Lars Ulrich says Metallica plan to continue into their late 70s
Metallica’s Lars Ulrich says the band have no plans to retire and are hoping to continue for another 20 to 25 years.
With septuagenarian bands like The Rolling Stones, Deep Purple and The Who still going strong, Lars believes that Metallica, who have an average age of 54.5, also still have many years left in them.
Speaking to 93.3 WMMR Rocks!, Lars said: "A lot of people are retiring, and we feel very energised and rejuvenated. I mean, we wanna go (a) long (time). We hope we can get another 20, 25 years.
“I don't know what it's gonna look like, I don't know what it's gonna sound like, but that's in our heads. So we're not sitting there thinking retirement or this or that; we're sort of more the opposite.
“So I would say, for us, everything we do is kind of a long game. And back then, when you were 17, you only think of, like, the next five minutes. 'Where is the next beer? Whoo!' So that's kind of different mentality nowadays."
He continued: "There's more younger kids at our shows than I can ever remember. Half the audience is under 20. And it also feels more like it's 50-50 between boys and girls now, which obviously (wasn't the case) 20, 30 years ago.
“So it's amazing how rock and roll and harder rock and what we're doing just continues to appeal to… I don't know if it's a rite of passage, but it feels like it continues rather than regressing; it feels like it's actually spreading.”
Metallica’s expansive 30th anniversary reissue of their fourth studio album ‘… And Justice for All’ is released in a variety of formats this Friday (2nd November) including a limited-edition box set.
Having triumphed on their autumn 2017 arena tour, Metallica will return to the UK next summer for stadium shows in Manchester and London with special guests Ghost.
Tickets are still available from Planet Rock Tickets now. See Metallica at the following shows:
JUNE 2019
Manchester Etihad Stadium – Tue 18th
London Twickenham Stadium – Thu 20th