Dillon Aubin
Contributor
When I first heard Metallica’s recent collaboration album with Lou Reed, I thought it was some YouTube troll pulling a massive internet prank. As a Metallica listener, I think I can speak for most of their fans when I say that Lulu is simply awkward and embarrassing. Just when we thought Metallica had their act together, they decided to make a laughable attempt at combining spoken word with generic rock instrumentals. But realistically speaking, there is no reason to be surprised: ridiculous ideas are a part of both Metallica’s and Lou Reed’s history.
The two acts met when they performed together at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009. After a successful gig, the guys considered playing together
experimentally. Two years later, the results are chaos: poor production, rushed writing, and some of the worst poetry ever written.
Metallica’s career had several highs and lows. In the 1980s, the band redefined heavy metal with the release of several classic albums. But as soon as the ‘90s
hit, the metal started to rust. They received harsh criticism for writing softer music, and were called “sell outs”. Though The Black Album, Load, and Re-Load received mainstream success, the original followers lost faith in their metal gods.
In 2003, the band released St. Anger, which many fans considered their worst—now second worst—album to date. Attempting to go back to their heavy roots, they ended up carelessly recording the album instead, writing every song inside the studio rather than pre-writing as they had always done. The 2008 Death Magnetic was promising upon release, but all hope instilled by its quality was shattered by Lulu’s absurdity.
Lou Reed also has a history of criticism. His band, the Velvet Underground, was commercially unsuccessful, but was later cited as one of the most influential bands of the ‘60s. Reed quit the band in 1970 and began an initially successful solo career.
But the 1975 release Metal Machine Music made Lou Reed an icon of ridicule in rock, consisting of 64 minutes of guitar feedback and noise effects. Though Reed was making an honest artistic effort, the album was criticized viciously. His career was far from over, but the damage would last.
Now 69 years old, Reed feels no shame. In an interview with USA Today, Reed said, “I don’t have any fans left. After Metal Machine Music, they all fled. Who cares? I’m essentially in this for the fun of it.”
Neither Lou Reed nor Metallica are strangers to negative reviews. When Metallica decided to play rock music in the ‘90s, they knew it would not be well received. When the Velvet Underground’s classic debut was first released, Reed knew it wouldn’t sell. If they have spent their entire careers not caring about what people thought, why would they start now?
Some would argue that famous bands have obligations to their fans. It is acceptable for a group of nobodies to make bizarre music, but bands that already have a legacy are never free again to step outside of their boundaries. Though it is sometimes painful to see our favourite artists fall short, the sad truth is that our opinions do not matter, and rightfully should not.
I despise Lulu passionately, but I still respect their efforts. Even if Metallica decided to team up with Justin Bieber, I would listen attentively with disgust. If I were a member of one of the most celebrated metal bands in history, the last thing I would do is care.
