Rock legends Metallica are now holding forth in their first-ever internet class.
In their online course, offered through celeb-oriented learning company MasterClass, the group’s foursome — James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo — will reflect on the four decades of their partnership.
The course comprises 15 individual video lessons, spanning a total of 2 hours and 45 minutes. Metallica promises to give enrollees “a window into their journey to teach strategies for growing and staying together as a band,” according to MasterClass, as well as collaborating creatively and maintaining a “unique and intimate relationship with a loyal legion of fans.”
Metallica will unpack the principles that ensure longevity as a group by being effective communicators, and how to manage criticism, according to the MasterClass announcement. The online class will break down some of their greatest hits, including “Enter Sandman”‘ and “Master of Puppets,” and provide techniques for songwriting, taking members through the process of a song from its conception as a riff to the finished arrangement, complete with lyrics, solos and “moments of dynamic tension.”
“We have sustained our bond for more than 40 years because we’ve learned a lot about each other and ourselves over time,” Hetfield, lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and cofounder of Metallica, said in a statement. “In our class we not only teach MasterClass members how we write songs and find inspiration for our music, but how the experiences we’ve had together have contributed to successful creative collaboration.”
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Metallica’s class is now available on MasterClass, as part of the site’s $180 annual membership for access to more than 100 classes led by celebrities and expert instructors.
Formed in 1981 by Hetfield and Ulrich, Metallica ranks as one of the most commercially successful rock bands of all time, having sold more than 120 million albums worldwide and generating more than 15 billion streams.
Metallica has released 10 studio albums, four live albums, a cover album, five extended plays, 37 singles and 39 music videos. The band’s awards and recognitions include nine Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, multiple MTV Video Music Awards and their 2009 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
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Launched in 2015, MasterClass has assembled a roster of instructors that includes figures from the worlds of music, media and entertainment, sports, the arts and more. The lineup includes classes led by Issa Rae, RuPaul, Shonda Rhimes, Alicia Keys, Ken Burns, Jodie Foster, Spike Lee, Martin Scorsese, Judd Apatow, David Mamet, Steve Martin, former Disney CEO Bob Iger and James Cameron.
Watch the trailer for Metallica’s MasterClass:
