Lou Reed: 'Metallica Fans Threatened to Shoot Me'

Thrash metal band Metallica and former Velvet Underground frontman Lou Reed's recently released (October 2011) collaboration entitled "Lulu" has evoked strong criticism from some fans. According to the legendary singer/guitarist, some diehard Metallica fans even threatened to shoot him.

"I don't have any fans left. After Metal Machine Music (1975), they all fled. Who cares? I'm essentially in this for the fun of it," USA Today quoted Reed as saying.

Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich says that Reed has taken these criticisms a bit too personally as he was surprised at the negative reaction of the album.

"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. 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," Ulrich told DC101 (a US radio station).

"I've always been in a place where I'm pretty thick-skinned, so it doesn't bug me that much," he added.

The album, based on the work of Frank Wedekind's (German dramatist) 1913 play, of the same name, depicting the life of an abused dancer, received many negative reviews by music critics including Rolling Stone Magazine, Pitchfork Media, The Stranger, Sputnikmusic and Consequence of Sound.

However, Metallica, who are headlining this year's Download Festival, was not very surprised at the album's reception.

"In 1984, when hard-core Metallica fans heard acoustic guitars on 'Fade to Black', there was a nuclear meltdown in the heavy-metal community. There have been many more since then. This is something they've never heard. Nobody hears rhythms or delivers poetry the way Lou does. It's not for everyone, but I think it's a fantastic record," USA Today quoted Ulrich as saying.
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