UK-based Rhythm Magazine recently caught up with METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich. An excerpt from the interview is available below:

Q: Going back to the Garage Days EP – didn't you start playing 'Run To The Hills'?

Ulrich: "We've always been around English people. In those years all our tour managers, our minders, our crew guys were all Brits and so there was always a very strong sense of English cynicism and sarcasm and a bit of twisted humour. We all incredible IRON MAIDEN fans, obviously, and I don't think Metallica would be where Metallica is today if it wasn't for Iron Maiden, not only paving the way but also for just inspiring me in 1981 to form a band. We were sitting there recording the Garage thing in LA and it was a pretty loosey-goosey set of sessions and one day we started going into 'Run To The Hills' which is one of those things that anybody could attempt at any time."

"Sometimes those harmonies could be a bit tricky for a few of the guitar guys and I think a few of them were slightly off-whack. There may have been a couple of people who thought that we were taking the piss but obviously it was meant as a tribute in our own perverse Metallica way having been around basically nothing but English people for the better part of the previous five years. I'm sure no ill will was taken. About a year later, I think it was right when we finished the Justice album, I had been in New York mastering the album and Maiden were playing at the Meadowlands in New Jersey, it was probably July of '88. I went out and went to the gig. Obviously at that time, whenever you went anywhere you were pretty lubed up and continued to be as lubed up as possible. I was standing behind Nicko, they were doing the Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son tour, and I was watching him, hanging out. I think 'Run To The Hills' was the first encore and he handed me the sticks and pointed. I was like, 'Huh?' I crawled up the stairs and I remember hearing Bruce introduce me, then I started playing 'Run To The Hills' in front of 20,000 people. I may have gotten just about as far as I did on the Metallica version that came out. The whole thing was a complete clusterf*** and I don't even think we got through the first verse. Note to self, don't play drums in public when drinking! We gave it our best shot but I don't think we even made it to the first chorus."

Click here for more. For the complete interview pick up the latest issue of Rhythm Magazine.

As previously reported, Metallica recently updated their exclusive 30 Years Of Metallica photo gallery, found on their official Facebook page. Go to this location to check it out.