Season 52: and now for something completely different...

[chrimess]

... this week's theme is dedicated to METALLICA.

Make a new video of nearly any METALLICA song, original or covered by them.

I understand this is a little off the beaten path and I am sure you are all going to make sure we can carry the seasons safely into Year 2.
There is a surprisingly great book "Metallica for Ukulele" and individual electronic tabs can be downloaded from Sheetmusicdirect for a fair price. Also, the ususal suspects like ukulele-tabs.com have a good selection to get you started.

Here are the rules:
No Multi-tracking or overdubs on Official Entires, please.
Anything is fine for Bonus Entries.
The Ukulele must be featured front and center. Duets + Bands of course are awesome.

Please do not post prior to February 10, 2013, and only bonus videos will be accepted after 2359 Hawaii time on February 17, 2013.

For the prizes(by random drawing), I will award:
1. My home-built angry banjo uke which is a bit of a project but totally playable. (am travelling for work, so pictures will be added)
2. A 15USD Amazon gift certificate
3. A 10USD Amazon gift certificate


Keep the seasons alive- and, needless to say, "Keep it real"!

 

[Mandalyn]

When I was a sophomore in high school, we did Metallica as our competition show for marching band. It was one of my favorite shows! Looking forward to watching this season.

 

[we tigers]

Excellent challenge! \m/ (~|~) \m/

 

[strumsilly]

haha, playing metallica on acoustic uke like building house with swiss army knife.

 

[ksiegel]

After this was posted, I looked up the Wikipedia entry on Metallica, because I honestly don't know squat about them.

Now I know here I'd heard one (count 'em, one!) of their songs - Weird Al did a version of "Enter Sandman" as part one of his polka medleys.

And I have heard the song, without knowing it, on the radio.

Not my cup of tea - or even almond milk. I'm glad I have an injured digit, and can't take part, or I'd be forcing myself to listen to recordings or watch YouTube videos, just to find a sing to do.

At least it isn't a Led Zeppelin week.

I look forward to watching the entries - the incredible talent pool here on UU is enough to get me excited about anything but the aforementioned ear-drum piercers.

So, in advance, Thank You Christian for helping me to broaden my horizons. (And where, sir, is your Season 51 entry???)

-Kurt​

 

[chrimess]

Hi Kurt,
sorry about the injured finger....
I am sorry I am stuck at work in Mexico CIty, so, short of robbing a Mariachi band, I do not have access to a stringed intrument, Me And A Couple Of Angels
would have been my choice.

After this was posted, I looked up the Wikipedia entry on Metallica, because I honestly don't know squat about them.

Now I know here I'd heard one (count 'em, one!) of their songs - Weird Al did a version of "Enter Sandman" as part one of his polka medleys.

And I have heard the song, without knowing it, on the radio.

Not my cup of tea - or even almond milk. I'm glad I have an injured digit, and can't take part, or I'd be forcing myself to listen to recordings or watch YouTube videos, just to find a sing to do.

At least it isn't a Led Zeppelin week.

I look forward to watching the entries - the incredible talent pool here on UU is enough to get me excited about anything but the aforementioned ear-drum piercers.

So, in advance, Thank You Christian for helping me to broaden my horizons. (And where, sir, is your Season 51 entry???)

-Kurt​

 

[TCK]

RAD! It's time to wake the neighbors up again-
Do the songs off of Garage Days count? Some of them are the covers. Truly GREAT covers

 

[OldePhart]

This should be cool, though I don't know if I'll have time to do a video again this week. Real life, in the form of a major project coming up on release, is really intruding on my time these days.

Now I can breathe a huge sigh of relief, though - I was afraid Christian might use the idea I have planned for next week. Now I can relax because I don't have to come up with an alternate theme, and I can start looking for a prize suitable to the theme.

Kurt - I hated Metallica (and pretty much all metal) up until a few years ago - then I really listened - mostly because I was interested in checking out the work of Rob Trujillo on bass because he plays relatively simple lines that still bring more than they should to the mix. Anyway, when I really listened and got past the screamed vocals I realized just what amazingly talented musicians those guys are. They're way more than just another metal band. I still don't care much for most metal, Metallica is the exception because they're real musicians and, even though they're playing metal, they bring more than just power chords, tattoos, and screaming to the table.

Most metal bands, even the big names, are just sloppy - sloppy timing, sloppy tuning, and dead easy instrumental riffs that sound impressive only if you're twelve years old and don't know how simple they really are. Metallica is tight, out of many dozens of concert videos I've watched I don't think I've seen a single "off" performance from them, and beyond perfect timing they also throw in far more complex instrumental parts than other bands in the genre. They've also got the best heavily overdriven tone of about any metal band out there - it takes great equipment and great technique to play that heavily overdriven and wind up with tone that doesn't sound like ten-thousand fingernails on a blackboard.

Not saying you have to like them, of course, but dismissing them as just more noise without having actually listened to them, as I did for many years, is probably your loss.

John

 

[chrimess]

well, of course, they do, Last Carress is my favourite memory of songs from the times of middle school.

RAD! It's time to wake the neighbors up again-
Do the songs off of Garage Days count? Some of them are the covers. Truly GREAT covers

 

[barefootgypsy]

Right - I've never heard any Metallica tracks - it always seemed to me that the heavy metal bands were very much a male thing; the bits I heard seemed to be just a lot of noise - sorry - so please will someone point me towards a track that will enlighten and educate me in this realm? I do like rock music, after all, and am prepared to change my mind! Because I rather fear that this week may be one I'll have to sit out, it looks as if it might be a challenge too far for the likes of me!

 

[chrimess]

well, thanks for being open minded, Nothing Else Matters, would be the obvious choice, as much as it is not a typical Met song.

Right - I've never heard any Metallica tracks - it always seemed to me that the heavy metal bands were very much a male thing; the bits I heard seemed to be just a lot of noise - sorry - so please will someone point me towards a track that will enlighten and educate me in this realm? I do like rock music, after all, and am prepared to change my mind! Because I rather fear that this week may be one I'll have to sit out, it looks as if it might be a challenge too far for the likes of me!

 

[barefootgypsy]

well, thanks for being open minded, Nothing Else Matters, would be the obvious choice, as much as it is not a typical Met song.

Thanks Christian - as it happens I'm just listening to that one - yes, it's good! Never stop learning......

 

[ChaosToo]

Nothing Else Matters would be a cracker - especially for the finger-picking experts!

Can't wait to see some of the entrants on here, as 'metal' is my preferred music (although I tend to call it 'rock' and think it all sounded better in the 70s....).

Not sure I'd be good enough to make an entry myself - but you never know.......

 

[ksiegel]

Most metal bands, even the big names, are just sloppy - sloppy timing, sloppy tuning, and dead easy instrumental riffs that sound impressive only if you're twelve years old and don't know how simple they really are.

That's it right there, John. When Ive tried to listen to metal/thrash, I've been disappointed. So when I've heard the bands, it has been when they happen to be on the radio.

Not saying you have to like them, of course, but dismissing them as just more noise without having actually listened to them, as I did for many years, is probably your loss.

John

They just aren't where I've been listening. It was like LZ - I tried - I really did - listened all through Junior High, High School, and college, as much as I could take, but it just didn't work out.

I've had enough hearing loss over the years I can't go to rock concerts anymore. I had to skip a Heart show a couple weeks ago because I can't take the volume.

 

[GaryC1968]

I don't know if I'll have a chance to butcher another Metallica song for this season, but this was my entry for Season 26.

 

[OldePhart]

I've had enough hearing loss over the years I can't go to rock concerts anymore. I had to skip a Heart show a couple weeks ago because I can't take the volume.

I can relate to that - too much time on the firing range. Ear protection can only do so much. I still go to the occasional concert but I carry earplugs - yeah, I'm that old dude with the foam in his ears! LOL


John

 

[TheOnlyUkeThatMatters]

I already have a favorite ukulele Metallica song...

...now to find another one!

 

[chrimess]

Amazing you'd remember that, Ralph.

 

[~dave~~wave~]

RAD! It's time to wake the neighbors up again-
Do the songs off of Garage Days count? Some of them are the covers. Truly GREAT covers

Garage Days is the only Metallica CD I ever bought.
Fair warning, Cousin David, my solo fuzztone ukulele bass version of Last Caress is already in the can.

I recorded it based on the the thread title alone before I read the rules or any posts.
I considered a soft acoustic version, but chickened out.

well, of course, they do, Last Caress is my favourite memory of songs from the times of middle school.

It's pretty embarrassing that I was a 30-something "adult" with a job and a mortgage when I was listening to it.

I've always managed to stay in touch with my inner adolescent brat.
Dead baby jokes, anyone?

Thanks for a fun week, Chris.

 

[ukuleledaddy]

Well done Christian. I was thinking it would have been a bit ballsy to do an all Led Zeppelin (or all KISS!) season, but you sir have stones of heavy metal. I do hope to have time to enter this week. Toucan Sam & The Fruitloops do a version of Last Caress. This should be a fun season to watch at the very least!