Metallica 2014

[bobsacamano]

I don't hate dance music but I was quite surprised by how much of the site and stage time is given over to the genre when I first attended Glastonbury.

It kind of happened organically as the festival developed, it's good music when you are off your barnet as people mostly just wanna dance.

I guess it never happened with metal as it's not really the drug taking music of choice for most people and it had it's own niche (puts tin hat on) festivals

I'll be swearving Metallica as it just leaves me cold (and irritable, annoyed and angry for some reason) however my glasto partner this year loves it so i hope it's a great gig for his sake.

[Ted Dansons Wig]

Musically, I love this band up until 1988. The Black Album was a departure, Bob Rock took off the rougher edges and taught Hetfield to sing. The album sounded so very polished, it was still Metallica, but less "progressive" musically.

In metal circles the band were huge prior to the Black Album but they were never the same again for me. I was 15 when they played here on the "And Justice For All" tour and I couldn't go to see them. By the time I actually got a chance to see them live, I'd long since been disillusioned.

So I've never seen them play live. I may have went the last time they played Belfast but it clashed with something and I couldn't go.

So now they are playing Glastonbury I for one am very happy. Too often the Pyramid headliners have disappointed me and I don't necessarily go there, but this year I will be firmly planted there on Friday & Saturday night

So that gig in 1988 is the one that got away as far as I am concerned. I used to have a wonderful bootleg of the show on cassette but its long since gone. So it would really please me if they recreated that gig by playing the same setlist. Its never going to happen but I can dream. I reckon we'll get about two thirds of it

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/metallica/1988/antrim-forum-belfast-northern-ireland-1bd6d550.html

Fair dinkum.

But youre eulogising over a band that is likely to play 2/3 of the same set from a concert they did 16 years ago?

Not ones for variation and risk then these Tallywhacker lads. Best years long behind them or what. Yawn

[neilloggie]

do you think?

in my experience most people grow out of it.

Why would you grow out of listening to Metallica any more than others would grow out of listening to Prince, Radiohead,Nick Cave, or Talking Heads?

[balti-pie]

I listened to metal in my teens, and never really grew out of it - I listened to lots of other stuff and definitely less metal from 20 - 30 (I blame nu-metal, it's terrible crap) but since starting to work in psychiatry I've now taken it up a notch and have even got into death/black metal. I find I need something very aggressive after 12hr of being shouted at! I still listen to all sorts of music though, metal is just a part of it. I'm not too bothered if other people hate it, that's up to them. I'm too old to care about other people's opinions! (35 tomorrow, jeez)

[autoinflate]

Ah, so I can't judge the quality of any dance music because it's not my bag but you can judge that all metal is shit despite stating that it's not your bag.

Go figure...

you said there is loads of shit dance music, from your point of view....actually there is loads of good dance music, it just all sounds shit to you. that's not the same thing - what I think you mean is that you don't like dance music whether it's good or not...

that's my position on metal....this year there will be metal music, good metal music, but I still think it's shit because it's metal. i.e. all metal is shit. I can obviously see that metallica is good metal vs stryper or something, just as I can see that oribital is good dance music vs basshunter.

on metal being shit though, my point is that popular opinion is largely in agreement, and we're talking about a popular music festival here. I point to past music policy and the music that punters/traders bring to the festival as evidence of this.

[ICGenie]

you said there is loads of shit dance music, from your point of view....actually there is loads of good dance music, it just all sounds shit to you. that's not the same thing - what I think you mean is that you don't like dance music whether it's good or not...

Au contraire - as I said, I don't hate dance music. I like some dance music. Personally I think most of it is shit. Either way, I don't believe that because it's not to my taste it shouldn't be there.

that's my position on metal....this year there will be metal music, good metal music, but I still think it's shit because it's metal. i.e. all metal is shit. I can obviously see that metallica is good metal vs stryper or something, just as I can see that oribital is good dance music vs basshunter.

on metal being shit though, my point is that popular opinion is largely in agreement, and we're talking about a popular music festival here. I point to past music policy and the music that punters/traders bring to the festival as evidence of this.

You're such a hypocrite I'm starting to think you're Nigel Farage...

[autoinflate]

Au contraire - as I said, I don't hate dance music. I like some dance music. Personally I think most of it is shit. Either way, I don't believe that because it's not to my taste it shouldn't be there.

You're such a hypocrite I'm starting to think you're Nigel Farage...

OK then...explain, precisely, why I am a hypocrite

[ICGenie]

The quality of dance music at Glastonbury is and always has been very high. You might not like or listen to dance music, in which case how can you objectively judge its quality?

I actually do listen to and enjoy some dance music. I don't consider it enough to make me any kind of aficionado, but it's enough for me to be able to sort my personal wheat from chaff. You however have confessed you have no interest in metal at all and persist on defining it entirely as "shit". So I make my point again - I can't comment on dance music at all despite having an (albeit limited) appreciation but you are a self-appointed authority who can label the quality of an entire genre. That, sir, makes you a hypocrite.

[Swieve]

Fair dinkum.

But youre eulogising over a band that is likely to play 2/3 of the same set from a concert they did 16 years ago?

Not ones for variation and risk then these Tallywhacker lads. Best years long behind them or what. Yawn

Its actually 26 years ago lol. But is that any different to many bands who have been around so long. Very few artists will consistently produce high quality work over such a period of time. In my view Metallica peaked on their third and fourth albums

U2 peaked around Joshua Tree / Achtung Baby and much of their sets still contain music recorded up until '92. If Pink Floyd were to tour again you can bet they would play more from Dark Side of The Moon and Wish you were here than say Momentary Lapse Of Reason or Division Bell

So the real issue is the current relevance of their music as a Pyramid headliner. Probably none really but then Fleetwood Mac or the Eagles were other supposed considerations and the same issue would exist. I didn't hear anyone slagging off the Stones last year for playing older material, and when McCartney headlined in 2004 we definitely did not want to hear the newer stuff

The Pyramid headliners on Friday and Sunday are artists currently in their supposed peak. I know that is true of Arcade Fire and I assume it is the same for Kasabian.

[autoinflate]

I actually do listen to and enjoy some dance music. I don't consider it enough to make me any kind of aficionado, but it's enough for me to be able to sort my personal wheat from chaff. You however have confessed you have no interest in metal at all and persist on defining it entirely as "shit". So I make my point again - I can't comment on dance music at all despite having an (albeit limited) appreciation but you are a self-appointed authority who can label the quality of an entire genre. That, sir, makes you a hypocrite.

I don't think it does....I have a wide ranging life-long interest in music. I judge relative qualities of genres, and artists/styles within genres on a variety of terms.

I don't have an expert in-depth knowledge of metal but I do know it quite well as a genre...I grew up in the 80s when it was much more popular than it is now, have been widely exposed to it through friends, plus I'm a guitarist so can appreciate/understand the technical side. I'm actually into loads of rock music, Led Zep who people cite as forefathers of metal are one of my favourite bands. Yet still I have reached the conculsion that metal is a shit, outmoded, stagnant genre that barely re-invents itself beyond an arms race of noise, extremity and technical w*nkery.

Really, I think it's shit, and it's not through blind ignorance that I think that, honestly...

[ICGenie]

I don't think it does....I have a wide ranging life-long interest in music. I judge relative qualities of genres, and artists/styles within genres on a variety of terms.

Ah good, so do I.

Acid house is REALLY shit.

[autoinflate]

not my favourite, but gotta love the 303...endless fun tweaking that badboy.

there's also a very popular, decent sized tent at glastonbury that bangs out the classics til 6am every morning.

[smogo]

Having not really given much thought to Metallica in the last 10 years, I've been finding myself earwormed by a different song every day because of this bloody thread. (Today it's "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)".)

I suppose this means I'm becoming increasingly likely to go and see their set. Unless there's something better on, of course.

[smudger]

Ah good, so do I.

Acid house is REALLY shit.

I don't think it does....I have a wide ranging life-long interest in music. I judge relative qualities of genres, and artists/styles within genres on a variety of terms.

I don't have an expert in-depth knowledge of metal but I do know it quite well as a genre...I grew up in the 80s when it was much more popular than it is now, have been widely exposed to it through friends, plus I'm a guitarist so can appreciate/understand the technical side. I'm actually into loads of rock music, Led Zep who people cite as forefathers of metal are one of my favourite bands. Yet still I have reached the conculsion that metal is a shit, outmoded, stagnant genre that barely re-invents itself beyond an arms race of noise, extremity and technical w*nkery.

Really, I think it's shit, and it's not through blind ignorance that I think that, honestly...

My god....two people with opposing views on here who can argue their points without resorting to a slanging match!!

Edited May 3, 2014 by smudger

[autoinflate]

i don't see how it's a slanging match - neither of us is being insulting or abusive, it's just a forthright exchange of views...#

edit: haha misread your post, thought I saw "can't"

Edited May 3, 2014 by autoinflate

[russycarps]

So they've been doing that same intro since the 80s??

wow....

[wolfamongwolves]

Why would you grow out of listening to Metallica any more than others would grow out of listening to Prince, Radiohead,Nick Cave, or Talking Heads?

Exactly

[Villa Rosie]

So they've been doing that same intro since the 80s??

wow....

Of it's not broken don't fix it!

[incident]

on metal being shit though, my point is that popular opinion is largely in agreement

A small number of people (mostly you) saying the same thing loudly and often doesn't constitute popular opinion. It's true that there's been a huge number of "metal is shit" post in this thread. But most of them are by you.

Given the number of people not getting involved I think popular opinion is more likely to be along the lines of my view - ie "not my first choice but I'm fine with them being there, and may watch them depending on what else is on".

Which is probably how most people feel about most headliners to be honest. Apart from you (and pretty much just you) being so vocal about it, this is a fairly normal spread of reaction to a headliner. Jay Z had a stronger negative reaction a few years ago.

Hell, a few years ago there was a surprisingly high number of people who were vocal that Stevie Wonder was a terrible booking, and predicted he'd get an embarrassingly small crowd. Didn't hear much from them when he went on to get the largest Pyramid crowd I've personally seen (larger than the Stones in my opinion).

[Stu H]

not my favourite, but gotta love the 303...endless fun tweaking that badboy.

there's also a very popular, decent sized tent at glastonbury that bangs out the classics til 6am every morning.

which one?

[autoinflate]

A small number of people (mostly you) saying the same thing loudly and often doesn't constitute popular opinion. It's true that there's been a huge number of "metal is shit" post in this thread. But most of them are by you.

Given the number of people not getting involved I think popular opinion is more likely to be along the lines of my view - ie "not my first choice but I'm fine with them being there, and may watch them depending on what else is on".

Which is probably how most people feel about most headliners to be honest. Apart from you (and pretty much just you) being so vocal about it, this is a fairly normal spread of reaction to a headliner. Jay Z had a stronger negative reaction a few years ago.

Hell, a few years ago there was a surprisingly high number of people who were vocal that Stevie Wonder was a terrible booking, and predicted he'd get an embarrassingly small crowd. Didn't hear much from them when he went on to get the largest Pyramid crowd I've personally seen (larger than the Stones in my opinion).

look, i made a point about metal being shit and a poor choice for glastonbury headliner. various folks have been 'up in my grill' about this view, so I'm happy to discuss it in a civilised manner...this is a discussion forum after all. someone insulted me and bowed out, other people have raised various points - none of which have convinced me that metal is a good choice for glastonbury headliner - i'm happy to be persuaded, but nothing persuasive has appeared.

as for popular opinion, on the subject of metallica as headliner, it's hard to judge - I suspect a majority of glastonbury regulars aren't impressed with the booking but won't be too fussed - it's obviously still going to be a great festival after all....just disappointing to see a metal band sandwiched between two other mediocre headliners.

that is my view too, really.

as for popular opinion on whether metal is shit, well I reckon I'm right - metal is shit to most people, it's a very marmite genre with a relatively small but dedicated following. think of london as a city and the number of metal venues, clubs etc compared to everything else that's going on musically. think of glastonbury and the amount of metal vs everything else. think of the radio/TV programming for music. etc etc.

stevie wonder was obviously a great booking, I thought so when he was announced, and as you say he got a massive crowd and went down really well.

[autoinflate]

which one?

Bez's Acid House

[DJL]

"not my first choice but I'm fine with them being there, and may watch them depending on what else is on" .

Exactly how i feel. I'm personally happier with the possibility of watching them as a headliner than mumfords, arctic monkeys, beyonce, coldplay and probably U2 from the past two festivals and i am very far from being a metaller.

In terms of genre Kasabian are far closer to the types of music i generally prefer but metallica will definitely be of far more interest to me... not certain i'll last the set though

[SonOfTroyMcClure]

look, i made a point about metal being shit and a poor choice for glastonbury headliner. various folks have been 'up in my grill' about this view, so I'm happy to discuss it in a civilised manner...this is a discussion forum after all. someone insulted me and bowed out, other people have raised various points - none of which have convinced me that metal is a good choice for glastonbury headliner - i'm happy to be persuaded, but nothing persuasive has appeared.

as for popular opinion, on the subject of metallica as headliner, it's hard to judge - I suspect a majority of glastonbury regulars aren't impressed with the booking but won't be too fussed - it's obviously still going to be a great festival after all....just disappointing to see a metal band sandwiched between two other mediocre headliners.

that is my view too, really.

but what actually makes you think that?

[autoinflate]

well i've been loads of times and know loads of people who go, none of whom are particularly happy with it.

i also know the festival pretty well and the kind of music they have there...it's certainly a surprise booking. the fact that it made a good april fool says something surely...

if they get a good crowd and go down a storm I'll be first to admit I was wrong and fair play etc...

something I do know is that I can't get fucking 'One' out of my head for some reason....you win metallers!