Lars Ulrich Says Metallica Will Tour "Death Magnetic" Through 2010

Metallica's massive world tour behind Death Magnetic is still in its infancy, but Lars Ulrich has visions of it lasting beyond next year. "We're booked up through August of next year, and right now we're sort of laying out Fall of '09 and the Spring of '10," he says. "We're waiting for a few other countries to be actually formalized as nations so we can be the first band in. We're also waiting for the polar caps to stabilize so we can go play there. There's talk about some other planets too." As of now the band is on planet earth, playing American arenas for the first time in four years. "It's great to be back indoors," says Ulrich. "We're right in the thick of it in the middle of the arena. It completely exposes every nuance and that adds a real tone of vitality and excitement." The setlist is heavy on 1980s classics like "Master of Puppets" and "One" as well as about five songs from Death Magnetic. The setlist changes from night to night, but they always end with 1983's "Seek And Destroy." "We've probably ended our last 200 shows with that song," says Ulrich. "The 17 or 18 songs before that get mixed up every night, to the point of ridiculousness. So having a slight bit of predictability at the end gives people the chance star thinking about putting their coats on and remembering what fucking parking lot they were in."

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Song Stories

“Youth Knows No Pain”

Lykke Li | 2011

“Like on 'Youth Knows No Pain' — we are the ones that should demonstrate, because we can take it,” Likke Li said. “We can pierce ourselves, take Ecstasy, dance all night and still go to work at our McDonald's jobs.” Despite the hedonistic sentiment in the song, the Swedish singer also admitted in hindsight her youth had repercussions. “I remember when I was 18-19 and feeling that I know it all,” Li said. “I always feel that I know it all. But that song is about realizing you don’t, and reflecting, ‘Boy, if I only knew what would follow.’”

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