In a recent episode of The Metallica Report podcast, producer Bob Rock named the drummer who is the most comparable to Lars Ulrich’s playing.
During the discussion, Rock shared an observation about Ulrich’s drumming technique during the S&M performances. Rock also explained that Ulrich utilizes Hetfield’s guitar playing as the foundation for his drumming, a technique reminiscent of Moon’s approach with The Who guitarist Pete Townshend. He shared:
“Lars plays to James, that’s why his fills are around the riffs. So when you put that into perspective, I think the closest drummer to Lars is Keith Moon, because they play musical drums. It’s not just keeping the beat, it’s everything.”
Metallica Had A Different Way Of Recording
Rock worked with Metallica numerous times, both as a temporary member and as a producer. He produced 7 Metallica albums and played bass in the band’s 8th studio album, ‘St. Anger.’ Throughout his years as a producer with the band, there was one thing he noticed: Metallica recorded a certain way than others. The producer explained how he then helped the band ‘be the best they could be’:
“The thing I immediately noticed is, before me, they recorded a certain way, which is the way Flemming [Rasmussen] recorded. And that’s all they knew, so that is the way they learned how to make records. When I came in, I just kinda went, ‘That’s not how I know how to make records’… It really comes down to the fact that I was there to help them be the best that they can be.”
Hetfield Thought Ulrich Was ‘Terrible’
Ulrich has been playing with Metallica since their formation in 1981. Before it was decided he would join the band, Hetfield considered getting another drummer since he thought Ulrich was ‘terrible.’ As he recalls to Terry L Karges, Hetfield knew that Ulrich needed some work to get in the band. His setup also didn’t help apparently, which had five different colors and a cymbal falling every time he hit. He recalled:
“I called him up, we got an audition, and he was terrible. But his spirit and his motivation were spectacular. We said, ‘You’re not what we’re looking for.’”
Despite the challenges, Ulrich eventually joined the band and is now one of the world-renowned drummers.
You can hear the podcast below.
