Metallica's Lars Ulrich Talks 'Lulu' Backlash: "It Was More Spiteful Than Anyone Was Prepared For"

Whether you thought Metallica's collaborative album with Lou Reed was a bold, artistic move or the last gasp of a once-great metal band, chances are you had something to say about it.

While it might not have been a critical success, Lulu certainly got people talking. Speaking to Spin recently, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich spoke about just how bad the backlash surrounding the album was.

"It was more spiteful than anyone was prepared for," he said. "Especially against Lou. He is such a sweet man. But when Metallica do impulsive riffing and Lou Reed is reciting abstract poetry about German bohemians from 150 years ago, it can be difficult to embrace."

When asked if he felt the graphic, controversial lyrical content of the album might have had something to do with the reaction, Ulrich responded, "I understand that to some 13-year-old in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, it can all seem a little cringe-worthy, but to someone raised in an art community in Copenhagen in the late '60s, that was expected."

You can read more from this interview here.