It should come as no surprise to anyone. But in case you
haven't heard the news, former Heavy Metal ass-kickers and
current sellout kings, Metallica is suing Napster.
Ever since their so-called Black Album, Metallica has been going down faster
than a DC 10. Every year, they've found a brand new way to sell out, and
losing more of their fan base that have been following them from the very
beginning. With the release of their last literally music-made-for-elevators
album, S&M, I knew I wasn't alone in proclaiming that Metallica was no longer a
Heavy Metal band, but just another pile of rust to be tossed on the slagheap.
What I did not expect was their willing demonstration to show the world just
how much more they were willing to sellout. They are trying to destroy the
very tools that made them the Metal Gods they once were.
When Metallica first started out, Heavy Metal was dominated by
spandex-sporting' lipstick-wearing, big haired girlyboy bands like Ratt,
Cinderella, Poison, and so on. The only way that Metallica gained it's
notoriety, was through fans trading tapes with each other. And while the band
didn't make a cent, their reputation spread like wildfire. Now, decades later,
Metallica wants to stomp the very tools out of existence that not only would
keep better bands from being heard, but would give fans a chance to hear how
bad they really are now, without having to plunk down an obscene amount of
cash.
My prediction: Metallica will continue to operate under the illusion that their
music kicks ass, and that no matter how corporate they get, true metal fans
will still like them. They will tour with The Backstreet Boys, and sue and sue
any fans caught singing their old material for "wanton vandalism of our
artistic endeavors".
