Lars Ulrich

Thomas said:
There are a handful of drummers who are common targets for contentious naysayers. Lars is obviously one. If you join a conversation on this forum just to say how much you don't like the subject of the conversation, you are contributing in bad faith and creating unnecessary work for the mods. Please just don't.
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Or…….
Think whatever you want about him , and I’m not necessarily pro or anti Lars, But…….
NONE of us are doing this …….

 
Over50drumguy said:
Or…….
Think whatever you want about him , and I’m not necessarily pro or anti Lars, But…….
NONE of us are doing this …….

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If they listened to their whiny fans who just love to whine about getting ripped off because they don’t want to write Master of Puppets 10 times over, Metallica would be doing metal package shows in theaters and clubs.
 
For anyone who claims Lars is trash... record yourself playing a tune like Battery and show us all how much better you can do it. Imagine playing with that intensity every other night on tour for decades. He is part of the biggest metal band ever, and maybe they wouldn't have gotten to where they are without him. Yeah, he's not super technical compared to the new breed of metal drummers, but he was pretty damn good in the context of a band back in the 80's and 90's. He wrote super cool parts that made Metallica stand out.
 
Being in such a huge band, Lars is that guy that wannabe star drummers look at to compare their abilities. Maybe it's with another well known drummer's abilities, I guess to contrast/compare his success or earning to others for the play each is capable of performing.

Someone here told me on the forum that I need a head check if I was insinuating that I can judge a player that might not be playing at a similar level as myself, lol. No. And as we know you can learn something cool even from a lesser developed player.

I recognize catchy songs when I hear them, but don't have the writing ability. I know a well painted car when I see it, but haven't done it.

More advanced developement doesn't mean more success. A more elementary local drummer here works with great players that I'd have loved to work with. He gets supportive compliments from other musicians too, but his value is just playing a steady, solid beat so the guitarists, bassist, singers can do all the flare in a show. He has 1 fill, a tom layover, and doesn't overuse it. He adds 1 snare hit occasionally that he will use within a groove. But he just lays down a beat and sticks in the pocket for the guitar and bass to jam over. He has no solo. Saw him try 1 recently, and he's 1 of those guys pitty-pattying or banging toms between songs like he can do a solo.

But I couldn't do what he does, so don't get to. It'd bore me to death. But he owns it and plays some really cool shows. It's not more money though.
 
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SDdrummer1 said:
For anyone who claims Lars is trash... record yourself playing a tune like Battery and show us all how much better you can do it. Imagine playing with that intensity every other night on tour for decades. He is part of the biggest metal band ever, and maybe they wouldn't have gotten to where they are without him. Yeah, he's not super technical compared to the new breed of metal drummers, but he was pretty damn good in the context of a band back in the 80's and 90's.

He wrote super cool parts that made Metallica stand out.
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That last sentence is the basis of my appreciation and praise of young Lars. His early drumming was so much more inventive and unique than anyone else in metal up to that point and during that time. (One exception I think I have mentioned before in this thread was Fates Warning drummer Steve Zimmerman.)

There were many who were absolutely impressive, but their playing was so much more straight forward and predictable (nothing wrong with that).
 
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NUTHA JASON said:
i have to say that for me lars was a great inspiration in his time. its easy to judge him in this decade and put him and metallica down. i think their last few albums sucked and have left me very disappointed. but the albums up to and including the black album were great. there was that power and super chops. double bass drumming was introduced to south africa through metallica. enter sand man is a wonderful song to cover. it is a great pity that this band peaked so long ago now; and have been scrabbling for success ever since. at one time i would have said that lars was at the top of his game but based on their recent works i would say there are a lot of drummers who could stand in front of him. a warning to all of us confident drinkers. to rank as highly as some folks put him i would like to have seen some skill progression from the man. his personal development was rocket like from a teenager to the making of the black album and then he just wallowed. i hope i always get better as time goes on.

perhaps he should try playing some jazz?

j
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I would not call beating Taylor Swift ticket sales (in the same venue ) a week or two later scrambling for success...
 
PorkPieGuy said:
I’m just surprised when any band takes suggestions from the drummer.

Good on Lars for the idea, and good on Kirk for listening. It’s amazing what can happen when people work together.
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Mustaine would have told Lars to Shut up, but Kirk came after Metallica was already an established band, he was a hired gun, he had to listen, pretty sure he still has to up to this day.
 
Being in a band involves just getting along with others. Sometimes it means keeping your mouth shut, saying your sorry or helping out with that heavy bass amp. We all take turns being "that guy". :)
 
Equating Metallica to some client-run band (like Sting, who could fire and hire anyone at will) is really naive. The band, like say, Rush, is based upon a number of personalities that all get along and in one way or another, love each other. Even clients say (as I paraphrase the movie “Hired Gun”), it’s all about getting along with these people outside of the 90 minutes you have to play with them on stage. I think in a way Metallica has sold that image that they’re about to implode so well, that everyone forgets there’s still that percentage of “get along and work” that they do to crank out the albums people buy to keep them being Metalllica.
 
Bo Eder said:
Equating Metallica to some client-run band (like Sting, who could fire and hire anyone at will) is really naive. The band, like say, Rush, is based upon a number of personalities that all get along and in one way or another, love each other. Even clients say (as I paraphrase the movie “Hired Gun”), it’s all about getting along with these people outside of the 90 minutes you have to play with them on stage. I think in a way Metallica has sold that image that they’re about to implode so well, that everyone forgets there’s still that percentage of “get along and work” that they do to crank out the albums people buy to keep them being Metalllica.
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Nobody was equating Metallica to client run bands, just stating the fact that Kirk came after and therefore has less of a say maybe by now he has more than he used to but still less than Lars and James.
 
doggyd69b said:
Mustaine would have told Lars to Shut up, but Kirk came after Metallica was already an established band, he was a hired gun, he had to listen, pretty sure he still has to up to this day.
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He did, and Lars handed him a bus ticket and kicked Mustain out.

Lars started the band. He's always helped write the songs from day 1.

Lars has a writing credit on every single Metallica song (except perhaps 2), excluding covers, because he helps write the songs.

Metallica as we have known it wouldn't exist without Lars.

I don't know why these facts continue to surprise people.
 
Kirk isn't a hired gun, but every band has its hierarchy, and Kirk has always known where he sits in the hierarchy.

I think it's a credit to Kirk that he understands his place in the band and has never screwed it up. Yes, he defers to James and Lars but why not? It's made him famous and earned him millions of dollars.
 
Son of Vistalite Black has spent a lot of time at the Dog Park lately.

These dogs play together happily, but it's quickly clear that there are alpha dogs and more submissive dogs, and that's not always based on size alone.

Aggressive mid-sized dogs can dominate a play group and hold even larger, more mild-tempered dogs in check.

Playing in a band is a lot like the Dog Park.
 
doggyd69b said:
Mustaine would have told Lars to Shut up, but Kirk came after Metallica was already an established band, he was a hired gun, he had to listen, pretty sure he still has to up to this day.
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Mustaine would have come up with the right riff. That's practically what defines him. You do have a point though.

Edit: I have to say though, if any drummer was going to improve upon a Mustaine riff it would be this kid Lars.
 
DrumEatDrum said:
He did, and Lars handed him a bus ticket and kicked Mustain out.

Lars started the band. He's always helped write the songs from day 1.

Lars has a writing credit on every single Metallica song (except perhaps 2), excluding covers, because he helps write the songs.

Metallica as we have known it wouldn't exist without Lars.

I don't know why these facts continue to surprise people.
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No, Mustaine was fired because he was heavily into drugs at the time and for many years after, Lars never had a problem with his riff and even used a lot of them in Kill 'em all. I also never disputed the fact that Lars does help write the songs even if he doesn't come up with the riffs himself.
 
doggyd69b said:
No, Mustaine was fired because he was heavily into drugs at the time and for many years after, Lars never had a problem with his riff and even used a lot of them in Kill 'em all. I also never disputed the fact that Lars does help write the songs even if he doesn't come up with the riffs himself.
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Yes, technically, yes, you're correct. I know that

The point being was Mustain was never in a position to tell Lars to shut up when it was Lars who started the band.
 
Son of Vistalite Black said:
Son of Vistalite Black has spent a lot of time at the Dog Park lately.

These dogs play together happily, but it's quickly clear that there are alpha dogs and more submissive dogs, and that's not always based on size alone.

Aggressive mid-sized dogs can dominate a play group and hold even larger, more mild-tempered dogs in check.

Playing in a band is a lot like the Dog Park.
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Indeed.

A little over 12 years ago my wife brought home a small little puppy. Despite his smaller size and being only a few months old, he immediately established himself as the Alpha dog of the older and much bigger dogs we had at the time. He maintained his status as the alpha dog and leader of the pack over all our dogs over the years until he passed away recently from a brain tumor. In fact, it's how I knew his time was coming to an end, when he stopped trying to be the leader.

But yeah, most bands are the same way.
 
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