Rolling Stone caught up with METALLICA at their Record Store Day signing event in northern California late last week. Drummer Lars Ulrich chatted about recording with Rick Rubin, bonding with his kids over Guitar Hero and learning to love the Web.

Here are a few excerpts from the chat:

Rolling Stone: What made Metallica want to be part of Record Store Day?

Ulrich: "It was a no-brainer for us. It took three seconds to decide to do it. The record store has been such a huge part of our lives. When I was twelve, fourteen years old in Denmark, the record store was the Holy Grail and the guy who worked there was my hero. I would go two to three times a week and get JUDAS PRIEST, ACCEPT, TRIUMPH; this guy was like a God to me. In America it was places in San Francisco like the Record Vault where we'd sell our demos, t-shirts, hang out."

Rolling Stone: How would you feel on the day the last record store in America closed?

Ulrich: "I'd do my best to try and be there playing 'Fade To Black' as the last song, but I don't think it'll come to that. iTunes? I'm there as much as everyone else, I'm not against that. If you look at vinyl, fifteen years ago CDs came out and yet it continues to make more of a comeback. I don't think you'll be able to kill the record store, at least not in major cities. I'm worried about the smaller cities. I'm against these soulless megastores."

Rolling Stone: And as far as the next record goes ...

Ulrich: "You know, this is our last record under contract with Warner, so we're looking at how we can embrace everything."

Rolling Stone: Like a 360 deal with Live Nation?

Ulrich: "Mmm, we've never sold ourselves that way. No disrespect. We want to be as free a players as possible. We've been observing RADIOHEAD and TRENT REZNOR and in twenty-seven years or however long it takes for the next record, we'll be looking forward to everything in terms of possibilities with the internet."

Rolling Stone: What can you say about working with mad genius Rick Rubin on this upcoming album?

Ulrich: "Mad genius? You've heard then. [Laughs] It's been a great year, and it's been a lot of fun — a chance to re-invent the wheel again. It's great to have someone who sits there and throws things in your face. He's not very methodical; it's all about the vibe and the moment. We were interacting and playing off each other more. There was little method to his madness, but you learn to trust him and roll with it."

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