KISS frontman Paul Stanley is just one of numerous rock and metal musicians who are coming forth to celebrate METALLICA’s iconic self-titled 1991 album, also known as the “Black” album, as it celebrates it’s 30th anniversary.
In conversation with Classic Rock Magazine, the KISS singer/guitarist explains how the members of his band were turned on to the music of METALLICA when the “Black” Album dropped.
“How could you not be a Metallica fan?” Paul asks. “Eric Carr [former Kiss drummer, who died in 1991] was the one that brought Metallica into our realm, and he did that quite a bit earlier, in the early, early days of Metallica. But in terms of becoming a worldwide phenomenon, I would have to say the Black Album was what did that.
“Enter Sandman – that song really flicked a switch, it changed something. It retained the grit, the passion and the rawness of what they had done until that point, but it managed to package it in a way that had a more widespread appeal. It wasn’t a coincidence that Bob Rock produced that album. He became the go-to guy for bringing out the most commercial aspect of a band’s sound, whether we are talking Metallica or The Cult.
“But the most important thing when you are a band or a creative person is to do what you want. Kudos to Metallica for that. Where they’ve gone since the Black Album, and factoring in their beginnings, is nothing less than amazing. Their appeal became massive, in capital letters, because it crossed boundaries. That’s always a great plus.”
The “Black” Album’s legacy is set to be celebrated by a massive new reissue which features countless early demos and rehearsal tapes. Also included is ‘The Metallica Blacklist’, a 53-track covers album comprising versions of “Black” Album songs by an expansive list of notable artists.
METALLICA’s Remastered “Black Album” box-set and ‘The Metallica Blacklist’ arrive on September 10 via Blackened Recordings.