METALLICA's 'Death Magnetic' Certified Double-Platinum In Germany - May 27, 2009

METALLICA's latest album, "Death Magnetic", has been certified double-platinum in Germany for sales in excess of 400,000 copies. The CD, which topped the German Media Control chart upon its release last September, shifted 150,000 units in Germany within the first seven days.

The four members of METALLICA were presented with the "Death Magnetic" double-platinum plaques at the May 17, 2009 "Guitar Hero: Metallica" launch event at the Café in Cologne, Germany. A photo can be viewed below.

Learn To Play Like Metallica's Kirk Hammett
Lick Library has released a comprehensive teaching series of guitar tuition DVDs focusing on Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett's playing: Introducing the two-part "Learn To Play Metallica" double DVD sets, coming in at a weighty combined six hours of in-depth tuition. From the juggernaut "Enter The Sandman" to the ultra-fast and technically demanding "Battery", Lick Library has produced easy-to-learn DVDs which transcribe note for note solos, riffs, verses, chorus and everything in between. Furthermore, top teacher Jamie Humphries takes you through a detailed description of setting up your guitars, amps and effects to achieve a truly authentic Metallica sound.
Lick Library recognizes how many guitarists aspire to learn the epic riffs of Kirk Hammett and recreate his savage rifferey and dazzling array of lead guitar parts. In recognition of how much there is to learn, Lick Library has introduced three further DVDs in the shape of "Kirk Hammett Guitar Techniques", "Kirk Hammett Quick Licks" and "Kirk Hammett: The Solos".
The "Kirk Hammett Guitar Techniques" has two hours of in-depth tuition breaking down over fifty licks covering pentatonic scales, chromatic runs, hammer-on and pull-offs, arpeggios, inversions, diatonic scales, use of tremolo bar, double stops, string skipping. In fact, this will help you learn a huge range of key techniques valuable for not just playing Metallica but for pretty much every other type of song.
"Kirk Hammett Quick Licks" helps you learn killer metal licks and most importantly provides backing tracks to help you practice your newfound techniques. The DVD breaks down Kirk's style of playing into twenty-five licks, including techniques such as tapping, legato, alternate picking and a host of pentatonic ideas. Homing in on his solos, this DVD will help you learn how to improvise and give you an arsenal of ideas to jam over the backing tracks. Ideal for beginners through to advanced players this will show you how to approach rock and metal soloing.
"Kirk Hammett: The Solos" uniquely comes with an accompanying CD including guitar jam tracks for each solo section at slow, medium and full tempo so you can learn each solo at your own pace and steadily build up to full speed. Solos include: "Master Of Puppets", "One", "Nothing Else Matters", "Enter Sandman", "The Day That Never Comes".
Finally, to complete the comprehensive range of Metallica tuition products, Lick Library has available to purchase separately two "Jamtrax" CDs, each with five backtracks covering classic Metallica songs from early "Master Of Puppets" to the very latest "Death Magnetic" album. These CDs are ideal to playing along to the songs which is like having the band in your living room.
The DVDs and CDs are now available to purchase through www.licklibrary.com along with over 20,000 other guitar tuition products.
Learn To Play Like Metallica: The solos, Volume 2]

METALLICA To Play Benefit Show For Marin History Museum - June 11, 2009

Paul Liberatore of the Contra Costa Times reports that METALLICA frontman James Hetfield has announced that the superstar band will play a benefit concert for the Marin History Museum in San Rafael, California in September.

In a video screened at the history museum's $200-a-ticket "Marin Rocks" gala Saturday night (June 6) at the Osher Marin Jewish Community Center, Hetfield, currently on an international tour with the band, mentioned "the third week in September" as a possible date for the concert.

It would be the first show in Marin by the heavy metal supergroup. A likely venue is the 2,000-seat Marin Veterans Memorial Auditorium, the county's largest concert hall.

"We want to keep the flame growing and flowing," Hetfield said, appearing in the video with Dave Navarro of JANE'S ADDICTION.

METALLICA Drummer To Present 'The Five Obstructions' Documentary - June 22, 2009

According to the California Film Institute, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich will present and discuss a rare screening of an unusual documentary that plays like a provocative game — "The Five Obstructions", co-directed and written by Danish filmmakersJørgen Leth and Lars von Trier.

Von Trier is best known as the director of "Europa", "Dogville", "Dancing in the Dark" and "Breaking the Waves". A multiple award-winner at the Cannes Film Festival, he also co-founded the influential Dogme 95 movement. In "The Five Obstructions", von Trier approaches Jørgen Leth, his mentor in Danish filmmaking, with an assignment to remake one of his own early short films ("The Perfect Human") five different times, on each occasion with a specific " obstruction."

"Films Of My Life: Lars Ulrich Presents The Five Obstructions" will be held on September 2 at 7:00 p.m. at Rafael Film Center in San Rafael, California.

METALLICA: Release Date Announced For French Concert DVD - June 29, 2009

METALLICA's July 7, 2009 concert in Nimes, France at Arènes de Nîmes will be professionally filmed for a forthcoming DVD release. The disc will be made available on October 19 through French music stores and online shops only, as well as via the band's official web site, Metallica.com.

METALLICA's French record company and WorMee are giving fans tickets and a chance to participate in the making of the DVD. Winners will film the show and record a report from there, two minutes of which will appear as an extra in the final release.

The contest is open to residents of France only and runs through July 2, ending at 11:59 p.m. There will be ten winners and you can check out all the details and enter at metallica.wormee.com.

WorMee will stream METALLICA's concert in Nimes from July 10 until July 13. You just need to register with the site to watch, and the stream is available to everyone around the world.

METALLICA Among KERRANG! AWARDS Nominees - July 1, 2009

The 2009 Kerrang! Awards will be held at a top secret London location on August 3 and this year's event will be hosted by SLIPKNOT vocalist Corey Taylor and ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian.

SLIPKNOT and METALLICA head up the nominations for the Kerrang! Awards 2009. Fresh from their triumphant Download festival headline appearance, the Iowa-based nine-piece has notched up six nominations (including two nominations for "Best Single") while metal legends METALLICA are nominated in five categories.

The shortlist for the Kerrang! Awards 2009 can be viewed below.

Best British Newcomer

* MY PASSION
* IN CASE OF FIRE
* ATTACK! ATTACK!
* YOUNG GUNS
* FEI COMODO

Best International Newcomer

* SHINEDOWN
* FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH
* THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM
* METRO STATION
* VERSA EMERGE

Best Live Band

* METALLICA
* SLIPKNOT
* ENTER SHIKARI
* THE PRODIGY
* GALLOWS

Best Single

* METALLICA - All Nightmare Long
* THE PRODIGY - Omen
* SLIPKNOT - Dead Memories
* SLIPKNOT - Psychosocial
* PLACEBO - For What It's Worth

Best Video

* PAPA ROACH - Hollywood Whore
* SLIPKNOT - Sulfur
* METALLICA - The Day That Never Comes
* MASTODON - Oblivion
* PLACEBO - For What It's Worth

Best Album

* GREEN DAY - 21st Century Breakdown
* METALLICA - Death Magnetic
* SLIPKNOT - All Hope Is Gone
* GALLOWS - Grey Britain
* PLACEBO - Battle For The Sun

Best British Band

* BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE
* BRING ME THE HORIZON
* YOU ME AT SIX
* ENTER SHIKARI
* GALLOWS

Best International Band

* GREEN DAY
* SLIPKNOT
* METALLICA
* MADINA LAKE
* LAMB OF GOD

JASON NEWSTED To Guest On FULL METAL JACKIE's Radio Show - July 8, 2009

Bassist Jason Newsted (VOIVOD, METALLICA, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM) will be the featured guest on this weekend's (July 10-12) edition of Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show.

To see a full list of stations carrying the program and when it airs, go to FullMetalJackieRadio.com.

METALLICA: Audio Of Entire ROCK WERCHTER Performance Available - July 6, 2009

METALLICA's July 5, 2009 concert at the Rock Werchter festival in Werchter, Belgium was made available for listening and/or viewing via live radio and webcasts.

An audio recording of the entire performance can be streamed at this location: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=jerredk14&view=videos&query=werchter+metallica+audio

GLYDER To Support METALLICA In Dublin - July 9, 2009

Irish rockers GLYDER will support METALLICA on August 1 at Marlay Park in Dublin, Ireland. Also scheduled to appear are ALICE IN CHAINS, MASTODON and AVENGED SEVENFOLD.

Over the past four years, GLYDER has opened/toured with THIN LIZZY, DIO, W.A.S.P. and THUNDER, among many others.

METALLICA Drummer Offering Reward For Pendant's Return - July 16, 2009

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich is offering a reward for the return of a pendant that he says he lost earlier this week in Spain.

Approximately an hour before METALLICA's July 14, 2009 concert in Madrid, Ulrich went for a jog along the city's Jorge Juan street. Around 300 meters from the indoor sporting arena where the concert was being held, on the corner of Jorge Juan and Ferran Gonzalez (across the street from the Cinderella Novias store), he lost a pendant with a black cross (see photo below).

This pendant is very special to Lars because it was a gift. He is now offering a cash reward for the item's return — with no questions asked.

If you have any information about the pendant's whereabouts, please send an e-mail to webmaster@metclub.com.

WHERE THE NEW THINGS ARE . . .Want to know where the new things are? In the Metallica.com Store right now! Check out all new items including the canvas tote bag, Four Horsemen polo shirt, Metal Up undies, new Pushead Boris and Sun T-shirt designs, Black Death Magnetic USB drive - 2GB and more.

Also making its debut, the Death Magnetic etched pint glass. There are no certificates or limits on this glass after popular demand. Check out the New Items section of the store for all these products and more now!

METALLICA Frontman Talks About Dark Childhood, '80s Excesses - July 26, 2009

METALLICA frontman James Hetfield recently talked to Tim Noakes of Dazed & Confused about his life — from his dark childhood and '80s excesses to his worst fashion crimes and ongoing musical competition with drummer Lars Ulrich and guitarist Kirk Hammett.

Hetfield spoke frankly in a recent interview with Classic Rock magazine about the band's so-called "wilderness" years, in the mid-to-latter 90s, during which drug use and disagreements over the group's image and sound nearly drove them apart. Hetfield said he was particularly uncomfortable with the change in the group's image around the release of its 1996 album "Load". Hetfield explained, "The whole 'We need to reinvent ourselves' topic was up. Image isn't an evil thing to me, but if the image isn't you, it doesn't make much sense."

Hetfield said that he thought Ulrich and Hammett were "after a U2 kind of vibe, Bono doing his alter-ego. I couldn't get into it. I would say at least half the pictures that were to be in the booklet, I yanked out. The cover went against what I was feeling. Lars and Kirk were very into abstract art, pretending they were gay. I think they knew it bugged me. I think the cover of 'Load' was just a piss-take around all that. I just went along with all this crazy stupid shit."

Hetfield claimed that Ulrich and Hammett bonded over their drug use during that time and that the band's music suffered too, saying, "A lot of fans got turned off quite a bit by the music — but mostly, I think, by the image."

METALLICA bottomed out in the early part of this decade with the controversial "St. Anger" album and the documentary "Some Kind of Monster", which chronicled how they nearly fell apart and how Hetfield himself got sober.

The group rebounded last year with the acclaimed "Death Magnetic" record, and Hetfield told The Pulse of Radio there was never really any chance of METALLICA breaking up for good. "You know, 'St. Anger', the 'Monster' movie, all the stuff that we went through — once we got back together and started playing again, we knew that we were given some sort of gift to continue and not fall like many other bands have," he said. "So we've got to take care of this, and we're doing our extra best to do that."

Now, Hetfield said in Classic Rock, METALLICA is a very balanced group: "The way things are now, Lars and I are one half of the scale with (bassist) Rob Trujillo and Kirk on the other. They're great people but they're okay with someone else driving. It does take that, I think — they're very un-ego-driven and Lars and I are the other way, it seems."

METALLICA Guitarist On RICK RUBIN, Family Life And Touring - July 27, 2009

Kirk Blows of TheLondonPaper.com recently conducted and interview with METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett. An excerpt from the chat follows below.

TheLondonPaper.com: You're touring to promote your "Death Magnetic" album, seen by many as a return to form. Is that down to you guys or visionary producer Rick Rubin?

Hammett: People can pretty much think whatever the hell they want about the record. But Rick has an amazing way of getting people to try things they might have thought were taboo, like revisiting techniques to see if they're still relevant.

TheLondonPaper.com: Your live set doesn't include any tracks from 2003's "St Anger". What does that say about your thoughts on that album?

Hammett: We had to make that album to get to the point where we could make "Death Magnetic". It was the best album we could have made in very unusual circumstances.

TheLondonPaper.com: You're touring for a whole year. How do you cope without all the old excesses?

Hammett: We want to spend quality time with our families so we've devised a touring schedule where it's two weeks on, two weeks off in Europe, and one week on, one week off in the States. We can re-energize both worlds we live in — as musicians and family men — and the thought of touring for another year doesn't weigh so heavily on us any longer.

TheLondonPaper.com: Do you still think about pushing heavy metal to new extremes or just concentrate on being METALLICA?

Hammett: Definitely the latter. Metal is healthier than it was 10 years ago and there are some great bands out there. We try to make the best album we can and where it falls within the overall picture is where it falls.

TheLondonPaper.com: You're two years adrift of your 30th anniversary. How much longer can METALLICA continue?

Hammett: MOTT THE HOOPLE will play reunion shows with Ian Hunter in his 70s, and the STONES are in their 60s, so the bar keeps on getting raised. We'll keep doing it as long as it's still fun.

METALLICA Frontman Talks Touring, Songwriting - Aug. 4, 2009

Del Crookes of BBC's Newsbeat recently conducted an interview with METALLICA frontman James Hetfield. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

BBC: How's the current tour going?

Hetfield: We've only been out for a little over a year. We've got about one more year to go. It's the hump right here with one month over in Europe. We're obviously doing a lot of summer festivals, then heading back to the States. We've got South America to go. We've got more Europe. We've got Japan, some Asian things. We've got Australia and we'll see what happens after that.

BBC: Are British fans different to fans around the world or is there no difference?

Hetfield: There are differences and there are similarities in pretty much any fan on the planet. When I talk about fans, I notice the METALLICA fans more than others because I am in that band. So what I say is most of the time, the METALLICA fan is, I would say, the most dedicated of any fan because they have a lot that's thrown at them but they're able to handle it all.

And when they do go to a show, they're giving 110% just like we are. It's another level of fan. And depending on the culture where you are on the planet they're probably exerting themselves as much as they ever had even if it's standing and clapping in Japan, where they're very polite, or somewhere in Mexico City, where they're like rabid and tearing your hair out.

BBC: What's it like touring around Europe with lots of other metal bands? Do you get together after gigs or do you not see each other?

Hetfield: We do try to do as much as possible. Logistically things don't work out all the time, where we're not in the same hotel or we're flying to another gig and they're busing it, so we don't see them as often. But before the shows we're hanging, on days off we're hanging as much as possible.

Basically what we like to do is to get bands out with us that we vibe with, that we have a good time with. That's pretty important, to have a good spirit out there, backstage and on the stage, obviously bringing bands out there that the fans like but also ones that deliver the goods.

They're not just up there getting pelted and booed at by METALLICA fans. They're trying hard, they're trying really, really hard to win some people over and we love seeing that.

BBC: Do you write new material on the road or do you do it after you've finished touring?

Hetfield: It's both. It's like a waterfall. Sometimes it's happening, sometimes it's not. When we're on the road, sometimes the ideas are flowing, you can't really turn it off or turn it on. It's constantly flowing but at different levels. And most of it has to do with me.

If I'm in a good mood, I'm going to write something really great. Or if I'm in a bad mood I'm going to write something really great. Somewhere in the middle, I'll wait until one of those other emotions happens. Or if I get a really good guitar sound in the tuning room, that will spur on a great riff too.

METALLICA: 'All That Matters' Biography Coming In October - Aug. 10, 2009

A new METALLICA biography, "All That Matters", is scheduled for release in October via Plexus Publishing. Written by Paul Stenning, the 320-book is "the first all-access biography to detail [METALLICA's] entire history from early childhood through to the present day based on exclusive interviews with the band members themselves and those closest to them," according to a posting on the author's MySpace page. METALLICA's personal stories are documented in this comprehensive biography — from the tragic death of guitarist Cliff Burton in 1986 to alcoholism, divorce, departed band members, and the conflicts that drove band members to pursue group therapy and rehab.

The book includes contributions from:

Fred Cotton
Adam Dubin
Bob Nalbandian
Brian Slagel
Brian Tatler
Buffo Schnadelbach
Corinne Lynn
Flemming Rasmussen
Gary Holt
Harald O
Jim Martin
John Kornarens
Ken Anthony
Ken Jacobsen
Lloyd Grant
Pepper Keenan
Ron McGovney
Ron Quintana
Torben Ulrich
Troy Gregory
Willy Lange