Some fans of the group's '80s material have a hard time listening to the grunge-influenced rock hits of the ' 90s. Brian Coulombe, rhythm guitarist for a Metallica cover band in Irvine called Creeping Death, counts himself among them. But he doesn't disrespect what his heroes are doing now. But I think they've grown as musicians. Fans that say they sold out don't understand the band - bands change.
Musical styles change.
When I finally settle down, I'm not going to force my wife to listen to thrash metal. As for those fans who aren't so forgiving, Ulrich doesn't give them a second thought. We just go out there to make ourselves happy. They don't understand how a group that gained an audience partially through bootleg concert tapes could fight so fiercely against a free-music trading service. Ulrich says the bootleg tapes were allowed on Metallica's terms.