METALLICA's KIRK HAMMETT Says GUNS N' ROSES Has 'Turned Into Somewhat Of A Nostalgia Act'

[slitherz]

METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett says that GUNS N' ROSES has "turned into somewhat of a nostalgia act" because the Axl Rose-fronted outfit hasn't produced or performed any new music in nearly a decade.

The subject came up during an interview with the Los Angeles Times, in which METALLICA's penchant for continually getting involved with new projects — from movies and one-off collaborations to the band's upcoming "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" album — was held up in contrast to other groups from the same era who have focused exclusively on performing older material without flexing their creative muscles.

"Unfortunately," Hammett said, "[GUNS N' ROSES has] turned into somewhat of a nostalgia act, which, to me, is kind of sad."

"I don't want to think we're trying to stay young by writing new stuff, but it makes us feel relevant," added METALLICA frontman James Hetfield. "It makes us feel like we're still progressing."

Hammett's latest comments echoed those he made in 2014 when he was asked by Ecuador's El Comercio if he can ever see the day when METALLICA will just tour and will no longer make new music, The guitarist replied: "I hope not. There's a lot of different aspects to this band that we need to tend to. But I really think that the touring part supports the recording part, and the recording part — the creativity, the songs — supports the touring part. Both of those things kind of support each other and need each other for us to move forward. So I think that we would always need to write music, write songs, record them… It might be the exact opposite — we might just end up recording songs for the rest of our career at one point. Or we might end up just touring. But I, myself, doubt that any of those two things will happen. I'm pretty confident that we will always be creative, because that's how we are as individuals. I mean, that's how I am — I get bored, pick up my guitar, and next thing you know, I have a fucking riff. I get excited and I show it to the other guys, and next thing you know, we're jamming on it. It's a part of what we do."

The long-awaited follow-up to 2008's "Death Magnetic", "Hardwired... To Self-Destruct" is due out November 18 and consists of two discs, containing a dozen songs and nearly 80 minutes of music. A U.S. tour in support of the effort is expected to launch next year.

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich told The Pulse Of Radio that the band no longer wants to devote large chunks of time to any one project. "You know, METALLICA, in order for it to be true and pure and honest, has to be fun," he said. "And so the days of, you know, writing for a year and then recording for a year and then going on the road for three years — those kind of endlessly long cycles — they're just behind us. I don't think we have the stamina to do anything for those elongated periods of time any longer."

Read more at http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/metallica-kirk-hammett-says-guns-n-roses-has-turned-into-somewhat-of-a-nostalgia-act/#Bjggbrt8jzLudrOA.99

[Fitha_whiskey]

Ya hear that Axl?

[ForcedToRegister]

As of now, he's not wrong.

[cheesecake]

"Sad but true."

"Moving back instead of forward seems to me absurd."

[Amir]

1 minute ago, cheesecake said:

"Moving back instead of forward seems to me absurd."

Funny, Axl specifically mentioned Eye of the Beholder as one of his favourites back in the day: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-O9p7ffw9MkC&pg=PA8&lpg=PA8&dq=axl+rose+eye+of+the+beholder&source=bl&ots=CvwVGBr2Y8&sig=MxAHeo1FjpPX0IGVryaUCwaOpz0&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwik5d_5_6DQAhWMKMAKHW2yDcMQ6AEINTAJ#v=onepage&q=axl%20rose%20eye%20of%20the%20beholder&f=false

And yeah, Kirk's not wrong for now. I'm still in the OMG CAN'T BELIEVE THEY'RE BACK TOGETHER stage and will be for another year or two, but after that I'll be dying for any kind of new GNR music.

[cheesecake]

6 minutes ago, Amir said:

Funny, Axl specifically mentioned Eye of the Beholder as one of his favourites back in the day: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-O9p7ffw9MkC&pg=PA8&lpg=PA8&dq=axl+rose+eye+of+the+beholder&source=bl&ots=CvwVGBr2Y8&sig=MxAHeo1FjpPX0IGVryaUCwaOpz0&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwik5d_5_6DQAhWMKMAKHW2yDcMQ6AEINTAJ#v=onepage&q=axl%20rose%20eye%20of%20the%20beholder&f=false

And yeah, Kirk's not wrong for now. I'm still in the OMG CAN'T BELIEVE THEY'RE BACK TOGETHER stage and will be for another year or two, but after that I'll be dying for any kind of new GNR music.

I never knew we like the same song. 

But my favorite Metallica song of all time is The Call of Ktulu. My favorite album is always their white album because of its political message.

Well I sure hope GN'R will prove Hammet wrong very soon. After all the excitement of mini reunion dies...please get your asses in the studio and give us some bad ass music.

[Słash]

Kirk is just saying the reality and he has a really good point. 

[Original]

Kirk Hammett- LOL.  Guns (biggest band in the world around the UYI era) reunites after 25 years for what so far (only 35 shows or so) and everyone wants new music immediately....  Lets just enjoy the situation.  If we are 18 + months down the road then we'll talk.  Slash n Axl hadn't spoken in over 15 years, probably gonna need some time before they can sit down and write and record.  I'm confidant it will happen...patience. 

[AlexC]

Metallica have always been jealous of GN'R and that's just fact. So many bands from that era and especially older bands that came before them always try and put them down. It's pathetic. Metallica have become bitches to their fans, they desperately try to gain fans approval but still don't manage to. Meanwhile Guns are on what will most likely become the most lucrative tour in history whilst Axl is intermittently gaining the adoration of millions by crushing it with AC/DC.

AND. This is without releasing a single track. Meanwhile Metallica have been sweating it in the studio desperately trying to recapture Ride the Lightning but failing miserably.

I like Metallica, but why say shit about a band that, quite frankly, shits on you from a considerably great height?

[Tom2112]

7 minutes ago, Amir said:

Funny, Axl specifically mentioned Eye of the Beholder as one of his favourites back in the day: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-O9p7ffw9MkC&pg=PA8&lpg=PA8&dq=axl+rose+eye+of+the+beholder&source=bl&ots=CvwVGBr2Y8&sig=MxAHeo1FjpPX0IGVryaUCwaOpz0&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwik5d_5_6DQAhWMKMAKHW2yDcMQ6AEINTAJ#v=onepage&q=axl%20rose%20eye%20of%20the%20beholder&f=false

And yeah, Kirk's not wrong for now. I'm still in the OMG CAN'T BELIEVE THEY'RE BACK TOGETHER stage and will be for another year or two, but after that I'll be dying for any kind of new GNR music.

A year or two? I'm over it. It's so far over time for a new record that not even the reunion of Slash and Duff in GNR just isn't enough, but it is great to watch as far as fan nostalgia!

But let's not forget that the band is severely overdue on a new record.

[jamillos]

They have only started, give them some time, damn it.

[Tom2112]

Just now, AlexC said:

Metallica have always been jealous of GN'R and that's just fact. So many bands from that era and especially older bands that came before them always try and put them down. It's pathetic. Metallica have become bitches to their fans, they desperately try to gain fans approval but still don't manage to. Meanwhile Guns are on what will most likely become the most lucrative tour in history whilst Axl is intermittently gaining the adoration of millions by crushing it with AC/DC.

AND. This is without releasing a single track. Meanwhile Metallica have been sweating it in the studio desperately trying to recapture Ride the Lightning but failing miserably.

I like Metallica, but why say shit about a band that, quite frankly, shits on you from a considerably great height?

You're crazy. Metallica are the biggest rock band in the world, NOT GnR. They didn't like GnR because of the bad attitude that went with them. And Kirks critique is spot on, and we the hardcore fans have been saying it for years and years!

[AlexC]

Just now, Tom2112 said:

You're crazy. Metallica are the biggest rock band in the world, NOT GnR. They didn't like GnR because of the bad attitude that went with them. And Kirks critique is spot on, and we the hardcore fans have been saying it for years and years!

Cheers for the crazy remark.

No way are Metallica the biggest rock band in the world. Iron Maiden equal them in terms of size and $ and Foo Fighters, U2, The Rolling Stones, Coldplay and other shite exceed them.

A Reunited GN'R with Slash, new album or not, is way bigger than Metallica.

[Ifdworld]

well can't really argue with facts. Kirk is right and metallica are def a band to follow as far as letting the fans get what they want. Metallica's new album seems to be an instant classic for any metallica fan. Gn'r could do the same, but it's been almost since 10 years since they released any music.

[action]

he's right of course

i couldn't see how it could be called any other way.

no new music, adler reduced to a curiosity act, same greatest hits setlists every night.

it's a nostalgia act if i ever saw one. but not a cover band. the key players are there. barely.

[AlexC]

1 minute ago, Ifdworld said:

well can't really argue with facts. Kirk is right and metallica are def a band to follow as far as letting the fans get what they want. Metallica's new album seems to be an instant classic for any metallica fan. Gn'r could do the same, but it's been almost since 10 years since they released any music.

It's also been almost 10 years since Death Magnetic. Plus this is a fully functioning Metallica with no line-up changes since 2003. James and Lars are scared of displeasing their elitist fans which is why they're only just releasing an album which will embarrassingly try to recapture a dated sound. Metallica are the ultimate nostalgia act. I'd hardly call a line up that includes Melissa Reese entirely nostalgic.

[DieselDaisy]

Kirk would be correct.

[Towelie]

14 minutes ago, Original said:

Kirk Hammett- LOL.  Guns (biggest band in the world around the UYI era) reunites after 25 years for what so far (only 35 shows or so) and everyone wants new music immediately....  Lets just enjoy the situation.  If we are 18 + months down the road then we'll talk.  Slash n Axl hadn't spoken in over 15 years, probably gonna need some time before they can sit down and write and record.  I'm confidant it will happen...patience. 

They've had years to put together a new album... you talk about fans wanting new music "immediately"... ugh, it's been 8 years since Axl's last album, and 25 years since their last proper band record.

Kirk Hammett is bang on. GNR are a stadium Skid Row. Infact, that's an insult to Skid Row, because they still release new music. They're a stadium Poison.

[AlexC]

1 minute ago, Towelie said:

They've had years to put together a new album... you talk about fans wanting new music "immediately"... ugh, it's been 8 years since Axl's last album, and 25 years since their last proper band record.

Kirk Hammett is bang on. GNR are a stadium Skid Row. Infact, that's an insult to Skid Row, because they still release new music. They're a stadium Poison.

Are you even a fan?

[DieselDaisy]

Metallica have released, since Use Your Illusion and the Black album, five albums (including the new one) to Axl's one.

- Load/Reload/St Anger/Death Magnetic/Hardwired

- Chinese Democracy

(And that is not including the numerous Metallica live albums, the Beyond Magnetic EP featuring outakes, films, the Lou Reed collaboration and the covers album they did.)

Edited November 11, 2016 by DieselDaisy

[Ifdworld]

4 minutes ago, AlexC said:

It's also been almost 10 years since Death Magnetic. Plus this is a fully functioning Metallica with no line-up changes since 2003. James and Lars are scared of displeasing their elitist fans which is why they're only just releasing an album which will embarrassingly try to recapture a dated sound. Metallica are the ultimate nostalgia act. I'd hardly call a line up that includes Melissa Reese entirely nostalgic.

you're delusional, you're blaming the fact that because metallica was able to maintain a steady line up and that they actually put out new music and tour the world non stop? Metallica's catalogue is way bigger than gn'rs. Music is all a band can produce. when the time comes and axl and slash die, they'll be remembered by the music they put out. and Axl hasn't done much of that.

[Towelie]

1 minute ago, AlexC said:

Are you even a fan?

Of course.

But I agree wholeheartedly with Kirk Hammett, what GNR have become is kind of sad.

[Modano09]

They've definitely played up the nostalgia on this tour. The Troubadour show, Axl's attire, the old logos and t-shirt designs, the set list, Steven Adler and his hair, are all throwbacks to the old days.

But that doesn't mean that's all they'll end up doing if they enjoy working together and want to give an album a shot. 

[ZoSoRose]

I think Kirk is right and he doeant come off as disrespectful. Yeah, its been a while since Death Magnetic, but they have also done things like an EP, a collaboration album, a festival, movie, etc in between. They have also released more albums since GNR imploded.

I will say though, GNR just actually got back together, so Im cutting them a bit of a break in terms of new material

[Towelie]

Axl has been cut enough breaks over the years as far as I'm concerned. At this stage, I call a spade a spade. The man is lazy.