Metallica/Talk

I, Jimbo Wales, confess to listening to almost no other music than Metallica.

I think it is really interesting to see the shift in Metallica's image since the whole Napster VsMetallica? controversy erupted. Metallica was always known as a band of the people -- a band that grew in popularity by touring a lot and connecting directly with the fans, with very little record company or MTV corporate support of any kind.

Now, they are viewed as some kind of corporate shills.

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WojPob's theory is: something went wrong after they collectively cut their hair (which started to look a bit Mullet-like). Then they released /Load, which in the view of a lot of fans was a "weird" album. Then, less than a year later came /Reload, which was released much too quickly and obviously needed some more studio work. They still have the talent - maybe they're just too old now???

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''Does anyone have a clue who might become Metallica's new bass player??? - WojPob

They should get Geddy Lee from Rush?. Now that would rock. Oh, please.

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Have they made it to the second stage of rock and roll band age:

• Youthful energy - usually the best music produced here
• Protecting and slowly increasing ones audience - rehash / semi-lame new music created
• Slowing the shrink rate of the audience - obviously lame music created / multiple repackaging of greatist hits
• Having a very small audience - new, still lame music created once every 5 years
• Geezer rock former superstar status - no audience - only media fluff pieces - make the rounds at guest appearance shows - no new material - please, be charitable, become a recluse on a remote South Pacific island.