by Mastodon drummer Brann Dailor recently shared his thoughts on Metallica’s Lars Ulrich, drawing a comparison to Beatles drummer Ringo Starr in an interview with Drumeo.
Dailor praised Ulrich’s unique contribution to Metallica’s sound and reflected on his personal interactions with the legendary drummer.
“Much like Ringo is the Beatles, Lars is Metallica,” Dailor said. “I love Lars’s playing. He was a huge inspiration to me when I was coming up. He’s the nice one of the nicest dudes I’ve ever met. He’s really, really, really super cool. Loves art, loves music. We usually talk about movies. We never usually we never talk about drums ever.”
Korn’s Ray Luzier echoed similar sentiments about Ulrich’s irreplaceable role in Metallica.
“Lars is one of those guys where if you put any other drummer in Metallica, it would not sound like Metallica,” Luzier added. “And a lot of bands are like that. I tour a lot with my band, I’ll be in freaking Zimbabwe or South Africa, and ‘Enter Sandman’ comes on the radio, it’s just got that groove, that feel, and it just lifts everybody up. I love it.”
The praise from fellow drummers highlights Ulrich’s enduring influence on the metal community and his role in shaping one of the genre’s most successful bands.
Metallica’s commercial success under Ulrich’s rhythmic foundation has been extraordinary. Wikipedia noted that the band has sold nearly 125 million albums worldwide. They have won nine Grammy Awards among numerous other accolades, highlighting Ulrich’s influence and success within the industry. Their 1991 self-titled album, often called “The Black Album,” remains one of the best-selling rock albums of all time.
Beyond his musical achievements, Ulrich has demonstrated a commitment to social causes. SXSW documented that Ulrich is known for his philanthropic efforts through Metallica’s foundation, All Within My Hands. The foundation has raised over $20 million for education, food insecurity, and disaster relief, demonstrating his commitment to giving back to communities globally.
Ulrich’s influence extends beyond just his drumming technique to his role as a band leader and creative force. Metalhead Community highlighted that he has been instrumental in Metallica’s business decisions and artistic direction throughout their four-decade career. He helped navigate the band through various musical evolutions while maintaining their core identity.
The Drumeo feature included commentary from numerous other prominent drummers, including Andy Hurley (Fall Out Boy), Matt Cameron (Soundgarden), Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), and many others, all sharing their perspectives on Ulrich’s impact on drumming and music.
