There is a certain compromise a band must make in order to stay rich. There isn't any compromise for a GREAT band to keep their die-hard fans, only to make new fans, in a new market of nu-metal kids. I know lots of people who wouldn't listen to Metallica before "Enter Sandman" and some that didn't even jump onboard until the Load album because to them, the classic stuff was just heavy metal garbage.
If you listen to the difference between todays Metallica and pre-1990 Metallica, you will notice their show of talent went significantly downhill. The technical aspect of the guitars gave way to less leads and more simple catchy riffs, less complex drums, and more simple beats. Popular song writing 101 formula. Until this very song came out, I was wondering what had happened to Hammet's ability to write a tasteful, skillful guitar lead. What in the world happened to Lars' ability to play double-bass? Even this track lacks any really intense drums. Lazy perhaps. Maybe it's the producer. I don't know. The guitars a little bit sloppy on the meaty part too. I still like it, as it brings hope that the original concept of Metallica is still somewhere in there. Orion. Call of Cthulhu. To Live Is To Die. Dyers' Eve. Master Of Puppets. Fade To Black. One. Blackened. The good shizzle. The stuff that didn't need an orchestra, because I could already hear the orchestration behind the guitars. The stuff that didn't need pretty vocals, because there wasn't anything pretty about the message. It's like watching a lion hunt its prey. It isn't a nice thing to see, but something about it is extraordinary. Beautiful. Breathtaking. Life altering. The way those guitars came together, the impact of the drums... imaculate.
They didn't have to change to keep their already expansive world-wide fan base. They didn't have to change to have "Manditory Metallica" for 3 hours a night once a week on every major metal radio station across the country when I was a kid. They had to change to keep up with the new bands and get in the ears of the new generation of metal listeners, who have pockets full of cash to profit on. You know it's sad but truuu uuuuuue-wuh!
As the wealthy, modern suburban used-to-be hippies would say, "I didn't sell out, I bought in."
There is a certain integrity lost when they sued Napster. People will still buy the album and they will still make money if the songs are great, regardless of being able to download a crappy sounding MP3 for free. But if the songs aren't up to par with what their fans wanted, sales will reflect that. The internet is a double-edged sword for musicians. It allows you to expand your fanbase without the expensive marketing. It allows people to hear your stuff, see your image, and perhaps even converse with you one-on-one via chat or IM. It also allows people to share your music without paying for it, which, in the eyes of most bands, is a good thing to some degree. Because that creates a buzz. Then peope buy your merch and come to your shows. But, if your stuff leaks before your album is released, and people don't like it, they won't buy your album.
Any dedicated musician knows that allowing people to hear songs for free is just another way of getting your music out there and increasing your fan base. People will buy tickets to your show, and your merchandise; T-shirts, posters, keychains, beer cuzies, caps, etc.
Any dedicated business person knows you can't give away anything for free, or you'll lose a dollar here, and a dollar there, and then your profits have shrunk. Still existant, but not as much as they could have been.
If they are creating the music they love, then they didn't compromise their style for money. If they are creating market friendly music for the sake of making another buck, they absolutely did "sell out". It's that simple.
They were nominated for a Grammy for "One". And Justice For All... That was a heavy album. Some would argue the heaviest of their albums. Not the least bit market friendly for that time, or todays. They didn't need to compromise. They just weren't making the money they could have with market friendly material. Like "Saint Trash cayunnn, my drum sounds like crayup-ah!"
"Seriously, it's revolutionary!" is what Lars Ulrich said about St. Anger right before its release in reference to what Bob Rock had done to his drum sound. How about that feather boa he wears and the black nail polish? Have any of you seen Monster? The documentary about their personal lives between Re-load and St. Anger? Lots of crying. Lots of screaming at each other. They're some really fussy girls, who love their egos and their money.
You know it's sad but truuuuu uuuuuuee-ah!
Now, let's just hope this spark of hope reignites a fire under their bungholes.
