Interviews
Ever Wondered Why ‘…And Justice For All’ Had No Bass? The Riddle Has Now Been Solved
One of the big questions that has loomed over the storied career of legendary metal band Metallica was, “Why does …And Justice For All have no bass to it?” It’s a question that has been brought up many times over the years and has puzzled countless fans, especially after the fantastic Master Of Puppets.
But that question can now be laid to rest as Steve Thompson, who mixed the album, has opened up and explained everything that happened to lead to the absence of bass on that album.
In an interview with Ultimate-Guitar, Thompson explains exactly what happened:
We had to get the drum sound up the way he had it. I wasn’t a fan of it. So now [Lars Ulrich] goes, “See the bass guitar?” and I said, “Yeah, great part, man. He killed it.” He said, “I want you to bring down the bass where you can barely, audibly hear it in the mix.” I said, “You’re kidding. Right?”
He said, “No. Bring it down.” I bring it down to that level and he says, “Now drop it down another 5 db.” I turned around and looked at [James] Hetfield and said, “He’s serious?” It just blew me away.
I wanted to take “Master of Puppets” and blow that away. That was my sonic direction for “… And Justice For All.” It was all there but I think they were looking for more garagey-type sound without bass. And the bass was great; it was perfect.
It was a shame because I’m the one getting the sh-t for the lack of bass.
But do you want to know the kicker? You want to hear the real zinger in all of this? Check out the chutzpah of Ulrich several years later at the Hall Of Fame:
I remember when Metallica got elected to the Hall of Fame, they flew us out and I’m sitting with Lars. He goes, “Hey, what happened to the bass in “… Justice?” He actually asked me that. I wanted to cold cock him right there.
Well, there you have it. The most vocal and noticeable member, Mr. Lars Ulrich, is again the reason behind yet another issue in the band’s career. Good job, sir.
As the inaugural season of Apple TV+’s stellar new series “Widow’s Bay” barrels toward its finale in two weeks, the latest episode gives Kate O’Flynn the spotlight as her character revisits her trauma with the Boogeyman.
“Your Baggage“, directed by Andrew DeYoung (Friendship), sees O’Flynn’s scene-stealing Patricia once again renew her fight with the Michael Myers-like stalker that slaughtered her peers during her adolescence. Thrillingly, it makes for one extended chase sequence that sees Patricia trying to warn others, while evading the undead killer.
In short, this episode’s incredible riff on Halloween and the slasher subgenre transformed Patricia into a fierce Final Girl.
“Well, that felt like a bucket list that I didn’t know was on my bucket list until I did it, but when I did it, I just lapped up every minute,” O’Flynn tells Bloody Disgusting of her triumphant turn this episode. “It felt fantastic for her to get that moment where she is becoming a badass. That was amazing.”
The actress turned to a few notable references for her performance. “Horror-wise, I go back to my youth, which was referenced in some of the episodes: Wicker Man, Carrie, and Rosemary’s Baby, that sort of thing is my kind of vibe.”
O’Flynn also notes how the series’ unique tone allows for so much creative freedom to make bold swings. “There’s something very freeing about it. Every moment is up for grabs, so it’s like we don’t have to totally land in one direction or another. It keeps it alive.“
Patricia is the eccentric assistant to Matthew Rhys‘ Mayor Tom Loftis, who’s at the forefront of trying to solve the island’s pesky curse predicament. Rhys felt the same about “Widow’s Bay” and its rare ability to make you laugh and scream in equal measure, stemming from series creator Katie Dippold.
“The mandate was, ‘It’s a real world with real people. You play for real.’ There’s no playing for comedy or horror,” Rhys echoes O’Flynn’s sentiments on how freeing the series’ tone has been.
New episodes will release every Wednesday through June 17 only on Apple TV+.
Kate O’Flynn in “Widow’s Bay,” now streaming on Apple TV.
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