Arts & Entertainment, Business, Music
Meet Your Instructors
Lesson time 06:13 min
Explore what it takes to thrive creatively and professionally as a band with rock pioneers Metallica. Your instructors—James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Robert Trujillo—share what it takes to be a band that lasts.
Students give MasterClass an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars
Topics include: Metallica Teaches Being a Band
Preview
[BELL CHIMING] LARS ULRICH: I was searching to be in a group, or collective, or gang. JAMES HETFIELD: It was that family I never had or always wanted that I found in a band. LARS ULRICH: When James and I met, James and I realized that we were kindred spirits, and like-minded in our passions for music, and that we enjoyed the same elements of music, and the energy, and the collective spirit. JAMES HETFIELD: We wanted to do this, and we loved it. It just lived in us. KIRK HAMMETT: We've gone on to become one of the biggest bands in the world. The bond that we have, it's so strong, that brought us together is music and the possibilities of more creative greatness. [MUSIC PLAYING] I mean, I think that what we're doing at the moment is quite a bit different from what people have heard before. REPORTER 1: The American heavy metal band, described as the angriest band in the world-- REPORTER 2: Eight wins, 17 nominations at the Grammys, 110 million albums sold worldwide. - Their current album has been on the charts for 75 weeks. The winner tonight-- MAN: Artist the year goes to Metallica. - We've grown up together. We all know each other, and we continue, after 40 years, to learn more about each other. LARS ULRICH: Every single time James Hetfield puts a guitar on, something brilliant comes out. It's unbelievable still 40 years later. JAMES HETFIELD: Rob is that calming spirit. LARS ULRICH: Plus he's a motherfucker of a bass player. ROBERT TRUJILLO: Kirk, when he plays those guitar solos, those leads, and those melodic moments, it almost is like tears are coming out of his eyes because he loves his instrument so much. KIRK HAMMETT: If there is an energy center, the spark that gets the engine going, that would have to be Lars. JAMES HETFIELD: He is the guy that will want to sign 100 autographs, go do a show, and then do it again. It's not all rainbows and unicorns. That's for sure. You face yourself through the other guys. There's a lot of darkness and a lot of struggle. - All sorts of crazy things have happened. We've been snowed in. We've been snowed out. We've had situations where shots are being fired at the stage, and we've had to evacuate. It's taken a huge toll emotionally, physically, and spiritually on us. There's been times when it's been fractured, and it looks like we're on the verge of breaking up. - Metallica really experienced some internal issues. It was in the wake of Jason Newsted leaving the band. A performance coach came in. We started talking to each other. It was a very transformative few years, and it was basically the first time where we ever really talked to each other about how we were doing, how we were feeling, and how being in Metallica was affecting us individually. The Metallica that has now been going for the last 15 to 18 years is a result of that. - Are you ready to make history? ...
About the Instructor
With 28 albums, 8 Grammy Awards, and a home in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Metallica have been creating iconic music together for over 40 years. Now, they’re teaching what it takes to build and sustain success as a group. Get an exclusive look into their process for songwriting, building an album, and performing, and how they took charge of their creative destiny so you can do the same.
Featured MasterClass Instructor
Metallica
8x Grammy Award–winning rock band Metallica teaches you the keys to communicating, collaborating, and successfully creating as a group.
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