Current Events > Lars Ulrich is one of the GOAT drummers and you won't change my mind

(+) Yeah! (+)

He's constantly thrased by the metal community, the music community and casual fans alike for his inconsistent live performances, his amateurish mistakes and timekeeping, etc. Common arguments like "you put lars in any other band and he'd fucking bomb so hard", "literally any session musician is better than him", "metallica would be better with a better drummer", etc.

I don't agree, or think it even matters. For one thing, what does it matter how Lars would do in another band? He's only ever played for Metallica. That's his one job, all he's ever wanted to do. So comparing how he'd do in other bands is redundant. If it's pointless to talk about putting a metal drummer in a jazz band, it's pointless to talk about putting Lars in a not-Metallica band.

For another, how completely unique does he sound? I swear you can give me a list of 10 other great metal session drummers and I could not distinguish their sound at all. Even some of the most technically proficient and genius metal drummers can be hard to pinpoint. But I can tell its a Lars Ulrich sample within 4 bars. There is no one on earth who sounds like that. That's an amazing quality in a musician. Like no one criticises Bob Dylan for lacking singing chops, but you can spot Bob Dylan singing any day.

One of my favourite things about his drumming is that it seems like he inadvertently introduces weird time signatures because he just like...doesn't know how to keep a straight 4/4 beat. And somehow that becomes part of the song like the other band members couldn't be bothered arguing with him, and so you have that unique metallica sound. I know that sounds sarcastic, but I genuinely love it. Lars drums in a weird way that you wouldn't teach, and I like that.

Shout out to Ringo Star, Ginger Baker and Meg White for similar reasons.

He has a stupid face, though.

BurmesePenguin posted...

He has a stupid face, though.

And a stupid personality, let's not forget that. I genuinely believe that the reason so many metallica songs just like...change time signatures half way through is because no one else in the band could be bothered confronting lars that day, or any day.

Well there's a language barrier.

Ginger Baker was extremely technically proficient, played with a wide variety of bands, and doesn't belong on that list.

He'd kick the shit out of Lars, too.

I don't think he's bad at all and the way metal fans act like he has no talent at all is ridiculous. Still, I wouldn't put him nowhere near the GOAT category.

Ringo is another who gets undeserved crap, but he's a very good drummer. Ginger Baker gets praised deservedly. Any hate he gets is because he was an asshole.

GOAT category is for people like Buddy Rich and Neil Peart. Personally I'd put Bill Ward up there too.

He's the right drummer for the right band.

You can apply that to a lot of people. Meg White is a shit drummer but I wouldn't want anyone else playing in White Stripes

Funny how the "Lars is a shit drummer" started up around the time of the Napster nonsense. Almost like people had a bone to pick...

Sorry the correct answer is Stewart Copeland.

He's a terrible drummer. Just not good at all. Everyone else in the band is good and he's just so bleh.

Awful.

From a technical standpoint he is legit mid. Probably not even top 25 all time. From a legacy standpoint though he is undoubtedly a legend. Still not the GOAT though.

>legit mid
>probably doesn't crack the all time top 25

His importance to the band is in the co-writing of all of their biggest songs

Not bad for a 60-year old

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTt3ozAavhk

Yup

One of the GOAT drummers everyone forgets about is Phil Collins. His Genesis days are some of the best prog drumming around. He's influenced countless drummers including Mastodon's Brann Dailor.

AND he has the skills to back it up. I will forever simp for the Collins

Lars is not a bad drummer. People hate on him because hes an a$$ sometimes. He also heard how his drums sounded on St. Anger and was like whats the problem?.

Rick Allen is better

I love his drumming innovations on St. Anger.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/9/7/5/AAZAz4AAEwb_.jpg

MrResetti posted...

Yo that's fucked up

My problem with Metallica is how they sold out with the black album and the long period of un-listenable garbage that came after.

My issue with Lars is how his ego and greed caused their last good album Justice for all to sound like ass, and how he went after music sharing like Napster because he didn't have enough money apparently.

Lars is the only reason the band didn't fade into drunken obscurity in the 80s. His contribution is as a songwriter and as the driving force behind keeping Metallica together. As a drummer he's fine.

Torgo posted...

My issue with Lars is how his ego and greed caused their last good album Justice for all to sound like ass

Such a damn shame about that album and them messing with the bass is one of the dumbest decisions in music history.

AndreLeGeant posted...

Lars is the only reason the band didn't fade into drunken obscurity in the 80s. His contribution is as a songwriter and as the driving force behind keeping Metallica together. As a drummer he's fine.

At worst, the immensely talented people in Metallica would have went on to other bands or projects like Dave Mustaine who founded Megadeth.

In the end Metallica produced exactly four great studio albums.

voldothegr8 posted...

Yo that's fucked up

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/9/9/1/AAZZwsAAEwcP.jpg

Torgo posted...

At worst, the immensely talented people in Metallica would have went on to other bands or projects like Dave Mustaine who founded Megadeth.

In the end Metallica produced exactly four great studio albums.

James would likely be dead. Gosh I think he's said as much.

Metallica is so far ahead of Megadeth or other metal bands in terms of legacy and notoriety. Even if you don't like any songs or albums since Black Album, they have shepherded their legacy since then extremely well. And that's down to Lars.

Hell, Lars was right about Napster and the devaluation of music. Modern rock is pretty much dead because you can't make money off it, and Lars called that. The most successful rock band in the last decade is probably Ghost, and their net worth is a whopping $3m. Before digital destroyed the value of music, Tobias Forge would have been sitting on $10m+ just from Mary on a Cross

Bill Bruford retired as the king.

pinky0926 posted...

Like no one criticises Bob Dylan for lacking singing chops, but you can spot Bob Dylan singing any day.

lol it's only like THE MAIN REASON bob dylan non fans don't like him

Torgo posted...

My problem with Metallica is how they sold out with the black album and the long period of un-listenable garbage that came after.

My issue with Lars is how his ego and greed caused their last good album Justice for all to sound like ass, and how he went after music sharing like Napster because he didn't have enough money apparently.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kqTcLwUYj8&pp=ygUVYW5kIGp1c3RpY2UgZm9yIGphc29u

Justice is their best album and mixed properly, it's even better! Just don't pay attention to the wonky drums cause they are that way by design of a weird wonky drummer.

AndreLeGeant posted...

Even if you don't like any songs or albums since Black Album, they have shepherded their legacy since then extremely well. And that's down to Lars.

I completely disagree.

Their post black album legacy is that of a dysfunctional sellout band.

Does anyone even care or listen to St. Anger or Load anymore?

None of those songs make it to their top 10 or even 25 lust - if they appear on a greatest hits compilation it's out of contractual obligation.

Also Dave Mustaine is a huge asshole as well.

Torgo posted...

I completely disagree.

None of those songs make it to their top 10 or even 25 lust - if they appear on a greatest hits compilation it's out of contractual obligation.

Until it Sleeps, King Nothing, The Memory Remains, Fuel, etc. are still mainstays of their live shows

Torgo posted...

I completely disagree.

Their post black album legacy is that of a dysfunctional sellout band.

Does anyone even care or listen to St. Anger or Load anymore?

None of those songs make it to their top 10 or even 25 lust - if they appear on a greatest hits compilation it's out of contractual obligation.

Also Dave Mustaine is a huge asshole as well.

Every album debuts at number 1. They do huge tours around the world constantly. They are synonymous with heavy metal and one of the few bands almost everyone can name, up there with the Beatles.

John Bonham > *

Torgo posted...

My problem with Metallica is how they sold out with the black album and the long period of un-listenable garbage that came after.

"Yes, we sell out... every seat in the house, every time we play, anywhere we play" - Jason Newsted

There is no selling out, only buying in

Euripides posted...

There is no selling out, only buying in

T. Rex definitely sold out.

Compare the first album
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM_NXUQJAXI

to the sixth one
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPkc5-2McG0

Ulrich has done a good job of managing their career.

As for the artistic side, they're just a band that kept going for decades after they peaked.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

Beatles

divot1338 posted...

Beatles

Monkees did it better anyway. Davy was a way better drummer than Mickey.

divot1338 posted...

Beatles

Also, Ringo could hold a beat remarkably well and never lose time.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]



Yeah it truly is a shame. Not sure at all why they can't re-mix it again, it deserves so much more love. I'm not a huge Metallica fan, but this album is absolutely top tier stuff.

Questionmarktarius posted...

John Bonham > *

You can't just drop one of the most universally loved, talented, prolific and multi-faceted drummers of all time as a counter argument. Bonham could have played in any band in any genre in any time period, he was that good.

I'm saying Lars is sucky in his own special unique way that makes metallica great, and that in itself qualifies him as one of the GOAT drummers ever.

Torgo posted...

My problem with Metallica is how they sold out with the black album and the long period of un-listenable garbage that came after.

My issue with Lars is how his ego and greed caused their last good album Justice for all to sound like ass, and how he went after music sharing like Napster because he didn't have enough money apparently.

Those first four albums are still straight fire, including Lars. I listened to Kill 'Em All in the truck yesterday, and even back then, Lars played with power that perfectly fit the music. And the drum work on And Justice for All is fantastic.

Metallica's transformation from the Black Album onward is so strange it's almost like an entirely new band. It sounds like different dudes are writing the music. I don't begrudge fans of the post-Black album music, but it doesn't catch my ear as pre-Black Metallica does.

So what Metallica became isn't all Lars. And his 1980s drumming is part of four nearly perfect metal albums.

pinky0926 posted...

You can't just drop one of the most universally loved, talented, prolific and multi-faceted drummers of all time as a counter argument. Bonham could have played in any band in any genre in any time period, he was that good.

You are now imagining Bonham doing the drums for Baby Shark.

Questionmarktarius posted...

You are now imagining Bonham doing the drums for Baby Shark.

Probably best to stay away from stories involving Led Zeppelin and sharks . . .

bruplex posted...

Those first four albums are still straight fire, including Lars. I listened to Kill 'Em All in the truck yesterday, and even back then, Lars played with power that perfectly fit the music. And the drum work on And Justice for All is fantastic.

Metallica's transformation from the Black Album onward is so strange it's almost like an entirely new band. It sounds like different dudes are writing the music. I don't begrudge fans of the post-Black album music, but it doesn't catch my ear as pre-Black Metallica does.

So what Metallica became isn't all Lars. And his 1980s drumming is part of four nearly perfect metal albums.

My biggest issues with the first albums are just the horrendous mixing. They literally are all bad. They sound not good and I dislike listening to them and it really hampers the albums for me.