a little rant of mine about old Metallica fans (this won't be the last either ) - June 27, 2003

Okay, this goes out to all you "I've been a fan since the beginning" people. 

We understand that there IS a difference between growing up with Metallica in the '80s compared to the '90s. Speaking from someone who didn't become a hard core Metallica fan until "Fuel" hit MTV and I saw them live (MOP was my FIRST album of theirs), we "young-uns" want to be heard too. 

The majority of people who bash on the '90s material are fans from the '80s, who didn't like the direction they went. We UNDERSTAND that. But we can see that it's because there's an obvious bias against the '90s era. 

They ARE biased because they grew up with Metallica. They are their cult, their religion, their "precious." They can't have anybody else have their "precious," or have their "precious" go a different direction. That's only logical for a fan of theirs since the beginning, to NOT like the post '80s stuff. It's like parents trying to deny the fact that their own baby is now a teenager who doesn't want anything to do with them. 

We UNDERSTAND that. 

Do you know how it sounds to the rest of us though? The older fans who are STILL complaining about the '90s Metallica? (old man voice) "....I remember back in the day, we used to make our own soft drinks, and we loved making them. Now, soft drinks are bought in the store, where's the fun in that? You kids don't know what you're missing." 
That's what fans from the '80s who complain about the '90s Metallica sound like to me. OLD PEOPLE who can't let go of the past. 

Here's the thing too, I AGREE that Metallica's ULTIMATE albums hail from the '80s. I myself enjoy the '80s material MORE than the '90s stuff (but I REALLY LOVE St.Anger though). I AGREE that the '80s BEST represents what Metallica is all about. But is that grounds for me to diss on the '90s era? Is that grounds for me to not show love to the '90s era? HELL NO! 

Could Metallica have gone further in the thrash metal direction if it wasn't for Bob Rock? Probably. Could Metallica have gone further in a heavier yet melodic direction if Cliff didn't die? Probably. Is that the reality? NO IT'S NOT! 

People need to stop with the mentality that something isn't good, because you "know" it could be better. Why strike something down because it didn't turn out the way YOU want it to be? People need to love something for what it is because that's what it is. 

Look at videogames as an example, and I site that because of what somebody asked me many many years ago. He asked me "why bother wasting time on Tekken2, when you KNOW that Tekken3 will come out and will be loads better." In a way, he is right, Tekken3 did come out and is better than Tekken2 (opinion damnit!). But what if Tekken3 NEVER came out, and I purposely ignored Tekken2 because of what I HOPED to find as a better alternative? Is this what the world has become, being unhappy of what you have because you are always looking for what you deem to be better? 
"The grass is always greener on the other side." 

You know what? I've always related the Loads as being like the Black Album. It's because of TBA that the loads existed. If the Loads don't represent Metallica well, then what does that say about their own self titled album? Why does Metallica have to be nothing but thrash metal? Their name itself contains the word METAL in it, so why can't they branch out into other kinds of Metal? Look at St.Anger, it's hardly the '80s Metallica there, but it's still hard, heavy, and quite Metal. Metallica doing yet another kind of metal, imagine that. 

So I'll have to say that even though the first four album BEST represents what Metallica is all about, it doesn't mean the other albums can't have a say. TBA all the way to StA represents Metallica in different ways as well. They may not be their BEST representation, but they are still very much Metallica. 

You know what else I have to vent about? The whole "Metallica SOLD OUT argument." 
(little kid voice) "....waah, they made a music video! They said they're not going to! They lied to us! Now I'll have to share them with more people! I don't want to share them! They are only mine! I hate them! Why did they have to do that? I want what's mine back!" 

So what? We youngins can't join your club? Is it because we're not "old" enough? What's that, we can love the club as much as we do, but we can't be in it? How do you think that makes US feel?

It doesn't matter if you've been listening to them since the beginning, that doesn't automatically make you a true fan. A true Metallica fan is determined by the dedication to the band as a whole. I repeat that, AS A WHOLE. You can't say you are a true Metallica fan if you only like certain albums of theirs.  You may not like a particular one as much as another, but to down right hate an album doesn't say much about how faithful you are to them.  Sure you don't want to be a sheep and just like whatever they produce, you have your own opinions, I understand that. But to downright HATE on something of theirs is falling off the MetalliFan train.

Why? Because to be a true fan is to be able to have a particular connection with the "spirit" of metallica.  The spirit of the songs they write, what those songs represent, the heavy yet melodic sound they produce, that's what defines Metallica's spirit. They've been consistent at doing all that through ALL their albums. If you liked their thrash metal stylings of the '80s but not their metal style of the '90s, then maybe it's not Metallica you like but the genre of music. If you don't want to join the ride of metal style that Metallica is going for, then stop being a fan. Just say "I'm more a fan of their old stuff" and be done with it.

So reevaluate yourself as a Metallica fan, and your opinions about their albums. Why are you a fan? Why do you like or not like certain albums? Think about it, and decide on your standing in the Metallica world.