Lars Ulrich: Metallica want to play with U2

Metallica: always angry with photographers
Metallica: always angry with photographers

Uber-fan that he is, you'd think Lars Ulrich would've named Oasis as the band he most wants to play alongside, but the Metallica drummer recently revealed the group he desperately desires to gig with: U2.

Despite having already shared stages with heroes Deep Purple, The Rolling Stones, Iron Maiden and AC/DC, Ulrich said he would love nothing more than to co-headline a bill with Bono and co.

"I'll play at one in the afternoon, in a parking lot in Ireland," he said. "I don't give a shit. As long as I can do that."

Band has their sights on Glastonbury

Metallica headlined this past summer's Reading and Leeds Festivals, and Lars revealed the band had Glastonbury firmly in their sights for 2009 - especially after Michael Eavis's controversial bookings this year. "Having Jay-Z headline this year, it might open doors for other people and genres - maybe us."

Ulrich also addressed the current bruhaha surrounding the band's new album Death Magnetic, which is number one in the UK and America. "A lot of crazy and fun things are happening one after the other in our lives right now," he said.

"Whenever Metallica does anything, even when we get out of bed in the morning, something seems to happen in the wake of it. But it seems people are responding well to the new album. It's our most positively received album since probably 1991's Black album. It's a good time to be in Metallica and it's still a buzz."

Metallica performed a one off fan-only show at the O2 Arena in London on Monday (Sept. 12). Here's a fan-shot YouTube clip of The Thing That Should Not Be

Joe Bosso

Joe is a freelance journalist who has, over the past few decades, interviewed hundreds of guitarists for Guitar WorldGuitar PlayerMusicRadar and Classic Rock. He is also a former editor of Guitar World, contributing writer for Guitar Aficionado and VP of A&R for Island Records. He’s an enthusiastic guitarist, but he’s nowhere near the likes of the people he interviews. Surprisingly, his skills are more suited to the drums. If you need a drummer for your Beatles tribute band, look him up.