Over the billions of years that mother Earth has been around, it would be unimaginable to think that the planet’s inhabitants regularly made each other daisy chains and held hands.
Cavemen and other badly dressed warriors have been caught up in thousands of blood curdling wars. Some so ferocious and terrifying that Ross Kemp‘s gang programme makes him look soft compared to Roman Emperors and Greek Gods who ate babies for pudding.
When people saw sense, removed their spears from their rivals’ intestines and vowed never to fight again, the world became a better place. But then again, these ancient fighters never had to deal with celebrity folk flinging words at each other today. In the creaking era of Britpop, it was Blur vs Oasis, and today everyone is entitled to have a pop at Kerry Katona. Some people, however, feel that arguments with humans are pointless. Why bicker with someone who could counter your argument when you can do it with a technology that can’t respond? Metallica’s James Hetfield certainly thinks so.
Back in the day when most people were illegally filesharing via Napster, Metallica decided that people spreading their angry music for free was a bad thing. We wholeheartedly agree. Who could be arsed to listen to an album full of shouty ramblings when the same effect could be achieved by visiting a working men’s club at throwing-out time? Drunken old people are an untapped source of amusement and chaos. Napster founder Shawn Fanning and whiny drummer Lars Ulrich got at each others throats for a while before resolving their differences over a cup of cocoa and a slice of lemon tart at a local café. We think.
Whilst filesharing gave fans the chance to listen and try out music for free, YouTube is the 21st century version of this for the lazy gig-goer. Don’t fancy spending £50 on a gig ticket? Not bothered about being covered in sweat and piss? Never felt like experiencing a kick in the face from a crowd surfer? Then YouTube is the website for you.
After most major gigs, fans post their experiences for everyone to see. Granted, the picture quality is like playing a glitchy version of Tetris and the sound is like a chainsaw going through brick but don’t worry! If you concentrate really hard, you can maybe make out the chord of a song for a split second. At Metallica’s recent gig in the O2 arena, the sight of the bands fans recording the gig in thirty-second chunks boiled James Hetfield’s piss to make him as narked off as Lars Ulrich. Digital Spy reports:
“Hetfield addressed the crowd early in the show and said: “Put the f***ing cameras away, put the phones away.”
With their new album already leaked all over the internet, some craptastic quality recordings of a promotional gig for the album really can’t do that much harm can they? Maybe they can collaborate with Prince to ban all their material from YouTube. Maybe they can call any material that comes from these anti YouTube sessions Self Centered Twattery Aid. Prince has issues with the internet remember, but not newspapers giving his albums away for free.
Why did Hetfield think the crowd were recording him and his fellow rockers? For all he knew they could have been bored shitless and ringing their mates, ordering a cab after the gig had finished, or ordering a pizza to be delivered outside the venue.
mark says
they’re not against youtube . if you bothered to research this useless article then you would see they have their own youtube channel with favourite fan videos picked out by the band themselves. he went on to say that they should just enjoy the show instead of trying to become famous by posting a small clip on youtube. why let actual journalism get in the way of an article i suppose
Kris says
Dude… if you’re coming here for actual journalism then I think you’ve missed the entire POINT of this blog.
As for the story, isn’t Metallica tired of being internet-phobic jokes yet?
Beth says
…
I was unaware that this was supposed to be journalism.
krishna says
what he said was that it was to enjoy the moment instead seeing the show through the lens , they didnt say anything about youtube , the show was awesome btw.
Shooty* says
Christ, are they still going?
Who listens to this sh1t?
evilcl0ne says
The show was indeed awesome but Krishna he did say the comments about youtube, basically put your cameras away and enjoy it instead of making shots for youtube which wont make you famous…
…dammit, I can’t believe I actually went serious then, doh!
StormTrooper says
I agree with James. You should go to a metal concert to have a blast not to hold your shitty phone over your head.