A PODCAST ABOUT METALLICA, HOSTED BY LONGTIME JOURNALIST RYAN J. DOWNEY.
Photo: Brian Lew / Bazillion Points
Latest Episodes
"It's Two Minutes to Late Night!" Jordan Olds, aka Gwarsenio Hall, talks about the fantastic covers of "Blackened" and "Creeping Death" (featuring members of Mastodon, Testament, Carcass, Cannibal Corpse, and many more) organized by Two Minutes to Late Night, the heavy metal late-night talk show. We talk about his history with standup comedy, the various covers (like, 82!) on the show's YouTube channel, and of course, Metallica. LISTEN.
It's just me! Ryan J. Downey here with a look back at some of the killer Metallica shows I've seen over the past 35 years, including small underplay club shows, unique award show and late-night talk show performances, festivals, and more. I seamlessly and organically tie some of these experiences to different guests who've joined Speak N' Destroy since the podcast began in 2017 and give some updates on projects involving Metallica tour openers Pantera and Ice Nine Kills. LISTEN.
The MetalSucks co-founder, formerly known as "Vince Neilstein," tells the origin story behind the opinionated news site. There's also an in-depth discussion about "The Metallica Economy": how the kickoff of a new Metallica album/touring cycle is the digital wave that lifts all of the metal websites. LISTEN HERE.
Eyal Levi is the CEO of URM Academy (an online school for rock and metal producers), Riffhard (an online school for metal guitarists), and guitarist for Dååth. He talks with Ryan J. Downey about his upbringing as the son of a famous composer; learning different instruments; and, of course, a whole lot about Metallica. LISTEN HERE.
Nico Perrino is the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Executive Vice President. Before his work appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Politico, and The Guardian, Nico's first byline was in So What!, the Metallica fan club magazine. He discovered Metallica at age 10, spent his teenage years playing guitar in a Chicago metal band, and now devotes his life to fighting for the same issues addressed in Metallica songs like "Eye of the Beholder." LISTEN HERE.
Metallica At The Movies. 72 Seasons is here! The Speak N’ Destroy Shadow Council convenes! We break down the entire album, the world premiere theater-going experience, and the future of the band. Joining Ryan J. Downey are Andrew Carter, attorney for a major film studio and former Deputy Editor for Terrorizer Magazine, and Eric German, an attorney whose clients include Five Finger Death Punch, Ice Nine Kills, Bad Wolves, and more. LISTEN HERE.
WAKE guitarist Rob LaChance hitchhiked across Canada as a teenager to see Metallica at Woodstock, where his friend ran naked into the pit while tripping on acid. He and bassist Ryan Kennedy also talk about "Enter Sandman" on MuchMusic; Binge & Purge; ...And Justice for All, and more. "They were the only band to me for a long time." LISTEN HERE.
SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor on why Master of Puppets is “a perfect heavy metal album”; watching the late Joey Jordison fill-in for Lars; the Black Album; and his contribution to The Metallica Blacklist project. “Metallica is our Led Zeppelin, Beatles, and Black Sabbath all rolled into one.” Speak N' Destroy podcast theme by Scott Mellinger. Listen HERE. Part of the PopCurse podcast network.
DEATH ANGEL guitarist Ted Aguilar, who joined in 2001, goes way back with the Bay Area thrashers, whose Kill As One demo was produced by none other than Kirk Hammett. Ted talks about his early bands, discovering Kill 'Em All, meeting James Hetfield in an airport, the Metallica 30th anniversary shows, and much more. Speak N' Destroy podcast theme by Scott Mellinger. Part of the PopCurse podcast network. Listen HERE.
METALLICA AND PHILOSOPHY author William Irwin is a college professor and author of The Meaning of Metallica (2022) and Metallica and Philosophy (2007). He is a Distinguished Service Professor in the Philosophy Department at King's College, Pennsylvania, and author of several books on pop culture and philosophy. Listen HERE.
OBITUARY helped pioneer the legendary Florida death metal sound, with a history stretching all the way back to 1984. Drummer Donald Tardy talks about discovering Kill 'Em All in 1983, the epic songs on Ride the Lightning, how he "studied every millisecond" of Master of Puppets, ...And Justice for All, the Black Album, Load/Reload, the latest Metallica single, reading metal magazines at Circle K, and the lessons learned from Metallica. LISTEN HERE.
CAVE IN included a Metallica medley as a hidden track (remember those?) on 1998's Beyond Hypothermia and has released ambitious albums for more than 20 years, including the phenomenal Jupiter (2000) and the more recent Heavy Pendulum (2022). Stephen Brodsky (guitar/vocals), Adam McGrath (guitar), and JR Conners (drums) talk discovery, metal, Metallica, late bassist Caleb Scofield, and more. LISTEN HERE.
BARRY co-creator ALEC BERG joins Speak N’ Destroy and talks about that poster, Armored Saint, Seinfeld, Larry David, Mike Judge, Bill Hader, Van Halen, Season 4, and of course, Metallica. Hop in the trunk with Mr. Cousineau, Alec, and me. LISTEN HERE.
UNDEATH frontman Alexander Jones talks about his journey through punk, hardcore, and death metal, and how that led to Metallica. LISTEN HERE.
ROB ZOMBIE bassist, Haxans cofounder, and host of Gibson TV's Metal & Monsters series Count D. (aka Piggy D.) talks about the Metallica catalog; seeing the band on the Black Album tour, with Guns N' Roses, in Vienna, and more; his encounter with Lars Ulrich, when he was in the band Amen; Load/Reload; Some Kind of Monster and St. Anger; Jason Newsted; Robert Trujillo; his role in Rob Zombie's band; and much more. LISTEN HERE.
Bonus Episode! Master Of Puppets arrived March 3, 1986. In this bonus episode, Ryan J. Downey details 10 Reasons Why Master Of Puppets Rules, in celebration of Metallica's landmark third album turning 36. LISTEN HERE.
BROKEN HOPE guitarist Jeremy Wagner purchased several pieces of Cliff Burton memorabilia at auction and graciously returned them to Cliff's longtime girlfriend, Corinne Lynn, and the late Metallica bassist's family. The stuff included laminates, demos, family photos, and even t-shirts worn by Cliff. Jeremy tells that story in full here and talks about the impact of Metallica on his life and career. LISTEN HERE.
WHITECHAPEL guitarist Ben Savage wrote a sixth-grade essay about Metallica, so you know his fandom is real and pure. Ben talks about growing up in the South, his gymnastic coach parents, discovering Metallica, his favorite riffs, the origins of Whitechapel, and his band's longevity. Plus, Ben ranks the Metallica catalog. LISTEN HERE.
METALLICA: THE $24.95 BOOK author BEN APATOFF joins Speak N' Destroy to talk about the 40th-anniversary shows; what makes his book different from the other books about the band; mainstream attitudes toward Metallica; James and Lars; and more.
It's just me! I'm talking about the Metallica 40th anniversary celebration, the cover songs released by Metallica post-Garage Inc., filling the Speak N' Destroy audience in on some of what I've been up to the past few months, and the new interviews arriving in 2022!
RIVERS OF NIHIL guitarist Brody Uttley was born in 1991, the year the Black Album was released. He talks about the musical journey that led to his tech-death metal band and production work, with an emphasis on the crucial role of Metallica in his life LISTEN HERE.
THE ACACIA STRAIN guitarist talks Metallica. This guy has his wife's name tattooed on him in the Metallica logo font. A super fun episode. LISTEN.
BYZANTINE vocalist/guitarist Chris "OJ" Ojeda and bassist Ryan Postlethwait talk discovering Metallica; the failure of old-school tab books; high school talent shows; winning a pair of Lars Ulrich's drum sticks in a MetClub contest; meeting the band in a VIP experience; the Metallica monitor mix; each of the Metallica albums; and the story of the "Quarantine Jam" version of "Shortest Straw" featuring OJ, Phil Demmel (ex-Machine Head), Chris Kael (Five Finger Death Punch), and Speak N' Destroy veterans Mike Portnoy (ex-Dream Theater) and Doc Coyle (Bad Wolves). LISTEN HERE.
AMENRA / OATHBREAKER guitarist Lennart Bossu counts Ride the Lightning among the five heavy albums that changed his life. The Belgian musician ranks the Metallica catalog, talks about meeting Kirk Hammett, his favorite riffs, seeing the band live, the spiritual side of post-doom collective Amenra, and more. LISTEN HERE.
ALLUVIAL guitarist Wes Hauch has plenty to say about Metallica. This is a deep dive conversation covering the band's different eras, puzzling and unique tuning choices, and the importance of certain opinions in the fan ecosystem. He even puts on his guitar and explains something by playing a bit of Metallica during the conversation. Hauch's guitar resume includes stints with The Faceless, Black Crown Initiate, and Thy Art Is Murder. Listen HERE.
Guns N' Roses & Metallica! The incredible co-headlining tour, filled with cancelations, a death-defying pyro accident, a riot, the ego ramp, debauchery, and so much more. It's the 30th anniversary of the Black Album this year and a perfect time to revisit 1992's infamous Guns N' Roses/Metallica tour. Andrew Carter and Eric German return to share memories about the gigs. Andrew is ex-Deputy Editor for Terrorizer Magazine, a former band manager, and a longtime attorney in the film business. Eric, part of the major label lawsuits against Napster back in the day, represents huge rock acts, including Five Finger Death Punch, AWOLNATION, Bad Wolves, and Ice Nine Kills. LISTEN.
PATREON EXCLUSIVE! A never-before-heard interview with J.D. Cronise of The Sword, taken from Downey's interview archives. In this chat, we take a deep dive into the band's 2015 album, High Country, and talk about stoner rock, genre restrictions, and yes, a bit of Metallica! Grab it at Patreon.com/SpeakNDestroy
LACUNA COIL singer Cristina Scabbia on the impact of the Black Album, covering Metallica songs with an orchestra, the origin story behind Lacuna Coil, and much more. LISTEN HERE.
TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider once declared Metallica had "a lot of heart, but they’re never going to go anywhere.” In this fun and spirited conversation, Dee reflects on Twisted Sister's feuds with Manowar, Hanoi Rocks, Mr. Mister, and the PMRC; how Metallica ended up headlining over Twisted Sister in Holland in 1984; the role of Kirk Hammett in the Bay Area thrash scene; the importance of Dave Mustaine in early Metallica; the move he borrowed from Sammy Curr in the movie Trick Or Treat; singing “Metal Militia”; the PMRC hearings; Pee-Wee Herman; and more. LISTEN HERE.
Jonah Ray Rodrigues (Mystery Science Theater 3000, Comedy Central's The Meltdown, The Nerdist) stars in Destroy All Neighbors, a splatter/horror comedy about a frustrated musician trying to finish his prog-rock epic. Jonah talks about getting into punk and metal in Hawaii, playing music, Weird Al, standup, and, of course, Metallica. LISTEN HERE.