Has Metallica Sold Out?

[fmofmpls]

I know some people claim Metallica has sold out. I was never convinced of that until I saw this. 

Soft Rock oriented stations are even playing this atrocity in the Minneapolis area. 

Seeing and listening is believing.

Metallica-Enter Sandman (Smooth Jazz Version)

[Wicked Lester]

WTF?! I made it to about the 2 minute mark and had to turn it off. That was lame to say the least. I'm surprised the crowd didn't start booing. Oh,wait. It's Metallica. James could bark out nursery rhymes and get away with it.
I felt that they sold out a long time ago er no ,I mean they've matured over the years.

[fmofmpls]

It's not just Metallica that's gotten old, it's KISS too. Listen for yourself and weep.

Kiss-Detroit Rock City(Reggae Version)

[Gillfan]

Are these real? I'm seeing it and hearing it but a part of me has to think this is fake.

[fmofmpls]

These videos are not real. They are remixes versions created by an artist named Andy Rehfeldt. He has various smooth rock versions, and other musical styles, of popular artists and their songs. Interesting and hilarious at the same time. Creative to be sure.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[jamesenstein31]

They have a truly bizarre fanbase. It's true fanaticism, the only other metal band equatable being either Maiden or, God help me, Manowar! Metallica seem so desparate to constantly be seen as current that they frequently sell-out and have done so since the early 90s. Many claimed that Death Magnetic was a good record, but it lacked sincerity. Thrash has been coming back and they must have again felt they needed to be keeping up with the joneses, so to speak. I remember listening to that album and Testament's Formation of Damnation the same year and it was a pretty big difference in approach. Weird to see the little bands really proving more relevant than the "Big Four" nowadays.

[frankenstein73]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Is it bad that i actually kinda like it? 

[Fester]

Of course they've sold out.  That is the only way for them to stay in business.

I cannot believe the videos.  Its almost like Pat Boone's metal covers album.  Gotta be a joke.

Here in Spokanistan, Metallica and KISS and Maiden have played the local arena, a 12,000 -14,000 seat venue (depending on the seating arrangements.  And those concerts were sold out.  I used to manage a concession stand there, so I was present at those events.
The concerts 15 years ago were packed with loyal headbangers, some bringing their kids.  More recent tours have not been at the arena, but at one of the local Tribal Casinos.  We're talking 3,000 to 5,000 seats max.  Next stop down in venues here would be the "big stage" as the county fair.  Records don't exist, CD sales are down, and MP3 downloads only net them about a buck a tune (if done legally).

Their fan base is aging, and the grandkids of the original fans are discovering "classic metal."
Its just as well-- there are few things as depressing as something once edgy now worn out.  There is something kind of sad about the way stage lighting and pyrotechnics reflect off bald spots and beer bellies.

[zombiehorror]

Yep, even if this atrocity were real they've sold out long before this!  In my opinion it was definitely with the Black album, though some fans claimed it was with ...And Justice For All.  ...And Justice at least held some semblance of what Metallica was between 1981-1986, the significant event of "86" being the death of Cliff Burton who had a huge influence on not only the sound of Metallica but introducing the rest of the band members to varied forms of music.  So much so the band nearly called it quits after his death but somehow managed to rise up and pull off two classic albums; Garage Days Re-Revisited and of course ...And Justice.

Now what the f*ck happened after ...And Justice!?!  All I can figure is that Metallica caught some taste of a mainstream song in "One" and they liked it but they'd no clue how to make a mainstream record, they were f*cking Metallica, veritable prince's of thrash and king's of metal!!  What to do?  Turn to Bob Rock (Aerosmith, Skid Row, Bon Jovi and Mötley Crüe) for your producer and let him turn Metallica into a heavy metal boy band.  Strip everything away that was Metallica and start fresh, get James some singing lessons, scale back Lars' drumkit and restructer Metallica's songs so they don't resemble anything that they'd done prior.  Don't get me wrong there are some catchy freaking tunes on the black album but I don't consider them good by Metallica's standards (or at least my standards for Metallica) and I rid myself of that album long ago.

After that album I lost all interest in Metallica but I have seen that they've tried to revert back to a more classic Metallica sound but the damage is done; As much as they didn't know how to make a mainstream album on their own they certainly don't know how to make a Metallica album anymore!

But hey what do I know, they are laughing all the way to the bank; And Kirk Hammett's horror collection (of which he is supposed to be cataloging and making a book of) is supposed to be tops in the collector market!

[Toy Ranch]

What is "selling out"?  Eating Top Ramen, traveling in a van, sleeping on floors, and only playing sweaty clubs that smell like stale beer, piss, and vomit?  Most bands only have one good idea.  Successful bands have a very good or great idea.  Bands that survive on top for years, like Metallica, find a way to take that good idea and perpetuate it.  Of course it doesn't have the same vitality at 40 or 50 years old that it did at 20, but it's "sell out" or quit and become an insurance salesman or assistant manager at Taco Bell.  Nothing wrong with being an insurance salesman or Taco Bell worker, but it's more fun to be a rock star. 

My ideas weren't good enough in my 20's, and now almost 50 I'm still having fun opening up for Misfits tribute bands in sweaty clubs that smell like stale beer, piss, and vomit.  Would have MUCH rather "sold out", but not having that opportunity, I'm satisfied with things as they are. 

[zombiehorror]

I would say the difference is that Metallica was way past the point of opening up for cover bands at the point that they decided to completely alienate a large core of the fan base by having someone else dictate what they should be.  Personally I never felt that Jason Newstead liked the new direction of the band but he was also no fool and road the more commercialized Metallica out for a little while before cutting out.  The money those guys are making off of the black album and a few of the releases after is probably more than they make off their whole back catalog combined!

[Toy Ranch]

Name a band that has been around for half as long as Metallica, has had half the success of Metallica, and hasn't "sold out".  The point I guess is that there is a fairly small window of time when everything is vital and creative and fueled by unbridled passion and energy in any band's life.  After that is gone, and it goes away for everyone, always...  the only thing left is to either "sell out" or go get a day job. 

Years ago, I was talking to this guy in his early 20's who told me he played guitar in a cover band that plays hotel lounges.  Mostly older guys take those gigs, and I asked him why he chose to do that, and he said, "I'd rather play guitar in the hotel bar than wash dishes in the hotel bar."

No band is forever young.  They may or may not have invented speed metal, but they sure made it known and relevant.  They'll never be 20 again.  They won't lead anyone into a new genre of rock again.  I don't quite know what people expect of them, but whatever it is, it's not realistic.  They still sell out arenas.  They still rock.  Not like they did when they were in their 20's of course, but nobody else does either. 

I mean, look at Zeppelin.  They did for the original Heavy Metal what Metallica did for Thrash Metal.  They had a helluva run, but started making crappy albums and broke up when Bonzo died.  Many still think of them as the greatest band of all time.  They wanted to keep playing though.  Plant did the Honeydrippers.  Page released some solo stuff.  JPJ probably has had the coolest post-Zep career.  Metallica could have gone out like that.   Who knows, maybe Hetfield will really put out a soft Jazz album some day

[zombiehorror]

I don't quite know what people expect of them, but whatever it is, it's not realistic.

I expect nothing from them I really don't care what they up to anymore!

They still sell out arenas.

Yes because they sold out!!

They still rock.  Not like they did when they were in their 20's of course, but nobody else does either. 

I'm sure they still put on one hell of a show to bad they have to ruin it by playing their subpar-commercial stuff!!

[fmofmpls]

What is "selling out"?  Eating Top Ramen, traveling in a van, sleeping on floors, and only playing sweaty clubs that smell like stale beer, piss, and vomit? 

Exactly! Too funny. And that's why I just recently signed over the rights to this forum to Universal Studios. As of November, 6, 2011 this forum will be exclusively owned and operated by Universal Studios. I will have relinquished all control. They made me an offer I couldn't refuse. And besides, just how much stale beer, piss and vomit do you expect me to consume anyways?     

[The Creeper]

I think Metallica sold out after the Black album.  I don't know why they did it but they did.