Reasons why Metallica could both fail and triumph at Glastonbury

Yes, like everyone has said, Metallica at Glastonbury is an odd one. It completely goes against everything that makes Glastonbury what it is, but Mr Eavis decided it was about time to make a change and I have no doubts that it will be a show to see.

Metallica. A band that have been labeled as Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal and Hard Rock. A type of music that is highly overlooked and often rarely represented at Glastonbury festival. Popular as it may be, the genre has never seemed to brake into the mainstream mix of pop and rock. Metal stands on its own, with UK festivals such as Download and Sonisphere bringing up the rear, rubber stamping Hard Rock and Heavy Metal as one of the most popular types of music in Britain. Over the past 5 decades, Glastonbury has showcased the best of musical talent from all across the globe; with the likes of Bowie and T-Rex headlining the festival in the 70's; New Order, Van Morrison, The Smiths and The Cure in the 80's; the 90's saw Oasis and Pulp headline; Muse, The White Stripes and Arctic Monkeys in the 00's and Beyonce and The Rolling Stones in recent years. This year has a very mixed pallet, with Canadian rockers, Arcade Fire, popular Brits Kasabian, and obviously the controversial booking of Metallica, one of the most famed heavy rock bands of all time, topping the bill. Metallica's headline slot is seen as a bit strange by some. Arctic Monkey's Alex Turner stated that Metallica at Glastonbury 'doesn't add up', (courtesy of NME) and after the Monkey's headline slot last year, he has a point. He's right, it doesn't add up, but the organisers are ready to take this bold move that could possibly change shape of Glastonbury forever.

While Kasabian will play a set where fans can sing along to hit tracks, Metallica's set will be completely different. They are a band for 8 minute solo displays of shredding guitars and dive-bombs. Pyrotechnics are also another pivotal part of their regular set. Tracks such as 'One', 'Enter Sandman' and 'Nothing Else Matters' are going to be a few of the little songs that fans can sing along to. This is why this booking is so different. The art of the guitar and a massive heavy metal band will be the at the forefront of Metallica's set, which promises to be a spectacle for the fan of the guitar.

On the terms of music, Metallica have 9 albums, from a range of 1983's 'Kill 'em all', to the infamous 1991 Black album (self-titled, 'Metallica') right to the most recent studio release, 2008's 'Death Magnetic', to fall back on. There is no doubt that Metallica have the music to be headlining a festival of this stature. '86 album 'Master of Puppets' is a fan favorite, one of which they have played in full at Download in '06. The Black album has also been played in full at Download in 2012. 1984's 'Ride The Lightning' holds singles such as 'Creeping Death' and '96 album 'Load' included singles 'Until it Sleeps' and 'Bleeding Me'. Compilations with Lou Reed on the 2011 LP, 'Lulu' and also a sound track to the Documentary 'Through The Never' which was released in 2013, help to highlight the band as one of the most influential rock bands in history. So without a doubt, Lars, James and co. have the back-catalog to be headlining Glastonbury and a band of this magnitude should surely fit in perfectly on one of the biggest festival stages in the world.

But is a back-catalog the length of a 100m sprint track going to be enough to prove all the critics wrong? In 2008, Metallica headlined another massive UK festival, Reading and Leeds. It was a set of flamboyant pyrotechnics, a great range of tracks stretching across the bands 2 decades of music, but not much else. Enthusiasm seemed low in NME's review of their set, simply listing their set-list and further explained how 'huge' the pyrotechnic show was. This is a less than tantalizing review to people going to Glastonbury this year. In contrast to that, 2011 saw one of the most spectacular line-ups, that rock has ever seen, come to Sonisphere festival. The festival organisers brought together The Big 4, Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth and Slayer. Together, each of these bands brought legendary sets to the UK crowd. To the average metal fan, this was possibly the best thing they could see at one time. A review from MySweetShadow shows the fascination of this show and how on their own, Metallica delivered on a ear-bending gut-wrenching set that is surely going to do well gracing the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury. Download '06 was hailed by fans as one of Metallica's greatest sets on a UK festival stage. Here they played 'Master of Puppets' in full, leading fans to reminisce on times of aggressive, hard, fast playing thrash metal. 2012 at Download saw the infamous Black album played in full to the Donington crowds. This signaled the progression of the band, playing some of their most famed tracks, whilst also mixing in some tracks of latest album, 'Death Magnetic' making a statement that they are now a mainstream metal band, much to the displeasure of some fans.

All this gives a very blurred vision of what Metallica could actually produce. They have the substance, they can sure put on a show, but can this really become one of the best decisions Glastonbury organisers have ever made? Glastonbury will be a completely different setting for Metallica fans, as they have never been given a chance to prove themselves on such a stage. A Glastonbury headline slot is possibly the highest spot that any band can have, which a band of this magnitude full deserves. Could Metal finally take it's place as one of the most popular genres of music in the UK?


Personally, I think Metallica are a band that completely deserve this slot. They have spent many, many years establishing themselves all around the world and are now one of the most influential rock bands of all time. It is about time that metal bands are given a chance to prove themselves on this sort of stage.

The Stone Roses splitting up is not the end of the world

Rumours of The Stone Roses splitting up have circulated the internet, which is a rumour I do not see as the worst thing to ever happen in the music industry.

The nostalgia has well and truly worn off over the whole revival of the 'Madchester' scene, which was popular in the late 80's, early 90's. Bands such as James, Happy Mondays and the Stone Roses were at the forefront of what became an era known for drug taking, using a maraca as an actual musical instrument and the Haçienda. But the revival was never ever going to take hold like it did 20-or-so years ago.

Summer 2012 was a mental time around Manchester. Three Heaton Park gigs created a buzz, a massive wave of reminiscence that caused 40-year-olds to dust off their signature bucket hats and drink multiple cans of redstripe as it was an easy way to get drunk and probably the only way to get through the songs that they didn't know. Although it was a great time to be in Manchester, it wore off quite quickly. Ian Brown and co were snapped up for multiple disappointing festival headline slots, which weren't televised in any way at all, just so fans could be stripped of ever penny they had to see them.

In all this, were they really all that successful in the first place? As it goes, they had one moderate album, their debut self-titled album, that included the likes of 'Fools Gold' (91' re-release), 'I Am The Resurrection'  and 'Waterfall' . It created some Manchester classics that will never be forgotten but what else was there after that? Re-releases and b-sides on numerous compilation albums and one little track off follow-up album 'Second Coming'  named 'Ten Storey Love Song' . A disappointing career leads to a dissapointing back-catalogue and how can that create the legendary comeback shows they were hoping for?

After everything, rumours of new material started to circulate social media networks. 

Luckily they were inconclusive. Hopefully they realised that their music was never that great and that new music was only going to shatter their fragile musical status.

Their revival created a whole new fan base, as people like me, were brought up on this music during their early years. Our 20-year-old parents shined their wisdom on us, which could have only been a good thing. When that infamous press conference took place, parents piped up and so did their kids. Now we have a minority of our generation that beleives in good music and the importance of keeping the British Music scene alive. One of the few things to come out Madchester 2.0.

All in all, what else can they do? It was never going to last, so they might aswell milk it for all the money they can while they have the chance. Pretty much their aim anyway.

Only time will tell wether they split up, lets just hope they do.