Metallica Make History

Metallica received a big Christmas gift from Nielsen SoundScan with news that their Black Album has reportedly earned a historic distinction. BW&BK has the story:

Metallica’s self-titled album from 1991 (known as the black album) has surpassed Shania Twain’s 1997 CD “Come On Over” to become the best-selling album since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales for Billboard on March 1, 1991. Metallica has sold 15,490,000 copies whereas Come On Over has sold 15,487,000.

Metallica singer gives 330 acres to Calif. county

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Metallica frontman James Hetfield is donating 330 acres overlooking California’s Lucas Valley for preservation as farmland.

The Marin County Board of Supervisors unanimously accepted the donation Tuesday. It follows Hetfield’s earlier gift to the county of more than 400 acres for open space. Both plots of land are around Hetfield’s home.

Hetfield’s land use consultant, Scott Hochstrasser, says the donations reflect the singer’s desire to maintain privacy and preserve open space.

Meanwhile, county officials say they are close to a deal with Hetfield that would reroute a hiking trail that crosses his property. The project is expected to cost the county more than $200,000.

Hetfield recently constructed a fence to block use of the trail.

Big Four is On! Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax Concerts Confirmed

You wanted the thrash, you got it! Metallica had this big news announcement on their website Monday: You’ve been posting and chatting about it for months and we’re here now to confirm it . . . Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax will all share the same stage for the first time EVER! Look for the four of us at the Sonisphere shows in Warsaw, Poland and Prague, Czech Republic on June 16 and 19, 2010 with a few more of the festival dates still in the works, you can be sure these shows won’t be the only ones.

In the words of Lars: “Who would have thought that more than 25 years after its inception, thrash metal’s big 4 would not only still be around and more popular than ever, but will now play together for the first time…what a mindf**k! Bring it on!”

Metallica Add Date

Metallica had this news for fans in Ireland: “We’re jumping ahead to May as we continue to roll out the dates for 2010 a few at a time. It’s been over 20 years, so needless to say, we are looking forward to returning to Belfast on May 11 at the Odyssey.”

Former Metallica Man McGovney Selling His Bass

Former Metallica bassist Ron McGovney is currently auctioning off his Fender Precision bass on eBay.

Says McGovney, who preceded Cliff Burton in the band: “I am including the original sales receipt which has my address that I lived at in Norwalk , California until 1987. The phone number on the receipt is the same as the one most Metallica collectors will recognize as being the same as the number on the original Metallica business cards.

“The photos in this listing include gigs I played with Phantasm (his post-Metallica band), as well as a photo of a plaque in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with my name on it. There is a photo of Robert Trujillo, Jason Newsted, and me taken in Cleveland before Metallica was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. That was three out of four Metallica bass players together, and, of course, we all miss the late great Cliff Burton.

“The bass is a 1985 USA made Fender p-bass ivory in color. The only things ever changed on it were the strings. It is all stock. It is in great condition , and has not been used very much at all since I was in Phantasm in 1987.

I plugged it in yesterday , and it still has that great p-bass punch. It comes with a hard shell case that is kinda worn and the latches are a little rusty, but they still work.

“This was a bass that was used live and in the studio when Phantasm recorded our demo called Wreckage. This demo is available from other sellers on eBay.

“If you would like to see the bass in a video, you can find them on YouTube. Just look for Phantasm or my account Metal1982.”

Metallica Release Game

(Warner Bros.) Tapulous, a leader in music games for the iPhone and iPod touch, today announced that Tap Tap Revenge: Metallica, the newest addition to the Tapulous family of games, is now available from the App Store. Featuring classics like “Enter Sandman” and “One”, Tap Tap Revenge: Metallica will give music fans an interactive outlet to rock out to Metallica using an iPhone or iPod touch in a way they never have before.

“Tap Tap Revenge fans have been wanting an app from us that rocks and no band embodies rock music better than Metallica,” said Tim O’Brien, head of business development at Tapulous “The Tap Tap Revenge: Metallica App really captures the head-thrashing metal of James, Lars, Kirk and Robert and is our most amped up game to date.”

The Tap Tap Revenge: Metallica App features the high quality gameplay that Tap Tap Revenge players have come to expect. Accompanying the career mode is a new fast-paced Arcade Mode where players are challenged with bombs and other special objects that make the game more fun than ever before. Tap Tap Revenge: Metallica is also the first game in the Tap Tap Revenge series to include a Bluetooth-based Battles Mode where players challenge friends to a point-by-point battle where they can deploy bombs and other special objects to distract the opposition and secure victory.

When asked for a quote about Tap Tap Revenge: Metallica, the band’s Lars Ulrich turned it over to his eleven year old son, Myles, who, while coming up for air in between games, was heard uttering, “You haven’t lived ’till you’ve played this!”

Tap Tap Revenge: Metallica was designed with the die-hard Metallica fans in mind, and the game features a unique live action Metallica theme that captures the essence the band is famous for. Users will also have access to a Metallica news feed that provides updates on the band, along with challenge updates and a public battle message board, so users can participate in a true Metallica community.

With this diehard Metallica community in mind, Tapulous is also announcing a one-of-a-kind contest where one lucky fan will get to rock out with Metallica at the sold out Las Vegas stop of their “World Magnetic Tour”.

Everyone who purchases the Tap Tap Revenge: Metallica App will be entered to win the grand prize, which consists of: two tickets, airfare, ground transportation, and an opportunity to meet the band! The concert is taking place December 5, 2009 at 7:00pm PT, from the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Tap Tap Revenge: Metallica includes the following ten songs:

• Enter Sandman
• Sad But True
• King Nothing
• All Nightmare Long
• Some Kind of Monster
• Master of Puppets
• Seek & Destroy
• Fuel
• One
• For Whom the Bell Tolls

The Tap Tap Revenge Metallica App is available for $4.99 from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch

Metallica Set New DVD Release

We knew this DVD was coming but the big news is you don’t have live in France to get your hands on it. Here is the announcement: Metallica are poised to release a live DVD entitled ‘Francais Pour Une Nuit’ (translation: French For One Night) on 23 November. This will be their first ever French concert DVD. It was filmed at the Roman Coliseum in Nimes, France in July of 2009. In keeping with this Franco-phile theme, the DVD will be available in retail stores in France only. However, due to a strong demand from Metallica fans around the world, ‘Francais Pour Une Nuit’ will be made available on a direct-to-consumer basis through Universal Music (www.metallicanimes.com), as well as the band’s own website (www.metallica.com).

COVER

‘Francais Pour Une Nuit’ is an electrifying full length live DVD. The 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse -that is, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo- ride into Nimes and make their entrance into the Coliseum, through the gladiator’s tunnel, before performing an explosive set of Metallica music. Fans can also look forward to some exclusive backstage footage.

‘Francais Pour Une Nuit’ is unique in that not only was it filmed in France, but ALL aspects of the project are French…other than the band themselves, of course! The concert was filmed, recorded, and edited with French camera and recording crews; the artwork was created by a French design team (including a one-of-a-kind special package); even credits are in French.

Hammet closes down Big Four tour

The much-rumoured Big Four thrash metal tour is not going to happen, says Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett.

Gossip has been swirling for months over Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax hitting the road together, especially after Dave Mustaine of Megadeth appeared to make amends with Slayer’s

Kirk Hammet

Kerry King over the feud that’s stood between them for nearly 20 years.

Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo recently commented that plans were on the table, although nothing firm had been arranged, while members the three other acts made positive noises about the idea.

However, Hammett now states no such tour will take place, and his words have the sound of permanence about them.

He says: “That tour is not gonna happen.

“I’ve been hearing that. We’ve all been hearing it for a while. I get asked regularly. It’s a good idea and I can see the significance of playing a tour like that.

“There’s conflicting schedules, conflicting personalities – a lot of conflicting things. It’s not gonna happen.”

While everyone’s been generally positive about the idea, recent comments seem to support Hammett’s position on conflict. Mustaine has said he wouldn’t want to play on an ‘in-the-round’ format stage, which is the setup Metallica have been using, while King has said he doubts Mustaine’s ability to “not be an asshole”, and has added he thinks Machine Head would be a better fit than Anthrax, to which that band’s Scott Ian said: “I guess Kerry missed Sonisphere”.

Meanwhile, Megadeth bassist James Lomenzo has been discussing the eccentric Dave Mustaine. He tells Metal Exiles: “I think some people will get this – Dave has a very delineated way of looking at things. His synapse in my mind occurs with lightning speed. Where as some of us have a southern drawl when it comes to thinking he is always snap-snap-snap.

“Everything we do is gone over and quality-controlled, which he’s exceptional at. He’ll make sure the rhythms are where they need to be, and I think that is where the control of the chaos goes.

“The duality of his nature is that he has an erratic side, an angry side and a good-natured side. But when it comes to Megadeth he understands what that thing is. Even though you are going to unleash the hounds on a Megadeth record make sure those hounds are well fed and groomed.”