Metallica’s James Hetfield Opens Up About Lou Reed to Marc Maron: Listen

Metallica’s James Hetfield Opens Up About Lou Reed to Marc Maron: Listen

One week after the Bruce Springsteen episode, today’s installment of Marc Maron’s “WTF” podcast is a conversation between the comedian and Metallica frontman James Hetfield. The two discussed the band’s 2011 album with Lou Reed, Lulu. Hetfield said it came about when Reed saw Metallica at a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame event. He recalls Reed shouting to the band from down a hallway, “Hey, Metallica, you guys, we should do an album together one day!” Hetfield also talks about writing Lulu’s music after Reed had written the lyrics, as well as Reed’s studio habits—including his aversion to second takes. Listen to the podcast here, and scroll to 1:17:53 for the Lulu discussion.

Elsewhere in the conversation (around 30:20), Hetfield reveals that there exists video of an 11-year-old Skrillex attempting to stage dive at a Metallica show. The concert took place in Berkeley, California, and was used for the band’s live album S&M. In another moment (38:47), Maron brought up the music from his high school days, which included “an eruption of prog rock garbage” like Styx’s 1977 album The Grand Illusion. Hetfield, however, defends the record, saying “there’s a good guitar sound.”

Other recent “WTF” guests include Neil YoungKamasi Washington, Joanna Newsom, Yo La Tengo, Steve Albini, David Byrne, and more.

Revisit “Adjust Tracking: The Surprise Success of Metallica’s Video for ‘One’” on the Pitch, as well as our 5-10-15-20 interview with Marc Maron.

Watch Lou Reed and Metallica’s “The View” music video, directed by Darren Aronofsky: 

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