In between cancelling and postponing tour commitments, Metallica have launched a weekly concert livestream series to help headbangers the world over keep content in self-isolation. Depending on how long social distancing measures are in place, drummer Lars Ulrich says new music isn't out of the question.
Earlier today, Ulrich joined friend Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, for a livestream chat to talk about the band's relief efforts and their next steps in an industry that has been entirely upended by COVID-19.
"I don't know what the rest of those rescheduled dates will look like," Ulrich said of the cancelled tour plans. "I hope, obviously, that we can come out and play and that we can connect and we can bring people together in these situations through music, but you and I both know, and everybody listening in and watching knows that there's a significant chance that none of those dates are gonna happen, because the idea of bringing tens of thousands of people together in concert settings is maybe just not the right idea for the health and safety of everybody in 2020."
The conversation then turned to Metallica's follow-up to 2016's Hardwired...To Self-Destruct. Addressing those possible plans, Ulrich said, "What will the next couple of months look like? What will the rest of the year look like? And what will, obviously, say, the next decade look like in terms of how do we create, how do we write music, how do we record music, how do we share music, and how is it all gonna look with the uncertainties ahead of us."
He added, "The guys in Metallica, as we sit here and go, well, maybe in a month or two from now, is there a chance that the four of us can be together maybe at our studio here in Northern California. If the quarantine and stay-at-home orders subside — so on and so forth."
Ulrich clarified, "Will there be a Metallica quarantine record? I can't tell you, because, again, I don't know how long the quarantine will last. But if you and I and the rest of the world are sitting here six months from now or a year from now, I'd say there's a very good chance."
Ulrich also gave Benioff a look at some music-making from home courtesy of his two sons. You can find footage of Myles and Layne Ulrich jamming Beatles tunes at around the 39-minute mark.
In March, Metallica launched their own vinyl record subscription club.
Earlier today, Ulrich joined friend Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, for a livestream chat to talk about the band's relief efforts and their next steps in an industry that has been entirely upended by COVID-19.
"I don't know what the rest of those rescheduled dates will look like," Ulrich said of the cancelled tour plans. "I hope, obviously, that we can come out and play and that we can connect and we can bring people together in these situations through music, but you and I both know, and everybody listening in and watching knows that there's a significant chance that none of those dates are gonna happen, because the idea of bringing tens of thousands of people together in concert settings is maybe just not the right idea for the health and safety of everybody in 2020."
The conversation then turned to Metallica's follow-up to 2016's Hardwired...To Self-Destruct. Addressing those possible plans, Ulrich said, "What will the next couple of months look like? What will the rest of the year look like? And what will, obviously, say, the next decade look like in terms of how do we create, how do we write music, how do we record music, how do we share music, and how is it all gonna look with the uncertainties ahead of us."
He added, "The guys in Metallica, as we sit here and go, well, maybe in a month or two from now, is there a chance that the four of us can be together maybe at our studio here in Northern California. If the quarantine and stay-at-home orders subside — so on and so forth."
Ulrich clarified, "Will there be a Metallica quarantine record? I can't tell you, because, again, I don't know how long the quarantine will last. But if you and I and the rest of the world are sitting here six months from now or a year from now, I'd say there's a very good chance."
Ulrich also gave Benioff a look at some music-making from home courtesy of his two sons. You can find footage of Myles and Layne Ulrich jamming Beatles tunes at around the 39-minute mark.
In March, Metallica launched their own vinyl record subscription club.
