Lars Ulrich has seemingly revealed that Lou Reed was hurt by the backlash which followed ‘Lulu’.
Dividing fans right from the start, the collaboration between Lou Reed and Metallica resulted in a tirade of critical abuse. ‘Rewarded’ with some overwhelmingly negative feedback, ‘Lulu’ does still enjoy support in some quarters.
Not least from the musicians responsible for its creation. Since its release, Lou Reed and Metallica have been unwavering in their support for the lengthy album.
Yet speaking on American radio recently, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich appeared to reveal that Lou Reed was hurt by the criticism. “Obviously, it’s fantastic in 2012 that the Internet gives everybody access to voicing their opinions, and I think it’s an incredible medium to communicate and to bring the world closer,” he said.
“But obviously, as an artist, or somebody who is creating something, you’ve gotta be careful how deep you dive into what everybody’s talking about, because it could really screw with your mind. I’ve always been in a place where I’m pretty thick-skinned, so it doesn’t bug me that much.”
Finally, the drummer explained that the reaction to ‘Lulu’ “was difficult for Lou Reed because he takes everything very personally. And I think he was very surprised. We told him all along, ‘Listen, there are some very, very, very hardcore metal fans out there that like everything pre-packaged in a particular little box that looks like this, and the minute that you slightly veer outside of that, then they have a hernia.’ And that’s fine – I’m fine with that.”
All of which is a different story than what Lou Reed himself told the press. Speaking to the Telegraph last year, the songwriter let rip when the subject of critics was brought up: “I never wrote for them then, I don’t write for them now. I have no interest in what they have to say about anything. I’m interested in whether I like it. I write for me.”
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