When I write up the Sunday Metal posts, frequently I choose themes or take inspiration from somewhere. For a while I’ve thought about having some guest postings, and that continues.

The next some posts will be from my close friend, W. He’s flown the flag of metal for many years, including being a metal radio DJ around the same time I was (tho we didn’t meet until after). We’ve been friends for many years, been to numerous shows together, and share a love of the music. So I figured he’d make a good first guest to Sunday Metal. So with that, onwards!

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Remember last week when I said Metallica is a “top-five most influential and important” metal bands of all time? This is true; But I argue that their sphere of influence ended in the early 90s. Since then, even though they are an indisputable, unstoppable monster in the music business, and they put on a great show, Metallica have become more or less musically irrelevant. Not only that, but we (the band included) all know it.

Case in point: The forthcoming MetallicA pinball machine. According to the trailer, the machine is meant to represent “Over 30 Years Of Iconic Metal.” What song did they choose for the video? Master of Puppets! This being their best song ever, I won’t dispute the choice. Absolutely iconic.

Now take a look at the 12 songs listed in the trailer. One presumes that these are the songs that Stern and the band chose to represent these 30+ years of iconic metal…But only two of these 12 songs were created in the past 24 years! The rest are from the first 8 years of their career.

I know “8 Years Of Iconic Metal And 24 Years Of Mediocre Hard Rock Barely Worth Mentioning” isn’t a good tag line for a pinball machine, so we won’t see it in words. But we see it in deeds – In the songs chosen to represent what we think of when we think of “MetallicA.” We know it. Stern knows it; And RocknRollicA knows it.