Lars Ulrich hopes that Metallica will know when the time has come to end their career, and that they’ll bow out “graciously and respectfully.”
He recently said that the band had the mental capacity to continue for 100 years, although he was less certain of their physical abilities.
Now he’s added that concerns about being able to perform apply particularly to drummers.
Ulrich tells CBC Radio: “Mentally, creatively, spiritually, aesthetically, we’re fine. Physically, obviously, is the big question.
“I was at Desert Trip and there these six acts on. They’re all in their 70s. There was only one of the six acts that had the OG drummer – the other five had a drummer in their 20s and 30s. So that should tell you something, right?”
He continues: “Whether we can do the Fight Fires and the Batterys and the Master Of Puppets in our mid-60s and early 70s remains to be seen.
“There’s a second part to that – we may be able to still play them, but whether we can bring the weight, the energy, the attitude those songs deserve, I have no idea.
“Hopefully we’ll have enough clarity to tell if it’s not working, to walk away from it graciously and respectfully.
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“But right now we’re fine. We’ve played some of our best shows in the last couple of years and there’s still a bit left in the engine.
“Whether we can do it in our 70s – hopefully we’ll get the chance to find out.”
Meanwhile, Metallica have added another date to their WorldWired global tour. They’ll play an intimate club show at the Fonda Theatre in Hollywood, California, on December 15, with all proceeds to be donated to a local food bank.
Tickets are now available to Fifth Member fan club associates, with a limited number of tickets going on public sale on December 9 (Friday).
The WorldWired tour, in support of 10th album Hardwired… to Self-Destruct, is expected to last at least two years.
Metallica tour dates 2016-17 so far
Dec 15: Hollywood Fonda Theatre, CA
Dec 17: Oakland Fox Theater, CA
Jan 11: Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome, South Korea
Jan 18: Beijing Le Sports Centre, China
Jan 20: Hong Kong AsiaWorld-Expo, China
Jan 22: Singapore Indoor Stadium, Singapore
Feb 03: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
Feb 05: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
Feb 07: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
Feb 09: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
Mar 01: Mexico City Foro Sol, Mexico
Mar 03: Mexico City Foro Sol, Mexico
Mar 25: Sao Paulo Interlagos Racetrack, Brazil
Mar 31-Apr 01: Buenos Aires Hippodrome San Isidro, Argentina
Apr 01-02: Santiago Parque O’Higgins, Chile
May 19-21: Rock On The Range festival, OH
Dave Mustaine reviews Metallica’s Hardwired… To Self-Destruct
