listen live

• playlist
• schedule
• podcasts

Launch mi-Xfm - personalised radio

search

• on air
• artists
• music news
• gigs & tickets
• xfm+
• uploaded

• latest news
• gig news
• releases
• xfm news
• competitions
• uk news
• weather

Metallica Drummer Finally Speaks Out

added 10 June 2004 at 11.40

As previously reported, Ulrich failed to make it on stage at Metallica’s headlining slot last Sunday (June 6) and was replaced by Dave Lombardo of Slayer, Joey Jordison of Slipknot, Sal Abruscato of Life Of Agony and Ulrich's drum tech Flemming Larsen.

Amidst plenty of rumours regarding exactly what occurred Ulrich has recorded a (somewhat rambling) video message on his band’s official website giving his own explanation why he didn’t play.

“I had the strangest dream last night, I dreamt I missed a Metallica show.” He jokes, “It was so scary, It’s the kind of dream I have, not once a year, but once every couple of years, it was a big show and I miss it!”

“Seriously though, we’d been going pretty heavy for most of the year, as you’re aware. We had to take a bit of chill out time in October, as some of our Latin American friends will remember [Metallica cancelled some South American dates last year citing exhaustion] and it all kinda caught up with me the other day and I had to chill out.

“There’s no reason to bore anyone with the details, but I’m fine as you can see, and I’m looking forward to playing tonight, but I had a little episode on the airplane going to Donington the other day, and I thought I would be best to get it checked out cos I was having a weird half hour there.

“I think that part of the past six months of playing super-duty metal and travelling the world, at my age, kinda caught up on me a little bit.

“So I still have this strange dream that I missed a Metallica gig for the first time in 23 years, its so surreal, but I want to thank, obviously, all the fans in Donnigton for being so supportive, and I want to thank - and from what I heard from James and Kirk and Rob, it went well – Joey from Slipknot for stepping up, and Dave from Slayer.

God I wish I could’ve seen that… on second thoughts it’s probably better I didn’t. But that’s pretty cool that Joey and Dave, and of course Flemming Larsen, my trusted companion and drum roadie for 20 years, for stepping up, so I appreciate the three of those guys, I appreciate my 50,000 friends in England for being supportive and understanding.

“This is the first Metallica gig I’ve ever missed – so I still have the best track record, but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do, though I apologise to all our friends once again who travelled and we’ve had an awesome run in England. So I’m sorry I missed it, but I’m back here in Ludwigshafen [Germany] and we’re just gonna keep going until we fall over… Hopefully that won’t be for another 20 or 30 years.

Metallica are currently in the middle of a World Tour which will last until the end of November and will take in all of Europe and North America.

 

Tagged as Metallica, archive

• send to a friend