Metallica to Discuss Napster Suit in
Web Chat
Metallica probably didn't envison becoming
victims of an underground backlash after they
filed suit against Napster on April 13. But the
always fan-attentive metal men want to take
out some time to explain themselves and
counter accusations -- from fans and
Napster-supporting artists like Limp Bizkit and
Offspring -- that greed is the motivating factor
in their case against Napster, the now
infamous Internet music-swapping software
company.
Thus, at 8 p.m. (EST) on Tuesday, May 2,
James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and Jason
Newsted will conduct a thirty-minute chat at
both www.artistdirect.com/metallica and
http://chat.yahoo.com to answer fans'
questions and concerns about their recent
legal tangles.
The chat will also give Metallica drummer Lars
Ulrich a chance to address PayLars.com, a
Web site that mockingly offers Metallica fans
the opportunity to help the band recoup the
money it's lost due to Napster. According to
the site's creator August Nelson Inc.,
PayLars.com is giving "Metallica fans the
chance to make a donation to the band to
make up for all the revenue the band thinks it's
losing to online MP3 trading."
According to a band statement, Metallica hope
the chat will help them explain what they call
"a very complicated issue with larger
implications that our fans may not completely
understand."
"We've always valued and respected our fans
and wanted to discuss with them directly why
we have brought this suit and answer their
questions and address their concerns
directly," said the statement.
JAAN UHELSZKI
(April 28, 2000)
