Living up to the rigorous demands of being on the road and performing in a band as physically commanding as Metallica can certainly take a toll on the body. As such, with guitarist Kirk Hammett having already crossed the threshold into his 60th year on the planet, and his bandmates not far behind, it’s sad but true that Metallica, like everyone else, will ultimately have an expiry date.
However, as it stands now, the thrash metal legends hope to at least get another decade of live performances—if not more—out of their bodies. The band’s drummer Lars Ulrich was recently asked about that in a newly published interview with Revolver.
When quizzed about the group having any timeframe or benchmarks they plan to hit before potentially retiring, he responded:
“It’s not something we’ve talked a lot about, no. I think most of the energy and the resources go into trying to stay healthy, stay cohesive, stay functioning. As I get older, I spend more and more of my time on my daily workouts, on my cardio, on my strength training. I’m chained to my Peloton hours a day. It’s all about trying to stay healthy: eating healthy, living healthy, whatever it is each of us need to bring to the table.
Obviously, there is a point where it’s maybe not going to function anymore at some level, where we can’t play ‘Battery‘ or ‘Master Of Puppets‘ or songs like that. I know there’s some people in the comments section that think that point has already come — and I appreciate that. [Laughs] But the only thing I can say is that it hasn’t happened yet, knock on wood.
Hopefully it won’t happen for a while. I mean, McCartney‘s out there past his 80th birthday. The Stones are still out there. Springsteen just started his tour.”
When it was pointed out that those artists don’t have material anywhere near as physically demanding as songs like “Battery“, Ulrich responded:
“Right. But at the same time, Springsteen plays three-hour shows and just played 28 fucking songs on the opening night. He looks healthier and stronger than ever. But I appreciate what you’re saying. None of them are playing ‘Battery.’ I would say if we stay healthy, hopefully we’ve got another decade. I mean, the second I’m done with you, I’m getting on the Peloton.”
Metallica‘s eleventh studio album “72 Seasons” will be arriving on April 14th. The band’s hefty touring schedule for it thus far currently runs as follows:
04/27 Amsterdam, NET – Johan Cruuf Arena (feat. Architects & Mammoth WVH)
04/29 Amsterdam, NET – Johan Cruuf Arena (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
05/17 Paris, FRA – Stade de France (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
05/19 Paris, FRA – Stade de France (feat. Architects & Mammoth WVH)
05/26 Hamburg, GER – Volksparkstadion (feat. Architects & Mammoth WVH)
05/28 Hamburg, GER – Volksparkstadion (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
06/16 Gothenburg, SWE – Ullevi Stadium (feat. Volbeat & Mammoth WVH)
06/18 Gothenburg, SWE – Ullevi Stadium (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
08/04 East Rutherford, NJ – Metlife Stadium (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
08/06 East Rutherford, NJ – Metlife Stadium (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
08/11 Montreal, QC – Stade Olympique (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
08/13 Montreal, QC – Stade Olympique (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
08/18 Arlington, TX – AT&T Stadium (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
08/20 Arlington, TX – AT&T Stadium (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
08/25 Los Angeles, CA – Sofi Stadium (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
08/27 Los Angeles, CA – Sofi Stadium (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
09/01 Phoenix, AZ – State Farm Stadium (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
09/03 Phoenix, AZ – State Farm Stadium (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
10/07 Indio, CA – Empire Polo Club (feat. AC/DC)
11/03 St. Louis, MO – The Dome at America’s Center (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
11/05 St. Louis, MO – The Dome at America’s Center (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
11/10 Detroit, MI – Ford Field (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
11/12 Detroit, MI – Ford Field (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
2024:
05/24 Munich, GER – Olympiastadion (feat. Architects & Mammoth WVH)
05/26 Munich, GER – Olympiastadion (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
06/07 Helsinki, FIN – Helsinki Olympic Stadium (feat. Architects & Mammoth WVH)
06/09 Helsinki, FIN – Helsinki Olympic Stadium (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
06/14 Copenhagen, DEN – Parken Stadium (feat. Architects & Mammoth WVH)
06/16 Copenhagen, DEN – Parken Stadium (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
07/05 Warsaw, POL – PGE Narodowy (feat. Architects & Mammoth WVH)
07/07 Warsaw, POL – PGE Narodowy (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
07/12 Madrid, SPA – Estadion Civitas Metrpolitano (feat. Architects & Mammoth WVH)
07/14 Madrid, SPA – Estadion Civitas Metrpolitano (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
08/02 Foxborough, MA – Gillette Stadium (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
08/04 Foxborough, MA – Gillette Stadium (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
08/09 Chicago, IL – Soldier Field (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
08/11 Chicago, IL – Soldier Field (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
08/16 Minneapolis, MN – U.S. Bank Stadium (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
08/18 Minneapolis, MN – U.S. Bank Stadium (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
08/23 Edmonton, AB – Commonwealth Stadium (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
08/25 Edmonton, AB – Commonwealth Stadium (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
08/30 Seattle, WA – Lumen Field (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
09/01 Seattle, WA – Lumen Field (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
09/20 Mexico City, MEX – Foro Sol (feat. Greta Van Fleet & Mammoth WVH)
09/22 Mexico City, MEX – Foro Sol (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
09/27 Mexico City, MEX – Foro Sol (feat. Greta Van Fleet & Mammoth WVH)
09/29 Mexico City, MEX – Foro Sol (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
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