Metallica's Hetfield Stopped at Airport

[KROW]

Don't know if anyone's heard this yet, since it's a week old, but...

Metallica frontman James Hetfield was stopped by security officials at London's Luton Airport for allegedly having a "Taliban-like" beard.

The band was on its way to perform at Live Earth on Saturday (July 7).

Hetfield was briefly questioned by airport officials until they realised who he was. No explanation was given for why he was stopped, but his bandmates speculated that it was due to his beard.

Meanwhile, Metallica's new album is due out in early 2008, with bassist Robert Trujillo telling Blabbermouth: "There's a lot of everything, man. There's speed on this. There's a couple of tracks where you're gonna go, 'Wow!' and I know you're gonna like it because it has the flavor of the old. But it has this kind of groove and power behind it that I think is us today."



It is to laugh. Great to hear about the new album, though.



"Ha-leh, hhha-leeeeeh! Lulululululululululu!"

[Spitfire]

I was hoping you said stopped making music because their albums have offended me since ...And Justice and even that album isn't that good.

[Janus Prospero]

Originally Posted by Spitfire666xXxXx

I was hoping you said stopped making music because their albums have offended me since ...And Justice and even that album isn't that good.

Oh come on man. Saying that Metallica sucks from Black Album onwards is the most common music cliche ever. I swear it's the #1 comment I hear whenever I talk about them. #2 is "METALLICA!!!!!!!!!!!"

[Zog the Equalizer]

Originally Posted by Spitfire666xXxXx

I was hoping you said stopped making music because their albums have offended me since ...And Justice and even that album isn't that good.

That is exactly what I was hoping when i saw that.

[KROW]

You know, I don't want to argue about how Metallica has changed since their fledgling albums. It's not even what this thread is about, anyway. I will point out, however, that Scott Ian from Anthrax said it best when he said he couldn't understand how people could tag Metallica for selling out and betraying what they were just because they made an album that sold so many damn copies.

Old fans of the band became fickle and selfish when everyone started loving Metallica after the Black Album, making them think that the band wasn't just theirs to listen to anymore. These fans need to get over it. You love the old stuff, then listen to it, enjoy, let Metallica keep experimenting with their sound to try and better themselves, and let the rest of us evolve and move on.

[jeff the cheff]

Haha...Conan O'brien made a joke about this the other night.

"Hetfeild was stopped at a London Airport.....apparently he set off the heavy metal detector."

[That Matt Guy]

He looks like s*** now.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by KROW

You know, I don't want to argue about how Metallica has changed since their fledgling albums. It's not even what this thread is about, anyway. I will point out, however, that Scott Ian from Anthrax said it best when he said he couldn't understand how people could tag Metallica for selling out and betraying what they were just because they made an album that sold so many damn copies.

I know you said you didn't want to argue but this comment here made me laugh.
It's called selling out when you dismiss your entire past and make a CD that sounds nothing like what you did before so you can make money. That's exactly what they did.

Old fans of the band became fickle and selfish when everyone started loving Metallica after the Black Album, making them think that the band wasn't just theirs to listen to anymore. These fans need to get over it. You love the old stuff, then listen to it, enjoy, let Metallica keep experimenting with their sound to try and better themselves, and let the rest of us evolve and move on.

Were fickle and selfish? Were you around back when that CD came out? I'd assume you were. There were people so moronic they thought The Black Album was their first CD. And you know how annoying it is to hear people say "I don't like metal but I like Metallica" So Metallica is metal for people who don't like metal.

Let them experiment? Experiment what? Did you see their movie? I couldn't ber to watch the whole thing but I saw a scene where Kirk busts out into a solo during one of the songs their witting and they all stop playing and give him this look like he's a moron and Larr's says something stupid like "I don't think we should conform to this new fad of adding solos to all our songs" Ugh yeah don't display any of your musicianship.

And I've heard some live tracks of them doing old songs recently and they sound like s***.

So you want to know why us old fans are fickle? They were an amazing band that some how nailed it on their first CD. Their bass player dies and they basically run around with their heads up their asses no idea what to do because it's obvious without him they were nothing. They make one boring CD where they try to be Metallica and then they jump into The Black album. If they had any respect they would have disbanded and just called themselves something else. But no instead they were already raking in tons of money so they milked it. And that's what they've been doing ever since.

My Dad ran with that crowd and used to play with Metallica before they were signed. He said Larr's was always an asshole but the other guys were all really cool. It seems to me Kirk is the only one who hasn't changed all that much. I just don't know how he can put up with it.

Originally Posted by Janus Prospero

Oh come on man. Saying that Metallica sucks from Black Album onwards is the most common music cliche ever. I swear it's the #1 comment I hear whenever I talk about them. #2 is "METALLICA!!!!!!!!!!!"

Good thing I didn't say that then. I even said ...And Justice isn't good either. To be honest they both suck. The only difference is one sounds like boring Metallica and the other one sounds like a compilation CD of radio songs.

[Barkworm]

I could really get into this now but it's totally not worth it. I'll just say that it's highly amusing how a 19 year old kid acts like he's a day one fan. Also, it's "Lars".

I'm out.

[KROW]

Originally Posted by Spitfire666xXxXx

I know you said you didn't want to argue but this comment here made me laugh.
It's called selling out when you dismiss your entire past and make a CD that sounds nothing like what you did before so you can make money. That's exactly what they did.

Were fickle and selfish? Were you around back when that CD came out? I'd assume you were. There were people so moronic they thought The Black Album was their first CD. And you know how annoying it is to hear people say "I don't like metal but I like Metallica" So Metallica is metal for people who don't like metal.

Let them experiment? Experiment what? Did you see their movie? I couldn't ber to watch the whole thing but I saw a scene where Kirk busts out into a solo during one of the songs their witting and they all stop playing and give him this look like he's a moron and Larr's says something stupid like "I don't think we should conform to this new fad of adding solos to all our songs" Ugh yeah don't display any of your musicianship.

And I've heard some live tracks of them doing old songs recently and they sound like s***.

So you want to know why us old fans are fickle? They were an amazing band that some how nailed it on their first CD. Their bass player dies and they basically run around with their heads up their asses no idea what to do because it's obvious without him they were nothing. They make one boring CD where they try to be Metallica and then they jump into The Black album. If they had any respect they would have disbanded and just called themselves something else. But no instead they were already raking in tons of money so they milked it. And that's what they've been doing ever since.

My Dad ran with that crowd and used to play with Metallica before they were signed. He said Larr's was always an asshole but the other guys were all really cool. It seems to me Kirk is the only one who hasn't changed all that much. I just don't know how he can put up with it.


Good thing I didn't say that then. I even said ...And Justice isn't good either. To be honest they both suck. The only difference is one sounds like boring Metallica and the other one sounds like a compilation CD of radio songs.

Yes, I was around when the Black Album came out. And yes, Metallica sounded different after they lost Cliff. So, with that in mind, how were Metallica going to find a new bassist that sounded EXACTLY like Cliff so they could sound EXACTLY the same? It was impossible. To Kirk, James, and Lars, Newsted sounded the closest with a little extra to boot, so they selected him. They released "...And Justice For All" as an angry album lashing out against the world while still feeling down about Cliff's death.

After that, they discovered that they needed some help and a new approach to their music or else they would have been lost in obscurity thanks to the emergence of grunge and the lack of interest in metal. They encountered Bob Rock who put them through rigorous studio sessions in order for them to realize their full potential that took more than a year. In the end, they produced The Black Album, which was supposed to be the equivalent of AC/DC's Back in Black. They succeeded spectacularly, with help from the radio.

Now, just because 'Talica fans' little sisters started liking the band afterwards is no reason to ditch them, and just because they don't sound the same as they did shouldn't be, either. If anything, they sounded harder, more organized, and more crisp than "...And Justice" and even "Puppets."

They experiment with their sound because they like to have fun with their music and see if they can turn into a success. Oh, that's right: Being a success means you've sold out, so to hell with them for trying to make a living and feed their families.

See, people have to realize that staying an underground band is not always the best business decision. When "Puppets" came out, they were still virtually unknown. If you want to play in a band just to have fun, then don't make a career out of it. If you want to have a good time and make some money living out your dream, then you need to do something to make old fans return and new fans appear. That's what Metallica did. They didn't sell out, they adapted.

Everyone (used loosely) is going to like the Black Album. It sold millions of copies so soccer moms and business suits are probably going to have heard of it, if not own it. Get over it. The band's notorious for that. It's supposed to be a good thing.

[Stimor]

i heard that if i like metallica, i get pissed off all the time!

[Janus Prospero]

Originally Posted by Spitfire666xXxXx

Good thing I didn't say that then. I even said ...And Justice isn't good either. To be honest they both suck. The only difference is one sounds like boring Metallica and the other one sounds like a compilation CD of radio songs.

I was generalizing. I have heard both statements equally as much.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by KROW

Everyone (used loosely) is going to like the Black Album. It sold millions of copies so soccer moms and business suits are probably going to have heard of it, if not own it. Get over it. The band's notorious for that. It's supposed to be a good thing.

Believe me I don't disown a band once they get popular. I don't mind at all if they get huge. Hell if a band that plays music I love gets giant then that is awesome. Iron Maiden is huge and I still love them.

Here's the thing though, once you get big you need to keep pumping out good music. In your opinion Metallica's new stuff is good but to me I can't stand it. It's not because they "sold out" if I thought they had sold out I would have stopped listening to them right away because they exploded and were touring stadiums by the time Master s came out.

Iron Maiden went though a time where I highly disliked their music to. Bruce left the band and they got a new singer. I liked a song here and there but I didn't like whole albums. Bruce came back in 2000 and blew me away because I thought Maiden to be washed up and done. And they KEEP releasing CDs that rival the kids they influenced still.

A band can get as large as they like I expect quality to never lessen. One of my favorite bands did what Metallica did. They saw the style of music they were playing wasn't that popular anymore so they changed to sound more American and I utterly despise their new music. Their old stuff is amazing but their new music just makes me sad because I'm listening to a band I love do something I hate. That band was In Flames and to this day I'm still hoping they will come back around.

Bands like Children Of Bodom, Dark Tranquillity, and Arch Enemy stuck with their style and while their not chart toppers they play headlining tours all over the world. They get better and better every album and never try and be what their not. By doing this they still got success. Even if they had to deal with not being at the top for awhile.

That's why I respect those bands, I don't respect anyone who is trying to be what their not. Especially to make money.

[ZariusTwo]

Originally Posted by Janus Prospero

Oh come on man. Saying that Metallica sucks from Black Album onwards is the most common music cliche ever

An opinion is a cliche?


As for my own views, they still have the occasional excellent number, but Spit's right, post-Black Album, they have'nt had an all-you-can-hear consistent album where every track was legendary. Plus they sued Napster. Cheapos.

[Janus Prospero]

Originally Posted by Spitfire666xXxXx

...and the other one sounds like a compilation CD of radio songs.

And you consider this a bad thing? Maybe I'm misunderstanding what your point is, but I wish every album I ever bought sounded like a compilation of radio songs! That's basically saying that every song on the album is so good, that it has the potential to be a single.

I hate it when I buy a CD and only like 2 or 3 songs on it are any good. Then I wind up skipping tracks and only listening to those songs. Makes me feel ripped off. (although I do find that if I listen to these albums long enough, the songs that didn't initially grab me tend to grow on me.) But that's the reason I love Metallica so much. Anytime I pop one of their albums in, I listen to the whole thing all the way through. I love that!

Actually there is one exception and I'm afraid this is going to sound kinda cliche too, but I actually don't care for St. Anger. I love the songs Invisible Kid and Some Kind of Monster, but that's it really.

Originally Posted by ZariusTwo

An opinion is a cliche?

It can be, yes. It's just one of those things that you hear so often that you question the motivation behind it. Like if they really mean it or they're just saying it because it's what they're supposed to say.

One that always gets me is "I like everything except country and rap." When what they really mean is, "I love Blink 182 and listen to it religiously."
It's like..."O rly? Show me the Cannibal Corpse CD, next to the Celine Dion CD, right next to Dave Brubeck, and then we'll talk."

But back to the topic at hand. I hear this all the time:
"Metallica started to suck when they released ...And Justice for All/Black Album/Load."
And it's like the earlier back you go, the more hard core and free thinking you are. I'm going to start telling people that Kill 'Em All was the only good Metallica album. Then they'll think I'm freakin' extreme.

Now, I don't want to disrespect Spitfire's opinion or musical taste. He seems pretty adamant on what he does and doesn't like and that's cool. While I still think Metallica's music has been good throughout the years, it would be an effort in futility for me to deny that they have evolved. I chalk it up to musical growth, and while I never hold experimentation against a band I certainly wouldn't expect everyone to like the final product that it produces. As I've proven above, I don't always either.

It's just that whenever someone tells me that Metallica hasn't been as good since [album], the first thing that enters my mind is that they're a poser following the "trendy metal opinion" rather than thinking for themselves. Now, I'm not saying that is always the case. And I'm certainly not saying that this is the case with you and Spit, but it is the thought that enters my mind.

And yeah, Metallica going after Napster was probably the lamest thing ever in rock history.

[KROW]

Originally Posted by Spitfire666xXxXx

I don't respect anyone who is trying to be what their not. Especially to make money.

I see what you mean. Though I can't see Metallica being in that category. I don't think they changed their sound just to be more in the normal contemporary category or anything just to sell more albums. I think they did it because of what I said before: seeing if it does well; if the fans like it, therefore seeing if it's a success. They have a huge fan following, so basically any crap they crank out is going to sell decently, if not amazingly. I really don't feel that Metallica is trying to be what they're not just because they don't scream "No life til leather" anymore.

I like how they've made that transition from four kids blaring out facemelters, angry at the world to four adults who love to do what they do and want to give their fans something new. With "Load" and "Reload," it was a different image and sound with more stretching of the guitar after being on sabbatical for years. With "S & M," it was a greatest hits album with an orchestra added to it. With "St. Anger," it was a more angry and hard-hitting sound that differs from their fast-paced metal militia period.

Quite frankly, I'd rather listen to "Ain't My Bitch" than "Trapped Under Ice" any day.

[Spitfire]

[QUOTE=Janus Prospero;538639]And you consider this a bad thing? Maybe I'm misunderstanding what your point is, but I wish every album I ever bought sounded like a compilation of radio songs! That's basically saying that every song on the album is so good, that it has the potential to be a single.

I hate it when I buy a CD and only like 2 or 3 songs on it are any good. Then I wind up skipping tracks and only listening to those songs. Makes me feel ripped off. (although I do find that if I listen to these albums long enough, the songs that didn't initially grab me tend to grow on me.) But that's the reason I love Metallica so much. Anytime I pop one of their albums in, I listen to the whole thing all the way through. I love that!/quote]
In the metal community radio play is very very slim to none. Even Iron Maiden aren't on the radio often, Slayer isn't either and their both huge bands. Radio play usually means censored songs and stuff the record label knows will sell CDs.

Let me ask you something, do you think "Sexy Back" is good? It's all over the radio but that hardly means Justin Timberlake is good. While for pop, rap, and rock music radio play means a good thing for metal it doesn't. Radio play means you did a song dumbed down enough for the average person to like.

As sad as it is the average person doesn't like guitar solos, loud booming drums, and intense vocals. Bands like Arch Enemy will never be played on commercial radio because their to heavy. If they played it over half the listeners would turn the radio off because people who like rock for the most part don't like metal and by metal I mean metal. Slipknot is not metal, I don't consider new Metallica to be metal either, to me that's more hard rock.

Yeah I hate it when I buy a CD and only the title tracks are worth listening to. But I get my hands on pre-releases all the time so I always hear en entire CD before I buy it. And I always do it I like it.

It can be, yes. It's just one of those things that you hear so often that you question the motivation behind it. Like if they really mean it or they're just saying it because it's what they're supposed to say.

One that always gets me is "I like everything except country and rap." When what they really mean is, "I love Blink 182 and listen to it religiously."
It's like..."O rly? Show me the Cannibal Corpse CD, next to the Celine Dion CD, right next to Dave Brubeck, and then we'll talk."

Yeah I know it's over said, and yes your right people who have no idea what their talking about speak of the matter.

But unlike the average Hot Topic go-er I grew up in a metal household. My Dad told me when I was 2 years old my favorite CD was "Rust In Peace".

But back to the topic at hand. I hear this all the time:
"Metallica started to suck when they released ...And Justice for All/Black Album/Load."
And it's like the earlier back you go, the more hard core and free thinking you are. I'm going to start telling people that Kill 'Em All was the only good Metallica album. Then they'll think I'm freakin' extreme.

Yeah kids say stuff to make themselves to sound cool. But like I said before they don't have the experience in the field that I personally do. hardcore Dark Tranquillity fans hate their new CDs while I think their some of the best. I decide what's good based off if I think it's good. I'm not going to say "I hate this song just because "said artist" made it" I'm not like that.

Now, I don't want to disrespect Spitfire's opinion or musical taste. He seems pretty adamant on what he does and doesn't like and that's cool. While I still think Metallica's music has been good throughout the years, it would be an effort in futility for me to deny that they have evolved. I chalk it up to musical growth, and while I never hold experimentation against a band I certainly wouldn't expect everyone to like the final product that it produces. As I've proven above, I don't always either.

Your more diverse then me and I honestly envy that but I'm so picky it makes it difficult.

It's just that whenever someone tells me that Metallica hasn't been as good since [album], the first thing that enters my mind is that they're a poser following the "trendy metal opinion" rather than thinking for themselves. Now, I'm not saying that is always the case. And I'm certainly not saying that this is the case with you and Spit, but it is the thought that enters my mind.

Well I can understand that to I think the same thing usually to be honest. I don't need to prove to anyone I'm not a poser but it wouldn't be very hard, a few snap shots of my vinyl collection would be enough.

Brief history, my Dad has been in 6 bands over his years. One got a record deal, Hellhound, but they disbanded because the singer left. Then he made another band, Rapid Fire, which is now going to have it's songs released on a re-release of his Hellhound CD. My Dad's a bass player, he also plays guitar and drums. My uncle is a drummer to and he played in all the same bands as my Dad. The bands used to play with megadeth, Slayer, and Metallica. My Uncle and the bands guitar player actually went to school with a few Metallica members so they all knew them personally.

So as you could guess that's been my life. I've been into metal even as a kid. I started off with the usual old school stuff and eventually moved into some of the newer stuff like Rob Zombie. After awhile my Dad and me discovered the Gothenburg sound and ever since we've been in love with it.

So yeah I have very strong opinions on music but I've had alot of experience with it and I was never one to be easily impressed.

[Barkworm]

I have to say it: I absolutely loathe the attitude of most hardcore metal kids. I get most of my music news from www.blabbermouth.net and the narrow-mindedness and ignorance of some of these people is f*cking disgusting. If there's a post about, let's say Pearl Jam, some douche bag will come in and say "OMG, commercialist sh*t!!! This is not Metal, why is it posted hereblablablabla!!!!11"" Most of these idiots think that the mere fact that the sh*t they listen to is technically brilliant makes their taste in music more important than other people's. Get this: It's not. And a billion-notes-per second guitar solo doesn't make a good song. If you like Metal, good for you. But don't go around and annoy people with your opinion on music because Metal is NOT the beginning and end of all music.

I'm getting off topic. BTW, this is not supposed to be a personal attack.

[Spitfire]

I never said it was. And I never considered Pearl Jam to be anymore then a rock band. Maybe a few teenagers get carried away that's on them I'd hope you don't stereotype me.

Metal is all talent based and sometimes people get stuck on that so they refuse to listen to anything else. I however don't follow that and I listen to other stuff besides metal like Punk rock and some industrial stuff.

Metal takes alot of skill to play and no shredding guitar solos doesn't make a band good. There's tons of metal bands I hate with good guitar players like Dragon Force. I like bands who don't just have good guitars but drums as well and I really respect bands with good bassist as well. But it all boils down to the melody.

Yeah the vocals aren't the best but even those take alot of skill to do without ruining your vocal chords and if you look around you can find a few accounts of people who have in fact ruined their chords doing even light screams.

But yes I agree kids who are like that are seriously annoying because even I get backlash from them because I don't think alot of the bands those kids like are good.

Music is a topic I can go on and on about and normally I don't a chance to so sorry for the long rants

[Janus Prospero]

Originally Posted by Spitfire666xXxXx

Well I can understand that to I think the same thing usually to be honest. I don't need to prove to anyone I'm not a poser but it wouldn't be very hard, a few snap shots of my vinyl collection would be enough.

I've actually been in a similar situation with cars. I’m a big fan of classic 60's and 70's muscle cars. Especially the Mustang, and especially the fastback models of the late 60's. My favorite of these is the 1967 Shelby GT500 Mustang. I was never really a big car person until I saw this car. For years I would claim that this car was my favorite. It was badass and yet relatively obscure enough that most people didn't know about it. So loving it made me feel...I don't know unique in a world where everyone is obsessed with tuner cars. When I was in high school I saw one sell for about $40,000. Expensive, but attainable. I was determined to have one eventually.

Then they made that damn movie Gone in 60 Seconds. Now every schmo I run into thinks it's the greatest car in existence. Totally stealing all of my originality. And now they sell for six digit prices, virtually guaranteeing that I'll never have one. Now every time I talk about cars I feel like people think I'm a poser or something. So, if anyone asks me what my favorite car is, I just tell them, "Oh, the fastback Mustangs of the late 60's." I loathe that movie so much for this.

And the worst part is, the car in the movie doesn't even look like a Shelby Mustang should. They freakin' BUTCHERED IT by putting a crappy high tech looking body kit on the front. A TRAVESTY!!!