Metallica

John Cena Says Vote Metallica In Musical March Madness ... Or Else

23 Mar 2012 17:52:20 EDT

WWE superstar gives props to band's 'in-your-face, time-to-fight music.' Voting in round two ends Sunday at midnight!
By James Montgomery, with reporting by Rob Markman

Voting in the second-round of MTV's Musical March Madness is entering the home stretch and, well, it's not looking good for Metallica. After disposing of fellow titans Guns N' Roses in round one, James Hetfield and company currently trail upset-minded Sum 41 by an "Unforgiven"-size margin ... and appear headed for the void.

Of course, there's still plenty of time to change things — voting in all second-round matchups closes Sunday at midnight ET — and, as luck would have it, Metallica are getting support from a rather unlikely source: WWE superstar John Cena, who would like to strongly encourage you to vote for his favorite band. And we mean strongly.

"If you don't vote Metallica strong, you ain't been around music. They're my vote to take it," Cena told MTV News. "Because, like I say, I use music for energy. I'm involved in a lot of physical activity, a lot of times when you're tired, you need to find energy from somewhere, and music evokes emotion. And Metallica, I don't care who you are, they play 'Enter Sandman' at Yankee Stadium, and it's a wrap."

So no offense to Sum 41, but for Cena, there's nothing quite like the surge of "Sandman." And while he's probably got his mind on other things (like his year-in-the-making match with the Rock at WrestleMania XXVIII), he'll be pulling for Metallica to make a comeback and advance to the Sweet 16. Why?

Vote for your favorite band, discuss and share on Facebook and Twitter in the MTV Musical March Madness interactive bracket!

"[Their music] transcends race, creed, color, sex, age; it's just hard-hitting, in-your-face, time-to-fight music," he snarled. "That's my type of stuff right there."

And who's man enough to disagree with that?

MTV's 2012 Musical March Madness tournament has reached the second round. Voting runs until midnight ET on Sunday, March 25, and winners are determined by fan votes, so if your favorite act is still alive, it'll be up to you to guide them to glory. You can rally the troops on Twitter using the hashtag #MMM or by downloading one of our custom badges — but get ready, it only gets more difficult from here on out.

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Metallica Announce First-Ever Orion Music Fest

07 Feb 2012 16:33:46 EST

Arctic Monkeys, Modest Mouse, Gaslight Anthem among other acts on June festival lineup.
By Gil Kaufman

They've headlined stadiums around the world and made an incredibly polarizing album with punk grandfather Lou Reed. So what's left for Metallica to do to cap off a stellar year? How about launch their own summer festival with a lineup that includes some of their favorite bands?

On Tuesday (February 7), the group announced the debut of the Orion Music + More fest, described as an annual "music, arts and lifestyle" gathering that will feature multiple stages and take place June 23-24 at Bader Field in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

In addition to headlining sets from Metallica each day — during which they will play The Black Album one night and Ride the Lightning the other in their only North American performances of those classic releases in 2012 — the festival will also feature sets from: Arctic Monkeys, Avenged Sevenfold, Modest Mouse, the Gaslight Anthem, Cage the Elephant, F---ed Up, Best Coast, Hot Snakes, Titus Andronicus, Gary Clark Jr., Lucero, Roky Erickson, the Black Angels, the Sword and Liturgy. More bands will be announced in the coming weeks.

"We've had the idea of doing our own lifestyle festival with lots of diverse music and fun and games for years," drummer Lars Ulrich said in a press release announcing the event. "Finally this year all the practical ducks lined up in a row, and we are beyond psyched to bring Orion to our fans, friends and the curious. After the most incredible of weeks ever in December 2011 celebrating our 30th anniversary at the Fillmore in San Francisco, CA, bringing the spirit of that week, the looseness of that week, the possibilities of that week, the fan interactive elements of that week, and the (fill in your own blank here) of that week to a festival setting is so exciting we can hardly contain ourselves."

Pre-sale tickets for the Metallica fan club start Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET, with the public on-sale slated to begin Saturday. Tickets are $150 for two-day passes for the public and $125 for fan-club members. Head to OrionMusicAndMore.com for details.

Will you check out the first Orion fest? Let us know in the comments!

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Skrillex, Foster The People Remember 1991: When Rock Rocked

01 Sep 2011 13:23:47 EDT

With the 20th anniversary of Nirvana's Nevermind around the corner, today's biggest acts recall 1991's other classic albums.
By James Montgomery

In a few short weeks, Nirvana's epochal Nevermind album turns 20, a milestone that will be marked with much coverage, celebration and consternation in the media — and understandably so. After all, it was a game-changer in every sense of the term, the kind of album that brought about seismic shifts in music, fashion and culture in general, one that defined a generation and, as such, deserves to be mythologized. And, in the coming weeks, we suspect you'll see no shortage of stories that do just that.

While Nevermind casts an indelibly lengthy shadow, it bears mention that there were no shortage of other magical, massive and equally mythological albums that hit stores in 1991 — from mega-platinum rock blockbusters to best-kept indie secrets, and just about everything in between — classics that, had Nirvana never broken through, would probably be getting the royal treatment right now. In 1991, rock truly rocked, so, in celebration of that fact, we've asked some of today's biggest bands to discuss their favorite albums from that rather amazing year. On Wednesday, we heard from Death Cab for Cutie and Blink-182; now, Skrillex and Foster the People share their faves.

Don't worry, we'll give Nevermind its due — but right now, we're paying tribute to 1991's other indispensible albums, in the words of their biggest fans.

Metallica, The Black Album
The one where "old" Metallica ended and "new" Metallica began — at least according to the die-hards — the band's fifth studio album (it's technically self-titled, though, come on, who doesn't call it The Black Album?) saw them drifting away from their slash-and-burn thrash-metal past into a new, decidedly fuller phase, one fleshed out with orchestral flourishes and an increased focus on the booming rhythm section of Jason Newstead and Lars Ulrich. Though its recording was plagued by battles with producer Bob Rock, The Black Album features the band's most iconic songs — "Enter Sandman," "The Unforgiven," "Nothing Else Matters," etc. — and remains their best-selling to date, moving a staggering 22 million copies worldwide. Love it or hate it, you can't deny its impact, both on the band and the next two decades of hard rock.

As Remembered by Skrillex: "Man, The Black Album was me sitting in my room when I was 9 years old, trying to learn all the songs on guitar. That was, for me, rocking out, no reservations, like I was on the stage. And learning the 'Holier Than Thou' riff was, like, the biggest achievement, because it's so hard. Every record on that album is so amazing. ... Obviously, 'Enter Sandman,' 'Wherever I May Roam' ... that was the first Metallica song I learned, after 'Enter Sandman.' I love The Black Album. It's perfect; it's a masterpiece in every way, from front to back, and it's inspired me, consciously or subconsciously, because I had such a connection to it."

Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blood Sugar Sex Magik
One of the most important, celebrated albums of the '90s alt-rock explosion, Blood Sugar saw the Chili Peppers grow up, get deep and, of course, become hugely famous. While songs like "Give It Away" and "Suck My Kiss" still bobbed and weaved with the band's visceral energy, it was on tracks like the massive "Under the Bridge" and "Breaking the Girl" where they slowed things down and found their biggest commercial successes. Recorded by producer Rick Rubin in a supposedly haunted mansion in Laurel Canyon, its creation has become the stuff of rock legend, and though the Peppers would subsequently sag beneath its success (guitarist John Frusciante, unable to cope with his sudden fame, quit the band mid-tour), Blood Sugar still stands as perhaps the finest accomplishment of their 28-year career. It would be nearly four years before they released a follow-up, though, given the album's hugely influential status, you really couldn't blame them.

As Remembered by Mark Pontius, Foster the People: "My favorite record of 1991, and I think the only reason I got this record was my sister had it, and she's older than me, so it just sort of fell into my lap, is Red Hot Chili Peppers' Blood Sugar Sex Magik. I think I have to credit that record [for teaching me] a lot of my drumming skills. I loved playing their records, and that one always stuck out to me. It had so much grit, and that was rock and roll at that time of my life."

What is your favorite 1991 rock album? Let us know in the comments below!

For more on Blood Sugar Sex Magik, head over to the Newsroom blog, where Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis tells us his favorite memories of making the iconic album!

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Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer And Anthrax Make Big 4 History

25 Apr 2011 08:44:24 EDT

The four thrash founders shared the stage together for the first time in the U.S. on Saturday.
By Ryan J. Downey

INDIO, California — One week after indie hipsters and pop enthusiasts stood on the same desert ground for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, an estimated 55,000 metal fans watched "The Big 4" of thrash share a U.S. stage together for the first time.

"This is history tonight and you're part of it," Metallica frontman James Hetfield told the crowd Saturday at the Empire Polo Fields in Indio, California. "Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer and Metallica as one — with you!"

As members of all four bands gathered together toward the end of Metallica's set to perform the Diamond Head classic "Am I Evil?," fans roared. The group of friends, sometime rivals and ex-bandmates embraced one another affectionately and shared wide smiles. They've sold millions, popularized the thrash style and have long been hailed as "The Big 4" by the press and fans. They've shared members: Megadeth main man Dave Mustaine was part of Metallica's early lineup; Slayer's Kerry King was once in Megadeth. All of the bands except New York's Anthrax originated in Southern California.

The Big 4 played festivals together last year across Europe and the subsequent "Big 4 Live in Sofia, Bulgaria" DVD was certified double platinum. They've joined up in various combinations in the past in the U.S., but Saturday marked the first time that all four played the same show in America.

"We just wanna take the time to say 'thank you' to all of you metal fans out there who have supported all the bands — not only the Big 4, but the big however many out there," said Hetfield. "There's a lot of great bands out there and we'd like to celebrate all of them. And especially the Big 4, getting out here and jamming, just saying 'thank you' to the world of metal fans for just giving us your support, giving us your heart and giving us your passion, man, 'cause that's what it is for us."

Hetfield, Mustaine and Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian all referred to the event as "history" during the seven-hour concert. The backstage area was packed with members of bands like Alice in Chains, Sum 41, Dream Theater, New Found Glory, Throwdown and Fireball Ministry along with former MTV "Headbanger's Ball" host Riki Rachtman, MMA fighter Josh Barnett, comedian Brian Posehn and all three hosts of VH1 Classic's "That Metal Show" — Eddie Trunk, Don Jamieson and Jim Florentine.

Anthrax kicked off the show in the late afternoon with a set that drew heavily from their classic 1987 album, Among the Living. Singer Joey Belladonna busted out his signature headdress for a rousing "Indians" during which Ian demanded the crowd mosh more enthusiastically for the "war dance" breakdown. Their set included a few songs from their first two albums as well as two covers that have long been staples for them, Joe Jackson's "Got the Time" and Trust's "Anti-Social."

Belladonna, Ian, drummer Charlie Benante, bassist Frankie Bello and lead guitarist Rob Caggiano wore black T-shirts featuring Anthrax's pentagram "A" symbol intertwined with an American flag, presumably in tribute to the Big 4's first American appearance together. (Once upon a time, the guys in Anthrax famously took pity on a starving Metallica in New York City and gave them food and drink.)

Anthrax didn't touch anything from when John Bush sang for the band, but they did offer a preview of their forthcoming album (their first with Belladonna since 1990) with "Fight 'Em 'Til You Can't," a new song they've been playing live since late last year. Belladonna paused to remember "people that we miss" — the late Ronnie James Dio and Pantera guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott — and led the crowd in a huge sing-along to their comic book-inspired set-closer, "I Am the Law."

Ironically, an airplane flew overhead advertising the upcoming Mötley Crüe and Poison tour — two bands the thrash movement was very much reacting against when it arose in clubs in the early '80s with an emphasis on aggression, speed and musicianship over image, commercial appeal and flashiness. Fans at the Big 4 show wore T-shirts representing all four bands as well as groups like D.R.I., Nuclear Assault and Coroner.

Megadeth opened with one of the biggest radio hits of their career, "Trust," which is still harder in sound than most anything the "hair metal" scene ever offered. Brandishing a double-neck guitar, Mustaine led the band into "In My Darkest Hour" (the music of which was inspired by the 1986 death of Metallica bassist Cliff Burton), which was followed by a huge chant of "Megadeth! Megadeth! Megadeth!" Bassist and co-founder David Ellefson was right by Mustaine's side throughout, backed skillfully by drummer Shawn Drover and lead guitarist Chris Broderick.

Although Mustaine is famously quotable in interviews, Megadeth let their technically complex but often brazenly melodic take on thrash do most of the talking as the band's leader traded solos with Broderick and the crowd sang along with songs like "Hanger 18" and "Wake Up Dead." The vicious and old-school-sounding "Headcrusher" from the band's most recent album sat alongside catalog hits like "Sweating Bullets," "Symphony of Destruction" and "A Tout le Monde."

The opening bass line to "Peace Sells" was used as the intro for MTV News reports for years but it's the song's chorus that really lit a fire with the crowd as band mascot Vic Rattlehead lumbered about the stage and the audience shouted the lyrics. Following "Holy Wars," Mustaine left the stage with his signature closing line: "You guys have been great... And we have been Megadeth."

Slayer stormed the stage with the title track from their newest slab of aggressive bleakness, World Painted Blood. Although health problems now prevent frontman Tom Araya from literally headbanging, the physicality on display from guitarist Kerry King and drummer Dave Lombardo was undeniable. The hot desert sun gave way to darkness while the band played; fitting, considering most Slayer lyrics.

Araya screamed "War!" as they launched into 1990's "War Ensemble" followed immediately by "Postmortem" and "Raining Blood" from their 1986 thrash masterpiece, Reign in Blood. Slayer dug into their 1983 debut album, Show No Mercy, for the song "Black Magic," and overall, the set spanned their entire career, including "Silent Scream," "Seasons in the Abyss," "Dead Skin Mask" and more.

Exodus guitarist Gary Holt has been touring with the band as a fill-in for Jeff Hanneman, who is recovering from surgery on one of his arms. Holt is a thrash legend in his own right but the crowd roared when Hanneman made a surprise appearance for Slayer's last two songs, "South of Heaven" and "Angel of Death," which featured an extended double-bass drum break from Lombardo.

Speaking of legends, all four bands have many successes to celebrate, but Metallica clearly have earned their headlining slot. Their 1991 self-titled "Black Album" has sold over 15 million copies in the U.S. alone, and their appearance at the Big 4 event boasted fireworks, fire, a two-story stage and an extra video screen that were all absent during the previous three acts' performances.

Composer Ennio Morricone's "The Ecstasy of Gold" from "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" announced Metallica's arrival to the stage as it has consistently for several years. Four of the first five songs of the two-hour set were from 1984's Ride the Lightning: "Creeping Death," "For Whom the Bell Tolls," "Fade to Black" and the title track, which was co-written by Dave Mustaine.

There were several solos from lead guitarist Kirk Hammett, whom Hetfield has taken to calling "The Ripper," between songs. Bassist Robert Trujillo had several chances to shine, as well, particularly during the rarely played "Orion," which Hetfield dedicated to late bassist Cliff Burton. With the exception of a couple of songs from the well-received Death Magnetic album, "Fuel" was the only post-"Black Album" song aired, with a heavy emphasis on Lightning and 1986's Master of Puppets. There was, of course, "One" from ... And Justice for All as well as the opening track, "Blackened."

The crowd roared their approval of the group's catalog (even singing along with guitar solos) throughout the Metallica set, and their energy never waned. The set included many fireworks, both figuratively and literally. One of Hammett's aforementioned solos transitioned nicely into the ballad "Nothing Else Matters." As Hetfield held out the note from the solo it led right into "Enter Sandman." It was a series of transitions that longtime Metallica fans welcomed with warm familiarity.

As the road crew spent some time getting things ready for the Big 4 jam, Hetfield addressed the crowd with a heartfelt speech about the bands' three decades in heavy music.

"Can you believe it? Thirty years, man," he said. "I don't know how many of you have been around that long, you know?! It doesn't matter; you're here right now to see the Big 4, and we're getting this prepared for a big jam, all right? It's pretty important."

After "Am I Evil?" Metallica jumped back to their 1983 debut, Kill 'Em All, for "Hit the Lights" and "Seek and Destroy," which has been their set closer for the past few years. Giant beach balls emblazoned with the Metallica logo dropped onto the crowd and were kicked back and forth.

As Metallica took their bows and said their goodbyes, drummer and band co-founder Lars Ulrich teasingly dubbed the event the "first" of Big 4 shows in America.

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Ronnie James Dio Remembered By Metallica's Lars Ulrich

17 May 2010 10:58:17 EDT

Drummer salutes late Dio/ Black Sabbath/ Rainbow singer in long, heartfelt post on Metallica's website.
By MTV News staff

When an artist has a career as long and legendary as that of heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio, who died Sunday after battling stomach cancer, the influence can be felt by generations of musicians. The singer — who fronted Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven and Hell and his own band, Dio, over the years — was remembered by many musicians in the hours after his death was announced on Sunday, including members of Slipknot, Slayer, Anthrax and others.

Yet Metallica's Lars Ulrich wrote an extremely heartfelt, personal and lengthy letter to Dio posted on Metallica's official website, drummer recalling seeing Dio's band Elf opening for Deep Purple in Denmark in 1975.

"Dear Ronnie, I just got off stage in Zagreb. I was met with the news that you've passed on," he wrote. "I'm kind of in shock, but I wanted you to know that you were one of the main reasons I made it onto that stage to begin with. When I first saw you in Elf, opening for Deep Purple in 1975, I was completely blown away by the power in your voice, your presence on stage, your confidence, and the ease with which you seemed to connect to 6000 Danish people and one starry-eyed 11 year old, most of whom were not familiar with Elf's music. The following year, I was so psyched when I heard the results of you joining forces with my favorite guitar player [Ritchie Blackmore left Deep Purple to form Rainbow with Dio in 1975]. You guys sounded so right for each other and I instantly became Rainbow's #1 fan in Denmark.

"In the fall of 1976, when you played your first show in Copenhagen, I was literally in the front row and the couple of times we made eye contact you made me feel like the most important person in the world. The news that you guys were staying in town on your day off somehow embedded itself in my brain and I made the pilgrimage to the Plaza Hotel to see if I could somehow grab a picture, an autograph, a moment, anything. A few hours later you came out and were so kind and caring ... pictures, autographs and a couple minutes of casual banter. I was on top of the world, inspired and ready for anything.

"When we finally got a chance to play together in Austria in 2007," the post continues, "even though I may not have let on, I was literally transformed back to that little snot-nosed kid who you met and inspired 31 years earlier and it was such a f---ing honor and a dream come true to share a stage with you and the rest of the legends in Heaven and Hell. A couple of weeks ago when I heard that you were not going to be able to make it to the Sonisphere shows that we would be sharing this June, I wanted to call you and let you know that I was thinking of you and wish you well, but I kind of pu---ed out, thinking the last thing you needed in your recovery was feeling obligated to take a phone call from a Danish drummer/fan boy. I wish I'd made that call.

"We will miss you immensely on the dates, and we will be thinking of you with great admiration and affection during that run. It seemed so right to have you out on tour with the so-called 'Big Four' since you obviously were one of the main reasons that the four bands even exist. Your ears will definitely be burning during those two weeks because all of us will be talking, reminiscing and sharing stories about how knowing you has made our lives that much better.

"Ronnie, your voice impacted and empowered me, your music inspired and influenced me, and your kindness touched and moved me. Thank you. Much love, Lars"

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Volcanic Ash Can't Stop Metallica On European Tour

21 Apr 2010 14:08:00 EDT

Band has been traveling by boat and bus to make it to all the shows.
By Eric Ditzian

All week long, we've been hearing about how Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano has disrupted pop culture. With airports shuttered across Europe, the "Iron Man 2" premiere has shifted from London to Los Angeles, Miley Cyrus couldn't make it to the London red carpet for "The Last Song," and Adam Lambert had to cancel a planned promotional trip across the pond.

You know who the erupting volcano couldn't stop? Metallica! In the midst of a European tour, the band has been traveling by boat and bus to ensure no shows are missed. To make a concert in Riga, Latvia, on Saturday, the band traveled 28 hours to accomplish what a plane would have in just two hours.

"I just could not relax, thinking, 'Wow, those buses have changed a lot since we traveled,' " lead guitarist Kirk Hammett told reporters, according to The Associated Press. "They are so much more comfortable. You see, we did not use this means of transportation for more than two decades since the tragedy."

Metallica bassist Cliff Burton was killed during a European tour in September 1986, when the band's bus skidded and flipped over multiple times in Sweden. "When we boarded the bus again this week and had to travel overnight, I realized that those bad memories are still here. I still haven't overcome the fear of buses," Hammett said. "But the show must go on."

To get to Riga, the band took a bus from Oslo to Stockholm, then hopped a cruise ship headed to the Latvian capital. Onboard the ship was a contingent of surprised Metallica fans. One of those fans, a 23-year-old named Liga Viskinte, told the AP that singer James Hetfield and bassist Robert Trujillo hung out in the ship's karaoke bar, drinking beer and taking in a passenger's version of "Whiskey in the Jar."

Currently in Lithuania, Metallica are planning to take a 13-hour train to Moscow on Thursday for a two-night stand (unless, that is, travel restrictions are lifted by then). From there, the tour will pick up again May 11 and hit cities like Belfast, Lisbon, Madrid and Prague, before wrapping up in Istanbul on June 27.

"It would take a really great force to stop us," Hammett said of continuing the tour, adding that no one was sure how they'd be getting back to America after the shows in Russia. "But we'll figure it out somehow."

What do you think of Metallica's dedication? Let us know in the comments below!

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Missing Metallica Fan's Remains Possibly Found

27 Jan 2010 08:41:00 EST

Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington disappeared after a Metallica show last October.
By Gil Kaufman

Police in Charlottesville, Virginia, said on Tuesday that they believe the skeletal remains found on a Virginia farm could be those of Morgan Harrington, a 20-year-old Virginia Tech student who went missing on October 17 after attending a Metallica concert in the area.

According to The Associated Press, state Police Superintendent Steve Flaherty ordered an autopsy on the remains to confirm that they are those of Harrington, a Roanoke native who got separated from her friends after leaving the metal show and being denied re-entry to the venue. "We can't say with 100 percent certainty, however, there were significant items and evidence," Flaherty told reporters of what lead authorities to conclude the remains were Harrington's. Investigators would not say what the items were and did not speculate on what might have caused the college student's death. Autopsy results were expected on Wednesday.

The remains were found in a remote location on Tuesday morning by farmer David Bass while surveying his 700-acre property, which is about 10 miles from the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, where the Metallica concert took place. Flaherty said officials had not searched the farm before because there was no evidence that would have led them to it.

Harrington was last seen wearing a black Pantera T-shirt, a black mini-skirt, black tights and black knee-high boots. Her purse and cell phone were found by a passerby in a small parking lot between the arena and an athletic field.

After she was reported missing, hundreds of volunteers and police searched the surrounding area and officials received hundreds of tips. More than $150,000 in rewards were offered for information on her whereabouts, including $50,000 contributed by Metallica. Billboards and posters with her picture went up all around Virginia, and her family created a Web site to help in the search.

Once the remains are identified, police will likely begin a homicide investigation, which could lead to more information on how Harrington ended up in the field.

Virginia Tech President Charles Steger released an open letter about the incident on Tuesday. "For more than three months, the entire Virginia Tech community, along with thousands upon thousands around the world, has held out hope for the safe return of Morgan Harrington," he said. "Sadly, today's news from Albemarle County has put an end to that hope, and once again, we find our strength and resilience tested in the face of profound grief and loss."

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U2, Metallica Bring History-Making Collaborations To Rock Hall Concert

31 Oct 2009 12:07:00 EDT

Fellow headliners Aretha Franklin and Jeff Beck, along with guests like Mick Jagger and Ozzy Ozbourne, celebrate night two of Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary.
By Saimon Kos

NEW YORK — For the second night in a row, Tom Hanks walked onstage at Madison Square Garden to do the introduction for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary Concert, and for the second night in a row some of the greatest rock acts of all time shared the stage. Performances varied from classic hits to once-in-a-lifetime collaborations as Aretha Franklin, Jeff Beck, Metallica and U2 all brought out big-name guests.

Jerry Lee Lewis got things started again, this time performing "Great Balls Fire" and literally kicking down his seat before exiting to make way for the rest of the acts. Franklin took the stage in a red dress that was outshined only by the sound of her voice as she opened the night with "A Natural Woman." Her set included a collaboration with Annie Lennox and one with Lenny Kravitz, who added his voice to her classic hit "Think." When asked afterward how her duet with Lenny came about, she said it was due to his friendship with her son, who also happened to play lead guitar for her band that night.

Next, one of the all-time great guitar players performed as a replacement for a reportedly ailing Eric Clapton. This seemed fitting, since in the 1960s, Jeff Beck was Eric's bandmate in the Yardbirds with Jimmy Page. Jeff was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame this year, and on Friday night he reminded everyone why it was an honor that was well deserved. Sting, Buddy Guy and Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top each took a shot at matching their voice to Jeff's guitar, and each felt like a an experiment in music that went terribly right, especially when Beck and Gibbons recreated Jimmy Hendrix's masterpiece "Foxy Lady." No voice was needed for Jeff's final performance of the night, as he paid tribute to the Beatles with an instrumental version of "A Day in the Life." It was one worthy of the highest allowable score on "Beatles Rock Band."




	Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25th Anniversary Concert

Metallica brought more than just metal when they hit the stage. Starting off with "For Whom the Bell Tolls," the boys were then joined by Lou Reed, before succumbing to the Prince of Darkness himself, Ozzy Osbourne. Together they paid tribute to Black Sabbath by performing "Iron Man" and "Paranoid." Then things took an unexpected turn when Metallica teamed up with the Kinks frontman Ray Davies, giving a metal edge to the punk classic "You Really Got Me." Before calling it a night, the boys ended the show with one of their biggest hits of all time, "Enter Sandman." This had its own unexpected twist, as Yankee footage began to play on the monitors above them for no apparent reason. Then again, this is New York during the World Series.

The final and maybe biggest act of the second night at MSG was U2. First, they shared the stage with Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith, performing "Because the Night," a song Bono said his band only wishes they could have written. His passion for the track became even more apparent when he decided to do it a second time because it was clean on the first take. Bruce stayed on for one more song, lending his voice to the classic U2 song "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." The next collaboration was one that included a much younger act, by Hall of Fame standards, when the Black Eyed Peas came out to sing "Where is the Love." Fergie stuck around when Mick Jagger came out to perform "Gimme Shelter." Mick and Bono kept the energy high, turning "Stuck in a Moment" into a duet. And finally, U2 performed "Beautiful Day," bringing the night to a beautiful end.

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Metallica, U2, Bruce Springsteen To Perform At Rock Hall Anniversary

23 Jul 2009 12:27:00 EDT

Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin also on the bill.
By Gil Kaufman

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will celebrate its 25th anniversary in style on October 29 and 30 with a pair of all-star shows at Madison Square Garden.

On the bill for the first night are Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band; Simon & Garfunkel; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Friends; Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder. The next night will feature sets from Metallica, U2, Eric Clapton and Aretha Franklin, plus more performers to be announced in the coming weeks.

All the acts on the bill are Rock Hall inductees, and the announcement of the show promises that the "music legends and their special guests will be your guides through 60 years of rock and roll history."

Net proceeds from the show will go to create a permanent endowment for the Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland. A highlight special from the two-night show will be screened on HBO. General-public tickets will go on sale August 3, but title sponsor American Express is offering cardholders a presale from July 27 to August 2 that features VIP packages priced from $750 to $100,000.

Rolling Stone magazine reported that the shows will feature a number of collaborations, including CSN sharing the stage with other California-based artists, Metallica leading a hard-rock jam, and Wonder and Franklin fronting a soul revue backed by Paul Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra.

As noted in The New York Times, the math on the anniversary date is a bit fuzzy, as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation was founded in 1983 and the first induction ceremony was in January 1986. Among the creative consultants on the show are actor Tom Hanks, filmmaker Cameron Crowe, rock icon Robbie Robertson and Rolling Stone magazine boss and Hall chairman Jann Wenner.

Event executive producer Wenner said in a statement, "Twenty-five years ago ... Ahmet Ertegun created this foundation to recognize and celebrate the music and careers of artists whose music helped shape and define our generation. These once-in-a-lifetime concerts are designed to celebrate the artists and their music."

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Peter Bjorn And John Channel Jay-Z, Metallica On Living Thing

08 Apr 2009 18:34:00 EDT

Swedish trio are leaving the whistle behind: 'We had to ban it from the new album,' Peter Móren says.
By James Montgomery, with reporting by Tim Kash

Based on the strength of a whistled refrain, Peter Bjorn and John became everyone's favorite band in 2007. Two years later, they've returned with a brand-new album — one that features absolutely zero whistling.

"We had to ban it from the new album," PB&J's Peter Móren told MTV News. "We did use it on the last album. We put out an instrumental record last year — Seaside Rock — and we have whistling on that, but not a lot of people noticed. But it's not on the new album. It hasn't been banned from the gigs, though. Not yet."

So if you were a fan of the group's ultra-ubiquitous "Young Folks" (you know, the one with the whistle), you're probably going to have a hard time getting into Living Thing, their new album, which hit stores last week. And, of course, that was intentional, because Peter Bjorn and John are officially over the whistle.

"There's always pressure to make something different, but that's not because of that song; that's because you want to change your sound around and do new stuff," Móren said. "But that would've happened regardless of success. We would've changed anyway."

So they drew inspiration from a couple of rather, uh, disparate sources — like Jay-Z and Metallica. It might seem odd, but all it takes is one listen to Living Thing's infectious first single, "Nothing to Worry About," to understand how it all fits together.

"We listened to Jay-Z's 'Hard Knock Life' with the 'Annie' sample, and we needed clear, bright voices going straight through little radios," Móren smiled. "So we recorded with a children's choir. Plus, you know, cheap labor."

OK, we'll buy that. But what about Metallica? How did a trio of Swedes usurp the sheer riffage of one of hard rock's heaviest? Well, rather easily. And with reggae.

"Every album is important. It's hard to see the progression from album to album; you're looking forward 10 years, when you have 10 albums or something, and you can see how everything happens gradually. And I think Seaside Rock was an important part of that," Móren said. "If we would've gone straight from Writer's Block to Living Thing, it would've sounded less interesting. Because that was just letting off steam in the studio. [It was] a bit like 'Some Kind of Monster,' the Metallica [documentary], but rather than bringing in the psychotherapist, we played around with riffs and melodies."

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