Interview With Joel McIver
Joel McIver - Author of "Justice For All - The Truth About Metallica" and Heavy Metal JournalistFWMT: Tell us a bit about yourself.JM: I’m a journalist and author based near London in the UK and write for a bunch of music and film magazines. Justice For All: The Truth About Metallica was my sixth book: since then I’ve done a few more on QOTSA, the Chilis, etc. All info is at www.joelmciver.co.uk.FWMT: When did you first become interested in Metallica?JM: Relatively late: when I was 16 the Garage Days EP came out and blew my mind. Buddies of mine had already introduced me to the glories of Puppets and the earlier albums but the EP was the first one I actually went out and bought as a fan. Before that my musical heroes were the Beatles and the Smiths (and still are) but Metallica opened my eyes to a whole new world – metal!FWMT: What is your favourite Metallica album and song?JM: Puppets/Disposable Heroes or KEA/Motorbreath, depending on my mood!FWMT:Do you own any cool memorabilia etc, and if so, what is you favourite?JM: I have some rare interview promo CDs from the Load era.FWMT: The early years of Metallica covered in your book are extremely detailed. How did you manage to compile the history of Metallica up to 1991 with such detail?JM: Largely from my own interviews with the 75 or so musicians/fans/writers who were there at the time. It’s the only way to be truly credible.FWMT: You are quite critical of the Load era, and a little less-so of St Anger (but still critical). Do you feel that these albums are sub-par by Metallica’s standard, or would they be sub-par no matter who created them?JM: Good question. The former. If a pop-metal act such as (say) Linkin Park came out with an album like St Anger I’d be pleasantly surprised. Load has its moments but along with Reload and St A there are far too many average moments for such a great set of musicians and songwriters. FWMT: In the later history of Metallica you are less detailed than in the first half. Is this because this information is more readily available, or did you intend to only focus on the major events (album releases, Napster, Jason’s departure).JM: Neither – it’s because I’m much less interested in what they did after the Black Album. Mega tour followed by average album followed by mega tour and average album. Boring! The Tallica story only gets interesting again with Napster in 2000.FWMT: When reviewing S
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