The Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins has defended Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich in a recent video on his YouTube channel Justin Hawkins Rides Again.
“The golden era of ‘Black Album.’ I know that’s a controversial point of view in terms of Metallica,” Hawkins said. “There’ll be a lot of Metallica fans go, ‘What about ‘Master of Puppets’ and stuff?’ I get that.”
“But the thing is the one that crossed over and made Metallica the international… If you only know one metal band, it’s probably going to be Metallica,” he continued. “And the reason for that is drum beats like that just f*cking hold it down, allow the riff to sort of breathe around it. Gives you a groove.”
“And for all of the sort of criticism that I think Lars Ulrich comes in for. He’s a f*cking legend,” Hawkins added. “He plays iconic drum beats.”
Ongoing debates about Ulrich’s drumming abilities continue in the music community. Hawkins specifically emphasized the drummer’s contribution to Metallica’s mainstream success.
Hawkins’ defense of Ulrich emerges as discussions about the drummer’s evolution and impact on metal music remain active in the rock community.
Research from Loaded Radio revealed that jazz drummers like Elvin Jones heavily influenced Ulrich’s unique style. He developed a swing-oriented approach to metal drumming instead of focusing purely on technical precision.
Ulrich’s musical journey shows distinct phases of evolution. Documentation from biographical sources highlighted his aggressive thrash beats in the 1980s. He later simplified his approach during the 1990s to align with Metallica’s shift toward mainstream hard rock.
Laughing Squid documented Ulrich’s recent development of his ‘heel up’ drumming technique. This innovation has enhanced his control and responsiveness on bass drums, showing his ongoing dedication to craft improvement.
