Not the actual frontman, per se, of the heavy metal band Metallica (that job belongs to singer James Hetfield), nevertheless, drummer Lars Ulrich is the mastermind behind the band and a giant reason for its massive success.
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The co-founder of the band, the now-59-year-old Denmark-born Ulrich has been wailing on the drums behind the kit with Metallica since 1981. He and his band are also known for their notorious fight against the file-sharing system, Napster. The band filed a lawsuit against the company, which eventually folded. But it was a tough time for the group. Thankfully, for Metallica fans, the group has come out and is rocking as well as ever. Metallica released its latest LP, 72 Seasons, in 2023.
With all of that accomplished, one might wonder what Ulrich has to say about life and his band outside of the songs. Below are 10 quotes that sum up Ulrich nicely.
1. “I’m just sittin’ here trying not to be unhappy.”
2. “What’s the message in Metallica? There is no message, but if there was a message, it really should be look within yourself, don’t listen to me, don’t listen to James, don’t listen to anybody, look within yourself for the answers.”
3. “The only band that we have never played with but have always wanted to is the Rolling Stones.”
4. “Every time we put a record out, we lose people that can’t deal with the growth.”
5. “Napster hijacked our music without asking. They never sought our permission. Our catalog of music simply became available as free downloads on the Napster system.”
6. “As long as it says Metallica on the record it’s Metallica.”
7. “If there was no Black Sabbath, I could still possibly be a morning newspaper delivery boy. No fun.”
8. “Some people try and tell you what the songs are about and it bores me to death.”
9. “One of my few shortcomings is that I can’t predict the future.”
10. “Our music comes from our hearts—and it always has.”
Photo by Scott Legato/Getty Images
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