Metallica's Lars Ulrich performs live on stage during "WorldWired". Sunday, June 18, 2017, at... [+] Soldier Field, Chicago, IL Photo: Barry Brecheisen
Lars Ulrich, drummer, ran a newspaper classified advertisement in 1981 looking for like-minded musicians. He cited English metal acts Tygers Of Pan Tang, Diamond Head, and Iron Maiden as examples.
As they say, the rest is history. The request was responded to by James Hetfield, guitarist and vocalist. And so Metallica was born. The ad represents the beginning days of a band that would sell more than 125 million albums and make thrash metal known to a new audience.
Metallica's All Within My Hands Foundation, founded in 2017, has been fighting food insecurity while training skilled workers through the endowment for Metallica Scholars. This program donated $1.6 Million to 23 community colleges as well as tech schools.
Metallica is looking back at a 40-year history of their music and has teamed up with Carhartt in order to recreate Ulrich's legendary classified ad. The campaign highlights the importance of workforce education and recruits a new generation to skilled trades. Carhartt will donate 100% of Labor Day online sales to All Within My Hands Foundations Metallica Scholars program.
Metallica, the thrash metal legends, has teamed up with Carhartt this Labor Day to highlight the importance of workforce education through Metallica's All Within My Hands Foundation’s Metallica Scholars program. Photo courtesy Carhartt
This is the start of a busy stretch of Metallica's performances. They will be back on the stage Friday, September 23, and Sunday, September 26, 2021.
Metallica will also celebrate the 30th anniversary their 16x platinum Black Album. The remastered edition is available on CD, vinyl, and as a limited edition box set. The remaster will be available on September 10, 2021. It will also accompany the physical release Metallica Blacklist. This album features 53 artists who cover the Black Albums dozen tracks. All profits from the release will be split equally between All Within My Hands Foundation, and over 50 charities selected by the artists.
Lars Ulrich spoke to me about creating his 1981 classified ad and the importance of workforce education. He also discussed curating the new Metallica Blacklist. Below is a transcript of our conversation by phone, which has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
The constant need to look forward and not back is one of my favorite things about Metallica. The ad is a reminder to look back at the band's early days. How does it feel to do that 40 years later?
LARS ULRICH - That's definitely going back to the very beginning!
It's hilarious. It warms my heart to see the video and the ad come alive. It's crazy to think that we are only 40 years from this now. It would be hard to believe that Metallica would still exist 40 years later. We would never have thought we would find ourselves in a position to start a charity organization to help the music community. Metallica could team up with an American icon like Carhartt to do something similar.
All of this would have seemed absurd if you said that 40 years ago I would be speaking with Forbes on Labor Day weekend. We are here. It's not a fantasy. It's not just a dream.
How important is it after a time of record unemployment to train a new generation via the All Within My Hands Foundation Metallica Scholars to fill these skilled worker positions?
Ulrich: These issues are important. We feel we have a niche in which we can shine some light. We have an opportunity to speak out about these issues. It seems more timely given the impact of the last year and half on so many people's lives and the hardships that have followed.
We believe there are many organizations that support worthy causes. We are so glad to be a part of this. We feel that workforce education is a niche that fits our fanbase. It's about giving back to both the communities and to our fans. This is an important part of the Metallica fanbase around the globe.
We were proud of this and spoke out about it. It's wonderful that we can help bring attention to these issues. It was a great gesture by Carhartt to do 100% of [online] profits for 24 hours during Labor Day. It's more than 100% of the profits. It is 100% of everything generated starting at dollar one. It's a commitment. It is a commitment to give back and to making a difference.
Metallica and Carhartt team up to celebrate Labor Day. They want to bring attention to the importance of workforce education through Metallica's All Within My Hands Foundation. Carhartt / Herring & Herring.
The Metallica Scholars program stands out to me because of its intense focus on tech schools and community colleges. It was so important to be involved at this level.
Ulrich: This is five years ago now. It's five years since we last spoke publicly about it. Since we were children, we have been working behind the scenes with food insecurity and local food banks. When we decided to create an organization and make it public in 2016, we had to write a mission statement. This helped us identify where we could make a difference. We sat down to examine our passions, both within the group as well as the organization. Then we tried to find the areas where we felt we could make a difference.
I'm not saying other organizations haven't considered workforce education, but it felt like we had something to offer in this particular niche. It feels like a genuine extension of the fans we have. All four of us can relate to those who need education, just as we have all been in various situations where we were at the receiving end. We were simply trying to make an impact at that level.
Metallica has always been about authenticity and transparency. They also try to eliminate smokescreens. This is true! The world is made up of a combination of many different things. It feels worthwhile to be able contribute to this cause and help more people with these skills. We are thrilled about the interest shown in this project so far.
We have donated, I think, over $4 million. It feels like we are just starting, much like Metallica. There is so much to do, so many places to make a difference and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of smiles when people realize that they can participate in these programs.
I am extremely proud of the contributions that the rock community has made. It's wonderful for the entire world to see how hard rock is driven by the same passions as other music genres. I am proud of how all the fans joined in to make this happen, at both their local and national levels. Also, things like the workforce programs.
Lars Ulrich (left), and James Hetfield, (right) perform together on stage during Metallica's "World...[+] Magnetic" tour. Monday 26 January 2009, Allstate Arena, Rosemont, IL Photo: Barry Brecheisen
The loss of live music in the midst of pandemic is not only devastating for the artists, but also many others. Your guys will soon be back on the stage. How much of an impact has the pandemic had on the community within your camp? And, what is the importance of putting these people back to work after the past year and a quarter?
Ulrich: Many people don't understand the complexity of these endeavors. Crew Nation, a charity that was created by Live Nation partners, specifically helps stagehands and everyone. Many people don't realize how many people are involved in a concert, sporting event, or other large gathering. This includes drivers, stagehands, ushers, and all the amazing people who make it happen, such as scaffolding and stage sets.
We have done our part to support the charity in the past year and a quarter. We are proud to have managed to keep most of our staff engaged. We haven't had to let anyone go. Its been difficult. We've done our best and everyone has tried to stay involved. We were trying our best to be like everyone else.
It has been an extraordinary 18 months. We are not yet out of the woods, as you all know. It's still an uncertain period. It's a time of anxiety. It's almost a daily thing. Every morning, when I check my news sources, it seems that so-andso has cancelled or COVID or soandso is postponing this event. It's insane.
In a few weeks, we'll be able to restart the machine and start Metallica again. It's definitely an uncertain period. Every day we hope and pray that it will be possible. We pray and hope that we get out safely again.
Music is a powerful tool for bringing about change in these difficult times. Music is a powerful tool for connecting people. It is amazing how much it can make a big difference. We have to find a way. You know the old saying, "There is no such thing as a bad way." It must continue.
As long as safety is paramount and the boundaries are clear, rock and roll can exist within them. I believe we should take responsibility for connecting people and music to keep it going. It is important.
Metallica's Lars Ulrich performs live on stage during "WorldWired". Sunday, June 18, 2017, at... [+] Soldier Field, Chicago, IL Photo: Barry Brecheisen
It was so important that Metallica Blacklist found a way to revisit The Black Album, embrace nostalgia a little while pushing the music forward.
Ulrich: Metallica began as a cover band. Metallica loves to cover other artists' music and still enjoys it. Over the years, many other groups and genres have respectfully covered Metallica songs. They have done amazing covers, from bluegrass to great instrumentals to Korean death metal bands to hip-hop and classical renditions. This is a guitarist playing five Metallica songs with a hurdy gurdy. Amazing range!
We have never encouraged this. Although we have always been grateful and thankful, this Blacklist project is our first attempt to curate one. We wanted to get Metallica fans and others who are also admirers and musicians together. This is our first attempt at curating this and we are thrilled to see the project bring together 53 songs! 53 amazing artists. This was more amazing than we could have ever imagined. We did not expect to get this high a response rate. It has become a large project. It's a great project, and I believe it will continue to grow as more people discover the different music.
Everyone was encouraged to choose a song. We weren't going to tell anyone which songs they should be doing. It's okay if five people end up singing the same song.
Sam Fender, a British musician, did a very simple and sparse interpretation of Sad But True. Jason Isbell is also an amazing artist. Sad But True has been done by many people. But, if you listen back to both Jason Isbell's and Sam Fenders versions of Sad But True, it is clear what this project represents to me and what I am proudest of.
It is so amazing to think that 2021 will be able cast such a wide net. It is amazing to see all these different artists, from all genres and countries, take 12 songs from The Black Album and make them sound their own. And then sit down with 53 songs and understand the variety and scope of all that is. It is amazing to see how different artists take Metallica songs and make them their own.
We are now back at the beginning. Who would have thought that such a thing could ever happen 40 years ago? It's crazy.
