This week on the Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend podcast, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich joins the crew to discuss the group’s just-released 2023 album 72 Seasons, performing with the band across all of the world’s continents -- yes ALL of them -- and much more.
LISTEN NOW: Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend: Lars Ulrich of Metallica
Host Conan O'Brien kicks off the conversation with Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich speaking about their chance meeting backstage at a recent Jack White show, where Conan was pleasantly surprised to see Lars there rocking out among the rest of the fans.
"Wherever Jack White is playing, if I'm in the same vicinity, I'm always there," Lars admits. "I love Jack, have loved him, obviously, going back to The White Stripes days. I think he personifies that sort of edgy Rock N' Roll that's becoming less of a thing these days. He's in the studio, he makes records impulsively, and it just oozes a lot of the same elements of danger, and impulsivity, and not quite knowing... One of my favorite things about him is he never has a setlist, he just makes it up as he goes along," Lars adds about the way Jack keeps his band on their toes, tossing out songs on the fly during their live sets.
"Jack is really one of my maybe top five all-time musicians. I love him whether he's doing his own stuff, whether he's doing The Raconteurs, whether he's obviously back in the day with The White Stripes -- he's just such a great artist, an unpredictable artist. It's always interesting to see where he goes, it's so inspiring, and on top of that, he's a really nice guy, always welcomes you."
Conan, also a friend of Jack's, jokes that all of his hard work seems to be a little desperate, and the crew wonders how long it took him to call Lars after he gave him his number. "I'll tell you what, and Jack if you're hearing this.. nothing but love," Lars says, "but for a guy who supposedly doesn't have a phone, he's a pretty engaged texter." Conan also pokes a rib saying that with all of Jack's obsession with vinyl, "every time I go to his house, all he does is play CDs. That's all he does. I'll go, 'hey can we check out that vinyl record,' and he's like, 'nah I'm not gonna listen to that s***. If you want real quality -- CDs!'"
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Moving on to the topic at hand, Metallica's brand new album 72 Seasons, and upcoming world tour, Conan praises the record and lead single "Lux Æterna" specifically, saying the band hasn't lost a step. "This could have been 1981," he says. "Here it is all these years later, you're headed out on this massive tour that's gonna last two years, and if someone told me I was going out for two weeks on a tour right now, I would find the nearest chair and beat them with it."
Now approaching 60-years-old, Lars says, "the easy answer is, it doesn't get any easier whatsoever... It takes twice the effort or more just to reach the same level, just to plateau. So, it's not I'm on the Peloton an hour and a half a day and I'm working out, and I'm watching what Im eating and being healthy and all that to get better -- it's just to stay the same at this age. All of us in our own ways take it seriously, all of us have different routines, our own unique ways of approaching it and the main thing is that when we get up on that stage we want to be there for the other guys in the band and for the audience -- be the best we can be."
Listen to the full discussion with Metallica's Lars Ulrich on the Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend podcast above.
After 25 years at the Late Night desk, Conan O'Brien realized that the only people at his holiday party are the men and women who work for him. Over the years and despite thousands of interviews, Conan has never made a real and lasting friendship with any of his celebrity guests. So, he started a podcast to do just that. Deeper, unboundedly playful, and free from FCC regulations, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend is a weekly opportunity for Conan to hang out with the people he enjoys most and perhaps find some real friendship along the way. Listen on the free Audacy app.
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