Greetings Rams, and welcome back to Behind the Music. I posted a poll on our Instagram (@millikancorydon) asking what bands and artists you would like to hear about, and this is a collection of what you, the viewers, said you listened to. We received so many artists and bands that I could not fit them all into one article, so stay tuned to see more in another issue!
According to Loudwire, “Since 1982, Metallica has sold 22.1 million tickets, grossing $1.4 billion along the way. This number is considerably higher than other household rock and metal names…”
Metallica is a metal band formed in Los Angeles, California, in October 1981. The band was formed locally by their guitarist, James Hetfield, and their drummer, Lars Ulrich, and they played their first show at Radio City in Anaheim, California on Mar. 14, 1982.
On Jul. 25, 1983, Metallica released their first-ever studio album, produced by Megaforce Records, titled “Kill ‘Em All”. Their first album included the songs “Seek and Destroy” and “Whiplash”, which still play on alternative radio stations like KROQ and ALT 98.7.
Since “Kill ‘Em All” was released, Metallica has released ten more studio albums. Their most recent one, “72 Seasons” was released on Apr. 14, 2023.
The release of their newest album warranted Metallica’s world tour, which started on Apr.27, 2023, and is set to end on Sep. 29, 2024.
They played at Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles on August 25 and 27. Their show on Aug. 25 made headlines because of an unexpected audience member. Storm, a dog that has been described in the news as either a German shepherd or a husky, snuck out of her home that is adjacent to the stadium and attended the concert all by herself. Photos circulated of her even sitting in her own stadium seat to enjoy the show. It is unclear how she managed to get past security, but KTLA 5 interviewed her owners to try to fill in the holes in the story.
Metallica even issued a statement on their Instagram addressing the situation and diffusing allegations that Storm had been abandoned there. “She had a great time listening to her favorite songs, including “Barx Æterna,” “Master of Puppies,” and “The Mailman That Never Comes, ” the band joked.
Metallica urges their fans not to bring their pets to their M72 tour, but there is no denying that Storm will go down in metal history.
When asked why he likes Metallica, Jaden Sanchez, an MBA junior, said “I love how they make some of their songs have meaning behind it. For example, Master of Puppets. The meaning behind that song is that drugs can ruin your life. They can control your life as if they are your master and you are the puppet.”
According to Best Selling Albums, “Stone Temple Pilots [have] sold over 35,000,000 albums worldwide.” That may seem like nothing, compared to Metallica, but this statistic is the reason STP was one of the most influential bands of the 90s.
Stone Temple Pilots (STP) is a grunge band that was formed in San Diego, California, in 1989. It was originally made up of Dean DeLeo (guitar), Robert DeLeo (bass), Eric Kretz (drums), and Scott Weiland (lead vocals).
STP is known for being an influential member of the early 90s grunge movement along with Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Audioslave, Temple of the Dog, Soundgarden, and other legends.
On Sep. 29, 1992, Stone Temple Pilots released their debut album, “Core”. This album features the songs “Dead and Bloated,” “Plush” (the acoustic version came out in 2003), and “Creep;” not to be confused with Radiohead’s 90s anthem which is also titled “Creep” and came out a year later.
STP blew up again in 1992 with the release of their album, “Purple.” “Interstate Love Song” was an anthem of the year and even reached number one on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Song Chart and number two on Billboard’s Alternative Songs Chart.
Tragically, the lead singer, Weiland, passed away in 2015 as a result of a drug overdose. This was after he was fired and replaced as the lead vocalist of STP in 2013.
There are a lot of aspects that go into a band, however, to the general population, the singer is seen as the most valuable member. They are the voice of the band and can make transitions rough. Although STP has replaced Weiland, many fans had to accept that the band’s glory days were over.
However, if you are interested in seeing STP, they are still touring and headlining festivals.
That’s all for now Rams, but stay tuned for more of your suggestions in future issues, and remember to listen to what makes YOU happy!
