Metallica is releasing a stunning performance, Megan Thee Stallion shares some stunning news, and much more inside!
Megan Thee Stallion Survives Shooting
Megan Thee Stallion shocked fans when she took to Instagram to share that she is "grateful to be alive" after being shot multiple times last weekend. She was taken to the hospital by police and is expected to make a full recovery. A very scary situation, but we're relieved that she's going to be OK.
Care Home Residents Remake Album Covers
In the world of awesome things, fans remaking iconic album covers is one of our favorite genres here. These elderly residents at a care home in London have spent their time in lockdown recreating covers, and the results are awesome.
Metallica Dropping S&M 2
Metallica's S&M concert is one of the band's finest achievements, something they revisited in 2019 at San Francisco's Chase Center. Lucky for those who couldn't attend we'll be able to bring it home, with Metallica announcing they'll be releasing it on vinyl, digital, CD, DVD, Blu-ray and as a box set in August. We can't wait to get our hands on this!
Snoop Dogg is the American dream. A young Calvin Broadus made a splash after his talent was recognized by Dr. Dre, and decades later, is considered by many a Mt. Rushmore rapper. DMX had one of the hottest runs in rap history as we hit the 2000's, solidifying his place in the books with a string of huge singles and steady album releases. They'll be going head-to-head in the latest Verzuz battle on Wednesday, so we thought it'd be fun to put them in a little primer here in Music vs. The World.
Snoop takes this one in a sweep, but we're confident X will bounce back and put up a memorable performance next week.
Shouts to BIG JACK out in Italy for sharing this shot of him rocking his Rolling Stones Voodoo Lounge Uncut tee. In the pantheon of great Rolling Stones moments, their Voodoo Lounge performance ranks near the very top. It doesn't hurt that the artwork is so dang iconic. Thank you for sharing!
Rock on.
Gabba Gabba we accept you, we accept you one of us! The story behind the Ramones' famous catchphrase brings us to the 1932 film Freaks, featuring the line "gobble gobble we accept her, we accept her, one of us." One of the characters' conditions was microcephaly, or sometimes referred to at the time as "pinhead." And thus, the legendary "Pinhead" track was born.
Legendary Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich floated the idea of the band writing an entire album during quarantine, apparently speaking it into existence. Ulrich confirmed they have begun exchanging ideas during their weekly Zoom meetings.
Hey, Ho! Let's Go (Get A Bass Guitar)
If you're looking for an incredible piece of music history, Dee Dee Ramone's beloved '75 Fender Precision bass is going up for auction. Dee Dee rocked this bass from '79 through his departure from the band in '89, when he finally sold it to close that chapter of his life.
Check Out Our My Likes Feature
We don't normally use this space to talk about what we're up to, but the new My Likes feature we just launched is just too good not to! We're super excited about giving you an awesome tool to save all of the merch and vinyl you love. Check out our blog post that showcases how it works, then start building your ultimate collection!
Every week we take to Google Trends to see what people are searching for. Are people looking for WD-40 or E-40? What about Lil Yachty vs. Boat Rentals? Are people yawning, or looking up Yanni's discography? What's more popular; NASCAR or Coachella?
The world needs more Cardi B, dropping her stunning debut Invasion of Privacy in 2018 and leaving fans holding their breath as they wait for her sophomore follow-up. You don't want to hold your breath if you're doing Cardi O, though, if you follow where we're going here. Yes, it's Cardi B vs. Cardio this week:
Cardi B is doing laps around the competition, running the states like Forrest Gump.
This might be the most aesthetically pleasing fan pic yet, with Lenny sending in this incredible homage to David Bowie on the 46th anniversary of Diamond Dogs' release. Can we see the rest of the vinyl collection, pretty please?
We'd like to give a special birthday shoutout to the one and only Kendrick Lamar, who turned 33 on Wednesday. Is this our way of summoning a new album from Kung Fu Kenny? Look, it's been three years since DAMN. dropped, you can't blame us for trying! Much love and respect to the one and only K Dot.
Metallica's "All Within My Hands Month Of Giving" is underway, with the band planning special content and merch to support organizations responding to the COVID-19 crisis. You can get invovled and check out all of the details right over here.
Lady Gaga Announces New Release Date
Lady Gaga's sixth studio album was announced, then pushed back indefinitely, but now has a new release date. Gaga let fans know that Chromaticawill be out May 29, giving ample time for all the Little Monsters around the world to prepare.
From Under The Cork Turns 15
The year is 2005 and it's essentially impossible to escape the voice of Patrick Stump and Fall Out Boy's smash single "Sugar, We're Going Down." This retrospective on the album was like stepping into a time machine, a time when Myspace was the dominant social media site and if you didn't have a T-Mobile sidekick you were light years behind.
Every week we take to Google Trends to see what people are searching for. Are people looking for WD-40 or E-40? What about Lil Yachty vs. Boat Rentals? Are people yawning, or looking up Yanni's discography? What's more popular; NASCAR or Coachella?
I won't lie; before joining forces with Merchbar The Grateful Dead were more myth than tangible to me; godparents of an era and culture. That has (thankfully!) changed since then, and I can now fully appreciate the genius of Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir. I can also appreciate a good pint of Cherry Garcia ice cream, which leads us to this weeks Music vs. The World.
Ben & Jerry's may have the ice cream market cornered on this one, but they've got nothing on Captain Trips himself. Legends live forever.
Check out Joe's awesome collection of music goodness, which couldn't be contained to just one picture. It's got a little bit of everything; from an awesome sound setup, to filled up vinyl cubes, to envy-inducing framed vinyl sleeves. Truly a collection to be proud of.
Thank you very much for sharing, and as always, thank you to everyone who continues to send in awesome fan pics!
Two of the greatest guitarist to ever pluck the strings, together, in San Francisco, in 1968? Yes, this shot of a young Eric Clapton and Jerry Garcia is a sight to behold. How could we pass this one up?
You may not recognize the name Brian “Pushead” Schroeder, but there’s absolutely no question you’ve seen this renown artists work if you’ve ever pressed play on a Metallica song. Pushead was one of the most influential artists in music during the late 80s and early 90s, known for creating visually stunning designs that most-often included skulls and skeletons.
Pushead has been the man behind the scenes creating the iconic Metallica artwork fans love. Here’s some fascinating history (and art) behind this perfect pairing of metal and skulls.
1. Damage Ink
Pushead’s work with Metallica began in 1986 with Master Of Puppets, themetal masterpiece that would propel the band to superstardom. Metallica brought in Pushead to design the artwork used for the Damage Inc. Tour that followed the release of Master of Puppets, and the legendary artist delivered.
The fanged skull and spiked bat artwork Pushead created fit perfectly with the hardcore metal image Metallica was creating, becoming one of the earliest fan-favorite designs.
2. …And Justice For Art
Pushead's work with Metallica took off exponentially with the release of their fourth studio album …And Justice For All. Schroeder didn’t design the album cover, but did provide illustrations for the booklet artwork. Most notable is his take on the “Doris” Lady Justice statue.
…And Justice For All’s cover concept was built around the idea of society revolting and tearing down a Lady Justice statue with ropes. Pushead put his own spin on it, turning the statue into the iconic skeleton design that has since become one of Metallica’s most iconic pieces of original art.
3. One of a Kind
Not only did Pushead design the …And Justice For All booklet illustrations, he also created the cover artwork for the VHS release of Metallica’s “One” music video. “One” is not only one of Metallica’s most famous songs, but is also the first song the band ever shot a music video for.
The 2 of One VHS cover is a direct translation from the song. It features one of Pushead’s infamous skulls as the head of a mummy-wrapped torso. The torso is limbless, tying back to the song telling the story of a man who lost all of his limbs and face after stepping on a land mind during war.
4. Short Straws and Skulls
…And Justice For All was truly Pushead’s coming out party as a recognized artist. His illustrations inspired by Metallica’s “Shortest Straw” have also gone on to become classics. The song, which is a critique on the rich and powerful controlling the lives of the less fortunate, became the perfect canvas for Pushead.
The eerie skull, straws and eyes primary design is one of the best in Metallica’s vault, but the additional “In Vertigo” skull art is also iconic. The straws poking out of the skull’s head in place of its brain is a brilliant translation of Metallica’s message.
5. Damaged Justice
Metallica hit the road again after releasing …And Justice For All, and once again looked to Schroeder to create the eye-catching visuals for the tour. Pushead’s “Damaged Justice” design is unique in Metallica’s collection as it’s one of the few designs that heavily uses the color purple, making it stand out. The original design for this was used to promote “Harvester of Sorrow,” using red instead of purple in the color palette.
Another notable visual created by Pushead is the Metallica gavel design, also originating from …And Justice For All. It’s a very cool visual of the band forming a gavel being swung down, crushing those being hit with metal-fueled justice. Fitting to say the least.
6. Thrashing With Metallica
Pushead is famously known for working with Metallica, but he’s also done design work for The Misfits, Travis Barker and many others. He also created numerous visuals for Thrasher magazine, making him one of the biggest pioneers of the 80s and 90s thrasher scene.
It’s only fitting that Pushead would bring both of those worlds together to design some of the most sought-after Metallica collectors items available. Pushead designed a handful of Zorlac Metallica branded skateboards in 1988 that are still relevant decades later. The original set of Zorlac-Metallica decks are still selling for over $1000 each on auction sites.
7. St. Anger
Pushead worked with Metallica for decades, but it wasn’t until 2003 that he designed his first (and only) album cover for the band. Pushead created the St. Anger album cover artwork, using bold reds and oranges to add to the visual perception of what anger looks like. The tightly-balled fist, strapped by the wire that wraps around the wrist, definitely provides great visual context for what’s inside the album.
It’s also worth noting that Schroeder didn’t lean on his knack of creating the most metal skulls around for his Metallica album cover debut. He also designed the illustrations inside of the album cover booklet.
A legacy of influence
Pushead had an extremely strong influence on “thrasher” and metal culture. His ability to create an array of designs, across multiple mediums, make him one of the most prolific artists in music history. Brian Schroeders art has been featured on magazine covers, posts, skateboard, action figures, album booklets, t-shirts, and he’s even designed his own shoes with Nike.
If imitation is the highest form of flattery, Pushead’s one of the most beloved artists in music. His artist stylings of skulls and skeletons have been “copied” time and time again. Look no further than one of the more recent designs that Metallica added to its collection for proof of this. At first glance, the “Four Horsemen” design looks directly out of a Pushead sketch book. The art was actually created for Revolver magazine in 2011, however, but Metallica’s James Hetfield loved it so much he bought the original illustration along with licensing rights so they could get this amazing Pushead inspired art out to their fans.
Metallica's Master Of Puppets is one of the most iconic albums of all-time. It's a flawless metal record from top to bottom, filled with everything that makes Metallica the “Gods of Metal.”
Albums like this don't come together without some amazing stories behind them, so we dug in to find some of the most fascinating details behind the creation of Metallica's metal masterpiece.
1.Master of Puppets was recorded in Denmark.. and only at night
Metallica recorded Master Of Puppets in drummer Lars Ulrich’s homeland of Denmark and never adjusted to the time change. The band would start working on the album at 7 pm and end their sessions around 5 am, living a nocturnal cycle while creating this metal masterpiece. It was such a distinct vibe that Ulrich even commented that he felt like they “never saw daylight” and being in darkness so often was his “main recollection” from the recording process.
2. Metallica made quick work of recording
It took Metallica four months to record Master Of Puppets, while each of their previous releases to that point (Kill ‘Em All, Ride The Lightning) took less than a month to complete. The band hasn’t spent less than four months on an album since they finished Master Of Puppets in December 1985.
3. James Hetfield created the first album art sketch
The iconic Master Of Puppets album cover began as a sketch from Metallica frontman James Hetfield. What is now one of the most recognizable pieces of art in music history came directly from the lead singer’s imagination. Final artist Don Brautigam used the sketch as a rough draft to create the legendary design.
4. The original artsold for $28,000!
The original Don Brautigam Master Of Puppets album cover painting sold for $28,000 during a 2008 auction. It features the art elements of the design only, omitting the Metallica logo and Master Of Puppets title.
5.The Stephen King-Metallica connection
Brautigam has interesting ties to Metallica. He previously had designed the artwork for Stephen King’s The Stand, which the band actually drew inspiration from in their previous album Ride The Lightning. Ulrich was reading King’s novel and came upon a passage about a death row inmate waiting to be executed so he can “ride the lightning.” Brautigam creating the immortal Master Of Puppets album cover is fascinating full-circle moment.
6.Obey your master
The Master Of Puppets album artwork is filled with symbolism. “Master Of Puppets” itself is a song about the destructive influence that addiction has on society. Hetfield wanted to capture those feelings of despair and loss with endless rows of nameless gravestones, controlled by the ominous puppeteer pulling strings from the sky.
7. Remembering the Disposable Heroes
The other track the cover draws inspiration from is “Disposable Heroes,” Metallica’s scathing anti-war song. It’s not just nameless crosses, though. There’s a lone hanging military helmet on the left-most cross, as well as an often-overlooked set of dog tags hanging from the cross that’s front and center.
8. When worlds nearly collide
Rush bassist and singer Geddy Lee was originally slated to produce Master Of Puppets but couldn’t due to a scheduling conflict. Progressive Metallica, anyone?
9. Say what?
The final 20 seconds of “Master Of Puppets” is actually a backwards recording of their guitars, layered with an echo of the entire band laughing.
10. Mastering the metal
Kirk Hammett took the time to work on his craft before entering the studio to record Master Of Puppets, seeking out his mentor and renowned guitarist Joe Satriani. Hammett wanted to improve his recording efficiency before stepping into the studio, then connecting with him again when Metallica was on break following the first leg of the Damage, Inc. Tour.
11. Share the snare
Another surprising band that played a hand in bringing Master Of Puppets together is Def Leppard. The snare drum that Lars Ulrich used through the studio sessions was actually loaned from Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen, sharing a classic Ludwig “Black Beauty” snare model that’s still being manufactured today.
12. James Hetfield’s tribute to Cliff Burton
Master Of Puppets is the final album founding bassist Cliff Burton is featured on prior to his tragic death. Burton is heavily-credited for developing Metallica’s sound and evolving the thrasher genre by applying his advanced music theory knowledge. Burton left an all-time classic album behind while solidifying the foundation for Metallica, and frontman James Hetfield honored his memory by tattooing the bass notes from the epic “Orion” instrumental on his left arm.
13. On the road with Ozzy
Metallica played a total of 144 shows during the Damage, Inc. Tour, the concert tour in support of Master Of Puppets. The headlining act for their concerts through the first six months was Ozzy Osbourne, however, despite the tour being centered on Metallica. Other notable bands that played on this tour include: Armored Saint, Anthrax, and Metal Church.
14.Banned in China
It’s estimated that Metallica has played “Master Of Puppets” in concert over 1,500 times, but when the band played in China for the first time in 2013, they were prohibited from playing the famed tune due to its “subversive” and drug-related themes.
15. Six million sold and counting
Master Of Puppets sold 300,000 copies the first three weeks following its release, Metallica’s first gold certification. In the 33 years since its release, it’s now been platinum certified six times, selling over 6,000,000 units and solidified itself as one of the greatest albums of all-time.
Without Metallica, there would be no modern metal — at least as we know it. From day one, Metallica was faster, louder, and heavier than anything else that had been heard at the time. Formed in 1981, the band has sold over 50 million Metallica albums since 1991, they have had five consecutive albums debut at number one on the Billboard 200, and they were the first band ever to play all seven continents.
Unlike a lot of bands who may change their logo numerous times over the years, Metallica has kept the same signature logo their entire career, with only slight iterations. Originally designed by singer James Hetfield, and first seen on the cover of 1982’s “Power Metal,” Metallica’s first released demo, the logo that displays the band’s name is nearly as iconic as many of the group’s biggest hits. The rigid edges, the way the “M” and “A” hook around, almost as if they are framing the album’s cover art, and bold edges of the logo’s font all protrude the same amount of attitude as Kill Em All.
Except for St. Anger, which featured no text on its cover, all mainline album releases by Metallica have featured the band’s logo in one way or another. Often very large and very prominent, every single piece of Metallica merchandise sold on Merchbar.com also proudly displays the band’s logo. From the vintage Metallica Damage Inc. Tour ‘86 shirt to the fan-favorite Four Horsemen tee it is easily recognizable, and both the band and fans alike proudly display the logo across their chest, stage, and shelves.
Metallica’s logo saw a more conservative redesign for sister albums Load and Reload, with edges being softened and points being shortened. But other than that — and the aforementioned St. Anger— Metallica’s logo has stayed true to form, and for good reason.
In 2008, when visual artist Turner Duckworth was hired to design album art for the band’s latest release, Death Magnetic, he wanted to revive the original logo: modernizing it, yet holding true to the original. Because “great brands are unmistakable,” his website reads.
With rumors of a new Metallica album in the works, time will tell if the band once again employs their iconic logo, but chances are that after 34 years, the band is firm believers in “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Make sure to check out all of Merchbar’s Metallica merchandise here.
