METALLICA's James Hetfield Says Lars Ulrich Is "A Big-Time Axl (Rose) Follower - Trying To Capture Some Of The Rock-Star-Ness
November 10, 2008, 16 years ago
Rollingstone.com spoke with METALLICA frontman James Hetfield recently about a number of topics. A few excerpts from the chat follow:
Rollingstone.com: Most likely, Metallica will be inducted into the Hall of Fame next April. Who will be onstage with you?
Hetfield: "Everyone that played on a record should be there. You're considered for the Hall 25 years after your first recording, not after you formed."
Rollingstone.com: That would omit Dave Mustaine.
Hetfield: "He wasn't on a record. Jason Newsted should be up there - he was in the band for 14 years and played on quite a few records - and so should Robert Trujillo."
Rollingstone.com: Will it be weird to be there with Jason?
Hetfield: "There's no reason for it to be weird. We don't want to be part of the soap opera of the Hall of Fame. Everybody wants to see a train wreck, like with BLONDIE onstage arguing over crap [at the 2006 ceremony]. That really cheapens the moment."
Rollingstone.com: Have you listened to the leaked tracks from Chinese Democracy?
Hetfield: "I haven't. I'm sure Lars (Ulrich) has heard it - he's a big-time Axl follower [laughs]. He's followed him around and annoyed him, trying to capture some of the rock-star-ness. We played a festival with them in Germany in 2006 - not on the exact same day - and we went down and watched them. The guy's a good frontman. There's a lot of extra stuff that goes along with that, but he is talented."
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