Question to Chickinson (Metallica related)

[ironmaidenfan09]

I was wondering what you and your husband thinks about the piss poor sellout metallica records of the 90's and 2000's. That would be interesting to know his take on them since he does the metallica cover band.

Do you ever give him shit about his band (Metallica) selling out and yours (Iron Maiden) Not? I bet that could get fun when you guys are joking around with one another

Thanks for your time

 

[Snausages]

Metallica does what Metallica wants to. Even if they are "guided" by Bob Rock, theirs is the final word. Cliff Burton even said it, something to the tune of "if people consider that selling out, then whatever" If they held on to the Flemming Rasmussen sounds for the last 15 years would they still be around? Justice was the last album he produced on, and it was good. If they kept him on as producer, wouldn't that be guaranteeing success? Guaranteed success is selling out in the worst way. "Gee, we need to do a CD that we know will sell big!" Or sticking to what they want to do "Ya know, if this CD sells like shit, it's still what we wanted to do.". Is it better to work for limited success or to just repeat the same formula?

 

[Bruce Chickinson]

Hmmmm....you're wondering about our "pillow talk" hehehe. Well, My hubby and myself have always been a fan of old school Metallica....we did attend the recent concert at the Colliseum and enjoyed it...I partied quite a bit hard that day / night...but I do remember it was a great show. Mostly they played the set list that my hubby plays. We basically discuss the things about the latest Maiden and Metallica albums...we talk about what we like about them or don't like etc. What we'd like to hear different etc. We don't really think in terms of "selling out"....I look at music as a business...yes it's a beautiful emotional artform but it is a business and sometimes bands and producers make good decisions and sometimes those decisions are bad and some times they are middle of the road. It's hard to know what will be a success and anticipate that in this strange market. There are things we would both like to change about both albums but who are we to say? It's not our art so we really don't have the right. We just mimic their hits...and when you look at the breadth of great music that both bands have created, and how they have influenced so many and changed metal for the better and opened new doors to new sounds, and tones...how can we slight them for not having every single thing created from them being to our liking? We should just appreciate them for "BEING" and coming up with as much great stuff that they had. That in itself is a miracle.

I have a hard time digesting the fact that so many die hard metal fans have animosity toward bands that change their sound/ style over time. You have to respect Maiden and Metallica always just for being who they are in music history and for what they have done.

 

[smylex]

"I sold out long before you ever heard my name. I sold my soul to make a record, Dip Shit, and you bought one. All you read and wear or see and hear on TV is a product begging for your fatass dirty dollar so...shut up and buy my new record. Send more money. Fuck you, buddy." --Maynard James Keenan Hooker with a Penis

 

[Lord of Delusions]

I have been a huge Metallica fan since Master of Puppets. You cannot expect a band that has been around as long as they have to consistantly churn out the same sound for that long. People grow and change, and their music changes with them. When St. Anger came out, I was like, WTF?! At first listen, I couldn't believe they would release something that sounded that rough and dirty. The great thing that it captures though, is their attitude and ability to record great music without several millions of dollars to make it all nice and shiny. Selling out is when you take drastic measures to save your failing career, and I have yet to see that in Metallica's history...

 

[ironmaidenfan09]

The difference is that Iron Maiden has never changed their signature sound. Metallica completely changed to a rock band and is not even metal anymore. I don't think there is any comparison in the credibility of Iron Maiden and Metallica.

You can not like the newer Iron Maiden albums but you can't deny that they have never compromised their sound in order to be 'popular' or sell more records.

You will never see Iron Maiden on MTV and having Shakira and Avril Lavange singing their songs as a tribute.

I would love to see the Iron Maidens perform some new Maiden material such as Paschendale, Rainmaker, or Dance Of Death.

On the contrary I would hope to god that Creeping Death never would play any newer Metallica material. I even get upset when I hear Creeping Death play Enter sandman and the garbage from the Black album which IMO is the biggest sell out album in history of metal. I don't see it 'doing what they want' or 'maturing' I see that album as a deliberate attempt to go mainstream and sell millions of albums, Thanks bob rock.

Thanks for the reply Chikinson!

 

[cycosuicide]

I suppose everyone has an opinion as to the definition of "selling out". I suppose the easiest thing for anyone to do is play armchair quarterback, so to speak, with someone's carreer. It is very tough to say what any of us would do if we would have been in Metallica's shoes many years ago. There are very few people who can get up and do what Metallica did and still do.

I don't really care whether a band "sold out" or not. I have other concerns in my life. However, if a band produces shitty music, then I just won't buy it. End of story.

 

[ironmaidenfan09]

I still will never back down from saying that Metallica Sold out. So many people seem to hate that word but I honestly in my heart believe Metallica sold themselves out to the record label to make money and that is the bottom line. And furthermore they didn't do this on the Load or Re-Load albums they did this on the BLACK album. Which is a joke of an album. I don't understand how some people actually can tell me the Black album is a classic Metallica album. When that album came out I literally was angry for weeks. I was a DIE hard Metallica fan back then.

True story:

After And Justice for All was done and Metallica went into the studio to record a New album I was counting the days until the new material would come out. So long story short...KNAC had a promo that counted down the days until they were going to play a new song from the NEW Metallica record. (Back then there was no internet so nobody could find this stuff anywhere except on the radio) SOOO..... the day finally came the NEW Metallica was now going to be aired for the first time EVER. I couldn't even take the anticipation, so the DJ says "And now the moment we have been waiting for the new Metallica, this song is called "Enter Sandman" so the song came on and I sat there with a blank expression on my face and was in disbelief. This band the best Thrash band in history had just put out a complete Mainstream joke of a song. I figured that this song was just going to be the weakest song on the record so when the album came out I went and bought it and was even more dissapointed than when i first heard Enter Sandman.

So then it got worse and worse from there, Metallica went rock n' roll and took a shit on all their old school Metal fans. I hate them and will never ever support them ever again in my life. FUCK THEM

 

[Lord of Delusions]

Well, thats your opinion, and you are entitled to it. When it comes down to it, EVERYONE has sold out at one time or another. Thats right, you, me, everyone. Everytime you have done something for money, you have sold out. Got a job you hate but do it to pay the bills? You've sold out to the system. Hell, you don't even have to hate your job, getting paid to do anything is selling out. Even if you want to do something and know that you will eventually get paid that is selling out. That last one is kind of a gray area, but it is all in the eye of the beholder (no pun intended). Change is inevitable. What band do you know that has not changed one single thing about their music in the history of their carreer? And I mean anything, tunings, tempo, lyrics, band members, anything. It would be an extremely short list, if at all. Maybe Metallica did sell out. I don't really care. Untill they put out an album that makes me ashamed to own, I will continue to support them.

 

[Lord of Delusions]

as far as the Mtv special goes, it was exactly what I expected from Mtv! I thought Snoop Dog should have been taken out and shot, immediatly. The only band worth mentioning was Sum41, who I think did a hell of a job. Oh, and the comic who's name I can never remember, that was some funny shit!

 

[Knock Renfield]

The term "sell out" is very misused, in my opinion. Having a job you don't like so you can earn some money to pay your rent could be thought of as "selling out". Pointing fingers at Metallica as "sell-outs" seems somewhat hypocritical to me, as just about all of us would appear on a Pet Shop Boys album or tour with Justin Timberlake if it meant earning a million dollars. It makes me laugh, however, when some young 'un starts talking about how "St Anger" rocks because they "returned to their roots". These are obviously people who never saw Metallica on the Justice Tour. You couldn't touch Metallica in 1989. The Black Album was an attempt at something different, but had no edge to it. I must admit that I liked it, but I always said that the next album would tell the true tale and unfortunately it did. Sell-outs? Nah. They just got old, full and fat. They're not hungry anymore. They haven't been in well over ten years. If you listen to any of the live tapes from this last tour, even though they play mostly songs from Justice and back, it becomes apparent that they're just shadows of their former great selves. I find it sad, especially when you listen to tapes of Slayer's latest tour. They've never sounded better. Bottom line: If you don't support a band's direction, don't contribute. But it's fun to bitch, isn't it? Hahahaha

 

[smylex]

Reposted so that you'll know what was said before:

"I sold out long before you ever heard my name. I sold my soul to make a record, Dip Shit, and you bought one. All you read and wear or see and hear on TV is a product begging for your fatass dirty dollar so...shut up and buy my new record. Send more money. Fuck you, buddy." --Maynard James Keenan Hooker with a Penis

Any band that has made an album has done it in the hopes of selling copies and making money on their art. They have a talent that is marketable. Why not exploit it? Why should they spend their time in privation when they can better their lifestyles by exploiting their own talents?

As far as I'm concerned, bands are only in it for the money or the women (the Maidens and other women in Rock excluded, minus those like Melissa Etheridge).

 

[ironmaidenfan09]

Maybe Metallica did sell out. I don't really care. Untill they put out an album that makes me ashamed to own, I will continue to support them.

You are not ashamed to Own Load and Reload? Hmmmm

I can honestly tell you that Iron Maiden has never changed their sound. Sure they had a few different singers and the Blaze era sucked simply because the vocals were shit. However Iron Maiden has never changed their sound to appeal to the mainstream as Metallica has. Maiden has been playing the same brand of heavy metal for over 20 years and is not slowing down any. You can argue that Maiden has gotten stale however I respect the shit out of Iron Maiden and can honestly say they are my favorite band of all time.

Fear of the Dark is the only record I will never listen to from Maiden not because it was a blatent attempt for mainstream but because it sucks

 

[ironmaidenfan09]

Oh and I love how in the last interview from Metallica on FUSE they asked them who their favorite band is right now and they say "Sum 41" how fucking gay is that shit. Fuckig mall pop punk band is their influence

Sorry I know this is an Iron Maidens forum and I have gotten way off topic here i just can't control myself Metallica makes me sick

I will take PANTERA over them any day of the week. Atleast Pantera quit before they made asses of themselves

 

[Bruce Chickinson]

Whaaaat? Pantera just committed sin number one. Producing an album themselves and it sounds terrible. They didn't quit. Where are all the producers these days? Are they really THAT expensive?

Reinventing the Steel -check it out.

 

[smylex]

Actually, I'd go so far as to say even further back than that starting with Far Beyond Driven. Essentially, they didn't have any true growth after Vulgar Display of Power and just seemed to be treading water after that album. Reinventing the Steel my ass! It smacks of recycling all the way around!

 

[cycosuicide]

Oh yeah. Vulgar was Pantera's peek. After that...it was just a rehash of crap.

And, as to the comment about how Maiden really haven't changed their sound in the last couple of decades, I would have to say that is quite sad. Being a musician myself, I feel it is very important to continue to learn new things and branch out. If a band hasn't changed in 20 years, to me it is no better than the people who work at the same job for 20 years. They never bother to move forward or try new, different, and challenging things. Why, because it is a comfort zone.

Don't get me wrong, I love the music of Iron Maiden, but is the reason for their "lack of change" due to the fact that trying something different may be too challenging? I must tell you that the more "Rock Stars/Professional musicians" I meet, the more this seems to be the case. They are verrrrrrrry good at what they do, but nothing else.

As I stated before, bands should just make good music. I don't care if its "mainstream". Make good music. Metallica's problem is that the music sucks! To me....that is worse than trying to be mainstream.

 

[Lord of Delusions]

OK, Pantera didn't just quit. Phil quit and left Dime and Vinnie hangin. I DO like the load and reload ambums, not because its Metallica, just that I like the music. The way I see it, everyone changes, and for some, their music is a direct reflection of those changes. Its not necesarily a bad thing, just the way the world works. I personally like to see artists chage a bit. I was gonna name a band or two that haven't as examples, but I don't want to start another "holy" war here. This can go on forever, like ford vs. chevy and valvoline vs.pennzoil, or foreign vs. domestic. And for you ladies out there, pads vs. tampons, toilet paper vs. wonderbra, heels vs. flats. There is no end, no resolution. So my advice to you is get over it, it ain't gonna change. I think that we have all said our peice and should move on with our lives!

Here's a topic-

Why does hot chocolate taste like crap when its cold?

 

[Doodoobubbachuck]

Why does hot chocolate taste like crap when its cold?

Yet cold chocolate milk is soooooooooo good!!!!

 

[Lord of Delusions]

Yet cold chocolate milk is soooooooooo good!!!!

Truly a question of the ages, isn't it?