Metallica: We're not trying to hide our age

Metallica don’t see themselves playing into their 70s as their music is too physically demanding.

While bands like Black Sabbath are still going in their late 60s and Deep Purple continue to play on through their 70s, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, 52, isn’t sure he wants to be performing the band’s thrash hits when he is a pensioner.

He tells Billboard: “Whether we’ll be able to play Master Of Puppets in our 70’s, I just don’t know. With Metallica, there’s a physicality and a weight that has to be part of it.

“You can play it less heavy, slower – or you can realise that the music deserves that physical approach, and if the physical delivery isn’t there, then maybe it’s better not to do it.”

Frontman James Hetfield, 53, adds that he refuses to dye his hair or grow old disgracefully, insisting Metallica don’t try to hide their age.

He says: “We know we’re not supposed to mature in this field. People don’t want you to. They want you to look young and cool and dye your hair and all that shit. We respect our age — we’re not trying to hide it.”

Metallica release their upcoming 10th album Hardwired… To Self-Destruct on November 18.

Hetfield this week revealed in an exclusive interview with Metal Hammer that he enjoys the ‘Hetfield memes’ online.

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Metallica Hardwired… To Self Destruct tracklist

Disc 1

1. Hardwired
2. Atlas, Rise!
3. Now That We’re Dead
4. Moth Into Flame
5. Dream No More
6. Halo On Fire

Disc 2

1. Confusion
2. ManUNkind
3. Here Comes Revenge
4. Am I Savage?
5. Murder One
6. Spit Out the Bone

Metallica tour dates 2016-17 so far

Nov 05: San Jose Estadio Nacional, Costa Rica
Jan 11: Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome, South Korea
Jan 20: Hong Kong AsiaWorld-Expo, China
Jan 22: Singapore Indoor Stadium, Singapore
Feb 03: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
Feb 05: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
Feb 07: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
Feb 09: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
Mar 25-26: Sao Paulo Interlagos Racetrack, Brazil
Mar 31,-Apr 01: Buenos Aires Hippodrome San Isidro, Argentina
Apr 01-02: Santiago Parque O’Higgins, Chile

Watch Metallica's entire set at Global Citizen festival