I fucking love Metallica

Art and the Source

I didn’t have a conscious notion of what drew me to Metallica as a teenager. I think in this Metallica interview, they keyed in on it:

The intensity is in line with my interests. I like bouldering because it’s the most intense form of rock climbing. And maybe on a subconscious level, metal music relieved existential anger. Themes of death didn’t resonate with me as a teenage, but they certainly do now.

On top of enjoying their music, they’re legitimately good people. In all of their interviews you can tell that they’re being themselves. They have their own foundation and do concerts to provides instruments for less privileged kids.

When they sued napster for music piracy, their public image got destroyed. Even though I also pirated music, I was on their side. Artists should get paid for what they create. The hungry, suffering artist shouldn’t be a thing.

This goes back to Rick Rubin’s idea of the Source. The Source is an abstract object that binds us, or is the Platonic Truth. Artists are the conduit to the source. The reason why art is powerful because it brings together in pursuit of meaning.

I just saw Metallica in Palm Springs, and it was definitely a religious experience. Singing together is no different from prayer. And the music speaks to me and my existential fears.

*Tangent*

Zane Lowe who did the interview linked also did an amazing one with blink 182:

Metallica did a documentary called “Some Kind of Monster” that showed the group therapy that was done that prevented the band from breaking a part. Blink suffered a break but was mended through Mark’s diagnosis of cancer. I think they shared the problem of being young and trying to develop their own sense of identity within and without the band. Both interviews show the maturity and wisdom that brought them back together.