News > Metallica
Metallica Joins A Useless Club, Gains Bassist
By Johnny Firecloud
Monday, April 6, 2009
It only took ‘em 28 years and 100 million albums, but Metallica were finally inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame at Cleveland’s newly renovated Public Auditorium on April 4, celebrating the band’s massive accomplishments throughout their lengthy career.
Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea described the Californian quartet as “fucking rad” before inviting the band onto the stage. “If you’re gonna have a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, you’ve got to have Metallica in it,” the blue-haired Pepper said.
Fans at the star-studded event saw something nobody ever thought they’d witness: former bassist Jason Newsted rejoining his bandmates – as well as his successor Rob Trujillo – for blistering versions of Master Of Puppets and Enter Sandman.
“Dream big and dare to fail,” frontman James Hetfield told the audience. “I dare you to do that, because this is living proof that it is possible to make a dream come true.”
Saturday’s ceremony felt much more like a concert than an awards show, something organizers haven’t had the sense to arrange until now. For the first time, tickets to the ceremony were sold to the public, lending the Hall its very first thread of respectability. It seems like sacrilege that it would take ‘em nearly three decades to recognize a band that singlehandedly put metal on the map of American culture, but the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame doesn’t exactly stand for anything in the grand scheme of things, does it?
Rap legends Run-DMC were also inducted this year. Eminem presented the honor to surviving members Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons and Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, calling them “the baddest of the bad and the coolest of the cool.”
Soul singer Bobby Womack and R&B vocal group Little Anthony & The Imperials were inducted as well.
This is kinda bittersweet. As much as I love Metallica and am glad to see them in, it has only been 3 years since they were eligible to be inducted, and they have jumped over some who are also deserving of this honor and have waited even longer.
For christ’s sake, Black Sabbath had to wait 11 years after becoming eligible to be inducted, which was a tragedy, to be sure, but the list also includes some of rocks most important bands/artists: Alice Cooper, T. Rex, Moody Blues, Rush, Sweet, Willie Nelson, Thin Lizzy, Derek and the Dominos, Blue Oyster Cult, The Faces, Sammy Davis Jr., UFO…the list goes on.
Granted, some of those are not exactly “rock” per se,(but neither was Run DMC) and their merit debatable, but several are very influental, especially to bands like Metallica, and should have been honored already.
I know they can’t induct everyone, and the list is huge, but when some bands get in in the first year that they are eligible, while others have had to wait for who knows when to get recognition, it kinda sucks.
That being said, I applaud Metallica, they are more than deserving, and I’m glad they are finally inducting metal bands now. I look forward to Tool, Pantera, Faith No More,(not that I’m trying to lump those bands together, they are all very different in their own right)and others like them being inducted once they are eligible too.
Rush not being in is a joke. They’re one of the most influential bands ever.
you guys are cooler than stereo gum. step it up.
Needs more Marillion.
Of course..Fish era Marillion.
Marillion>>>>Rush
Nobody gives much a shit about the rock hall. Everybody knew how legendary Metallica was before this and nothing’s changed.
The only cool part about this was seeing the band play with two basses, and only cuz it defies convention. And seeing that crazy looking guitar kirk was playing.
I’ve always loved Marillion. Maybe someone will start a Prog Hall Of Fame.