Features
Enter The Velvet Underground Man
Metallica has let fans in on a little secret. The heavy metal band announced in a post yesterday that the group just finished recording an album in collaboration with Lou Reed.
The post on Metallica’s official website noted that guitarist Kirk Hammett had hinted at the big secret a few months ago by describing the project as “not really 100 percent a Metallica record.” (In exchange for spilling the beans, the band says Hammett was “properly punished with a series of push-ups!”)
The idea of Reed recording with Metallica isn’t too crazy. After all, in 1975 the singer/songwriter released his noise album titled Metal Machine Music.
Photo: Tim Mosenfelder / Getty Images
Empire Polo Fields, Indio, Calif.
Metallica and the former Velvet Underground frontman first performed together at the 25th Anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at Madison Square Garden in fall 2009. The two acts once again teamed up over the past few months by recording at Metallica’s home studio near San Francisco.
“In what would be lightning speed for a Metallica related project, we recorded ten songs during this time and while at this moment we’re not exactly sure when you’ll hear it, we’re beyond excited to share with you that the recording sessions wrapped up last week,” the band wrote.
Photo: Amy-Beth McNeely
In an exclusive interview, Rolling Stone reports that the 10 tracks were composed by Reed and feature “significant arrangement contributions” from Metallica.
Drummer Lars Ulrich told the magazine that the album is “90 percent finished.” Rolling Stone writes that the album doesn’t have a release plan yet.
Metallica’s post encourages fans to check back with the band’s website for updates, promising that “we’ll be back with more details as they come together.”
The metal band’s next date on the books is a July 2 show in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, at Veltins Arena, followed by a July 3 gig in Goteborg, Sweden, at Ullevi Stadium, and a July 6 show at Fiera De Milano in Milan, Italy. All three performances are “Big 4” shows which feature Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax.
Reed plays Wolverhampton Civic Hall in the United Kingdom July 1, followed by a July 2 slot at
Click here for Metallica’s website.
Click here for Lou Reed’s website.
Click here for the Rolling Stone story.