New York Times on Metallica - 1988

What's Hot

Came across this interesting piece from the New York Times archives. Written in 1988 on the eve of AJFA

https://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/10/magazine/heavy-metal-weighty-words.html

I was 8 at the time and learning violin and piano. Wouldn't pick up an electric guitar until 1991 and didn't hear Metallica until a couple of years after that, arriving to the Black Album party a bit late. Soon after getting into the Black Album I remember buying AJFA and just really not digging it much at all. Probably listened to it two or three times and it gathered dust since. Now, nearly thirty years later I literally cannot get enough of AJFA. I think it might be Metallica at their very best. Such a great band and impressive that they've been cranking out big riffs for decades.
0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom

Comments

  • BoromedicBoromedic Frets: 4700
    Not read that one so will take a look, AJFA was the first Metallica album I ever heard and they've been my fave band ever since. Their first five albums and patches since they're untouchable for me, none of their peers are anywhere near in songwriting terms. I can't single out one album from that first batch that I like the best, just great songs full stop.

    My head said brake, but my heart cried never.


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • It's an interesting read, hearing a contemporary journalist from the mainstream assessing a group who were, at that point, not really to be considered part of any mainstream.

    It's funny. I'm not really a big metal fan at all. But Metallica has gripped me for a long time. I'm almost ashamed to admit that I've never explored the genre properly. I couldn't even recognise a single number by Megadeth for example. It's almost as if I feel that Metallica gives me all I need or want from this kind of music.

    Hailing from the West Midlands myself, I was really interested to learn of Lars Ulrich's link with Diamondhead and his prolonged stay in Stourbridge before Metallica. Silly really but I feel a sense of local pride to imagine that Stourbridge and the Black Country played a part in the rise of Metallica. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • They seemed really serious and anti promotion in that era and they were almost allergic to conventional band behaviour. Justice was the first album of theirs I experienced in real-time. I was 15 in 1988 and saw them when they came back through again in summer 1990. By the following summer Enter Sandman had taken them as mainstream as Kylie. They did get me into NWOBHM stuff like Diamond Head and Angelwitch as well as the older stuff like Budgie.
    "A city star won’t shine too far"


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • TTBZTTBZ Frets: 2873
    edited February 2021
    It's funny. I'm not really a big metal fan at all. But Metallica has gripped me for a long time.
    I'm the opposite. Love metal, never really got Metallica and always thought they were really overrated. I like some of their stuff - Ride The Lightning and some black album stuff. AJFA has some great riffs but I can't get into it because of the mix. Something about their music just doesn't grab me in the same way that other thrash from the same kind of era does - Exodus, Anthrax, Death Angel etc.

    For me Pantera are the best metal band of all time, Far Beyond Driven and Trendkill are great heavy albums - the biggest thing for me is the songs and riffs have groove backed up by a heavy rhythm section working well together. I think that might be my issue with Metallica, it's cliche to say but Lars' drumming really let's the side down!
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • ReverendReverend Frets: 4974
    I remember reading about Metallica in Kerrang when KEA came out but the first song i remember hearing was Creeping Death on an MFN comp that alao had Manowar, The Rods, Anthrax and Loudness on. 
    I was also 15 in 88 but had started pretty young so had vague memories from aftermath of nwobhm. RTL is onebrhe best metal albums ever. MOP ain't far behind but i lost interest in 91. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • SpringywheelSpringywheel Frets: 941
    edited March 2021

    Hailing from the West Midlands myself, I was really interested to learn of Lars Ulrich's link with Diamondhead and his prolonged stay in Stourbridge before Metallica. Silly really but I feel a sense of local pride to imagine that Stourbridge and the Black Country played a part in the rise of Metallica. 


    the West Midlands played a major part in the birth of heavy metal/hard rock, birthing power players like Sabbath, Judas Priest and to a certain extent, Led Zeppelin. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • BloodEagleBloodEagle Frets: 5320
    edited March 2021
    Master is undoubtedly a great album, but Ride the Lightning will always be in my heart as my favourite Metallica album because it was the first one I bought  (and actually one of the first metal albums I ever bought in 1988 alongside ANthrax Fistful of Metal pic disc, from the Virgin Megastore in Nottingham , on 'Direct-metal mastered' double vinyl - I never fully understood what this meant but it sounded pretty,um, metal). I do remember reading a review of MoP in a computer magazine of all things when it came out, but I was only 11 and more into Warhammer 40k at that point.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • PolarityManPolarityMan Frets: 7273
    Justice has some of the best songs for sure but such a let down with the lack of bass.

    Having said that I think Load/reload is my favourite Metallica period..I mean ok..its not remotely "metal" but some of the most interesting song writing and vocals in their career.

    Im not a big fan of thrash generally though so I dont idolize their earlier more thrashy stuff. 
    ဈǝᴉʇsɐoʇǝsǝǝɥɔဪቌ
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • PolarityManPolarityMan Frets: 7273
    TTBZ said:
    It's funny. I'm not really a big metal fan at all. But Metallica has gripped me for a long time.


    For me Pantera are the best metal band of all time, Far Beyond Driven and Trendkill are great heavy albums - the biggest thing for me is the songs and riffs have groove backed up by a heavy rhythm section working well together. I think that might be my issue with Metallica, it's cliche to say but Lars' drumming really let's the side down!
    Im the same, the big groove is essential. Part of the reason I loved Max era Sepultura too. I do find Pantera somewhat tarnished by Phil Anselmo's public displays of racism in recent years though. 
    ဈǝᴉʇsɐoʇǝsǝǝɥɔဪቌ
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • Justice has some of the best songs for sure but such a let down with the lack of bass.

    Having said that I think Load/reload is my favourite Metallica period..I mean ok..its not remotely "metal" but some of the most interesting song writing and vocals in their career.

    Im not a big fan of thrash generally though so I dont idolize their earlier more thrashy stuff. 
    I think Load is such an under-rated album. Some of my favourites on there. The only time I managed to see Metallica was at the NEC in 1996 so there was lots of Load!
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • MoominpapaMoominpapa Frets: 1649
    @Limehouse_Blues A while ago I posted about a book that contained some of the photos my wife took at various gigs when she was a teenager. https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/149983/xxx-fanzine-hardcore-and-punk-in-the-eighties#latest

    I mentioned in the post that she had seen Metallica quite early in their career. Turns out that was almost certainly 1983, when they played two nights at a Boston club called The Rathskeller (affectionately known as 'The Rat', which also accurately conveyed its cleanliness, apparently). She posted some of her pictures from the gig on Facebook a couple of months ago and her friends and workmates who knew nothing about that part of her life were like  :o !
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • TeetonetalTeetonetal Frets: 7801
    Justice has some of the best songs for sure but such a let down with the lack of bass.

    Having said that I think Load/reload is my favourite Metallica period..I mean ok..its not remotely "metal" but some of the most interesting song writing and vocals in their career.

    Im not a big fan of thrash generally though so I dont idolize their earlier more thrashy stuff. 
    I think Load is such an under-rated album. Some of my favourites on there. The only time I managed to see Metallica was at the NEC in 1996 so there was lots of Load!
    I agree with this a lot. I got into Metallica through the black album and loved load. I had never really had cause to check out the earlier albums at the time as thrash was never my thing.  

    These day I like bits of everything up to reload, but the output since then has been pretty patchy at best.

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • RobDaviesRobDavies Frets: 3062
    Like Reverend, I reckon their best album is RTL but they probably peaked in 86.  The last great thing they recorded was the $5.98 EP.  Some of Justice is ok but it all went downhill from there, all imho of course. 

    I wouldn’t cross the road to see them in an arena these days, which is quite sad as I absolutely worshipped them in 85/86.    I love this Kerrang cover....


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • ReverendReverend Frets: 4974
    edited March 2021
    One of the great things about that photo is it's before he downgraded pickups.  

    Did you see them in Colbert a couple of weeks ago. Emgs renoved and they sounded much better 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • RobDaviesRobDavies Frets: 3062
    Reverend said:
    One of the great things about that photo is it's before he downgraded pickups.  

    Did you see them in Colbert a couple of weeks ago. Emgs renoved and they sounded much better 
    Yeah I noticed that too.... will check out the Colbert stuff. Cheers. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • BoromedicBoromedic Frets: 4700
    Reverend said:
    One of the great things about that photo is it's before he downgraded pickups.  

    Did you see them in Colbert a couple of weeks ago. Emgs renoved and they sounded much better 
    James was still using EMGs, they're his Het Set in that camo Vulture. Don't know what Kirk had in his Schenker V, but they look passive. Majority of the mix rhythm tone will be James with his EMGs though. 

    It's a game of opinions really, I think they peaked through the whole period 90-99 including Garage Inc. which sounds amazing. Right up to I Disappear, since then I agree it's diminishing returns, although Hardwired is a very very good album. Death Magnetic also has some great songs mired by terrible production and lack of QC, St Anger is its own thing :)

    I'll always love em, and I think live they still are fuckin great, all them Metallica Mondays were great. I can't wait to see them when gigs open up again, I get the feeling it's only a matter of time before a lot of their back catalogue becomes unplayable by Lars and Kirk.

    My head said brake, but my heart cried never.


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • EmielEmiel Frets: 212
    I much agree with you, Boromedic!

    One of the first records I bought as a teenager was Garage Inc. and I'm still loving that '90s era of Metallica. Anything with Bob Rock as a producer sounds effing great (bar the obvious St. Anger snare drum), I wish they would get him back into the producers seat and kick their arses.

    I recently watched some recent footage and was surprised how good they still sounded at played. Ok, Kirks playing can be a bit messy but I'm sure he can undo that with some solid practicing. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • BoromedicBoromedic Frets: 4700
    I dream of them working with a producer who will kick their ass again.... 

    My head said brake, but my heart cried never.


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.