is magical.
Keep in mind, this was recorded in the early 90's in Michael Romeo's basement. The "home studio" technology
was primitive back then, compared to today's standards.