Lars Ulrich (METALLICA)

METALLICA's Lars Ulrich Says New Album Sounds "Very Lively, Very Spunky, Got A Lot Of Energy"

Posted on Thursday, December 07, 2006 at 13:13:06

Launch Radio Networks reports:

METALLICA has written about 25 songs for it's ninth studio effort and is now concentrating on trimming that list to one album's worth of material, which it will begin recording in January.

Drummer Lars Ulrich told Launch on Tuesday (December 5th) that the band's summer European tour, on which Metallica played its classic 1986 album Master Of Puppets in its entirety, paved the way for the sound of the new album.

"What I hear sounds very lively, very spunky, got a lot of energy," he said. "I think that the shows we played over the summer, we were definitely leaner and kind of in better shape than we've been in a long time. I mean, having to deliver Master Of Puppets for three months this summer definitely revitalized some of that stuff in us, and it's been kind of fun having that in the back of our mind as we've been going through this process. I don't know what else to say."

Metallica's new album is due in late 2007. The effort will be produced by Rick Rubin.

METALLICA's Lars Ulrich Not "Roaming" Anywhere For Christmas

Launch Radio Networks has issued the following report from Don Kaye:

METALLICA used to spend every possible moment on the road back in the band's early days, even during the holidays. But now that the band is older and several members have kids, drummer Lars Ulrich told us that the group's priorities have changed:

"The last few years is just about sittin'at home and hanging with the family. A few years ago, it was sort of like, you know, 'Hey, it's a very cool time to tour between Christmas and New Year.'It's like, 'Uh, okay, how did we get talked into that?' So all of a sudden you're sitting somewhere playing, like, a show on December 27th. But these days I'm a little more into just planting my ass at home."

Metallica has played a few local New Year's Eve shows in recent years, along with one in Las Vegas.

The band has written about 25 songs for its ninth studio effort and will tentatively begin recording in January. The new disc will be produced by Rick Rubin and is expected out by late 2007.

People magazine recently reported that Ulrich and actress Connie Nielsen are expecting their first child together after dating for two years. The baby is due early next summer.

METALLICA "Really Revitalized" By Working With Rick Rubin

Launch Radio Networks has issued the following report from Don Kaye:

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich says in the new issue of England's Rhythm magazine that working with producer Rick Rubin after spending 15 years and five albums with Bob Rock has "a completely different energy, a whole new vibe."

Ulrich told us that the band just felt it was time to make a change: "Rick, you know, between the Chili Peppers and Audioslave and System and Slipknot and what else, I mean, it's sort of like, okay, I mean, he's the obvious guy. He comes up with some great ideas and has a whole different way of looking at Metallica than Bob, which is not anything about Bob obviously, but it comes from a very different place and it's really revitalized some different things in us."

Ulrich's interview in Rhythm magazine was conducted by DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy.

Metallica has been writing songs for its ninth studio album throughout much of the last year. The band will tentatively begin recording sometime this month.

Ulrich recently said that the sound of the new effort will veer away from the controversial, low-fi production on 2003's St. Anger, which he called "a reaction to 20 years of doing things one way."

The new Metallica album is expected out by late 2007.

METALLICA Drummer Lars Ulrich - "I Love My Sons; I Want Them To Inherit The Earth For Real!"

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich pushed his bandmates to take part in the upcoming Live Earth global spectacular - because he didn't want his sons to inherit an environmentally-challenged planet after his death. Metallica will be among the acts performing at the London leg of the global warming-awareness concerts on July 7 at Wembley Stadium, and Ulrich, a new dad, insists he felt compelled to take part. He says, "I love my sons. I want them to inherit the earth for real! We keep waiting for future generations to solve the problems; to invent cleaner technology; to pay the costs. That's the same as passing the buck. I want the buck to stop here, now. I want lawmakers and laws to impose change. Nothing else will keep this world safe for my sons.

The 24-hour Live Earth concert series will begin in Sydney, Australia and continue across all seven with events in Japan, China, South Africa, Germany, London and Brazil, before concluding in New York.

(Thanks Contactmusic.com)