The Unlikely Fandom: Lars Ulrich and the Gallagher Brothers
In a move that highlights his diverse musical palette, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich recently revisited his desire to see Oasis cover a Metallica song. Ulrich, a self-proclaimed superfan of the Manchester legends, was an early adopter of the band’s sound long before they conquered the United States. While Metallica is firmly rooted in the thrash and hard rock pantheon, Ulrich has never been “snobby” about genre boundaries. His admiration for the Gallaghers is mutual; Noel Gallagher famously noted that Ulrich was the first person he ever signed an autograph for in America, marking a surprising bridge between the worlds of Britpop and heavy metal through the potential for an Oasis cover a Metallica song.
“Nothing Else Matters” with a Manchester Twist
The specific track Ulrich envisions for an Oasis cover a Metallica song is the iconic power ballad “Nothing Else Matters.” According to Ulrich, Noel Gallagher once praised the track as one of the greatest songs ever written. This sparked a vision of Liam and Noel performing the song with a single acoustic guitar—a stripped-back, “unplugged” version that Ulrich believes would be “pretty funny” yet musically fascinating. Despite the brothers’ famously tumultuous relationship and Noel’s general distaste for heavy metal, Ulrich remains convinced that the Gallagher vocal style could breathe a unique, melodic life into the 1991 classic, making an Oasis cover a Metallica song a “bucket list” moment for the drummer.
Stepping Out of the Metal Comfort Zone
Ulrich’s enthusiasm for an Oasis cover a Metallica song speaks to his broader philosophy on artistic evolution. Throughout Metallica’s career—particularly during the Load and Garage Inc. eras—Ulrich and guitarist Kirk Hammett have frequently drawn from non-metal influences, ranging from U2 to David Bowie. While Metallica’s own “piss-take” rendition of “Wonderwall” in the past didn’t exactly hit the mark, Ulrich believes that if the Gallaghers stepped into the metal world, it would represent the ultimate “out of comfort zone” experiment. Whether it ever happens or not, the dream of an Oasis cover a Metallica song remains a testament to Ulrich’s enduring curiosity as a listener and his respect for the “Chief” and “Our Kid.”