Beatallica
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Beatallica is a mash-up band that plays music made from combinations of songs of
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
and
Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
. A Beatallica song is typically a blend of a Beatles song and a Metallica song with a related title (e.g. "The Thing That Should Not Let It Be", combining The Beatles' " Let It Be" and Metallica's " The Thing That Should Not Be" or "And Justice for All My Loving" combining Metallica's " And Justice for All" and the Beatles' "
All My Loving "All My Loving" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, from their second UK album ''With the Beatles'' (1963). It was written by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon–McCartney), and produced by George Martin. Though not officially rele ...
"), though sometimes just a Beatles song will be used as a basis with modified lyrics. The lyrics slip back and forth between the two songs, or occasionally neither, in lieu of original lyrics comically referencing Metallica,
heavy metal music Heavy metal (or simply metal) is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and United States. With roots in blues rock, psychedelic rock and acid rock, heavy metal bands develope ...
, or the heavy metal community. While the
scansion Scansion ( , rhymes with ''mansion''; verb: ''to scan''), or a system of scansion, is the method or practice of determining and (usually) graphically representing the metrical pattern of a line of verse. In classical poetry, these patterns are ...
and melody are usually Beatles-based, the music is played metal style with some Metallica riffs and solos thrown in. Consistent quirks made in the lyrics also criticize
glam metal Glam metal (also known as hair metal or pop metal) is a subgenre of heavy metal that features pop-influenced hooks and guitar riffs, upbeat rock anthems, and slow power ballads. It borrows heavily from the fashion and image of 1970s glam ...
much in the fashion that
thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...
fans would do, as well as many references to blood. Their version of "
I Want to Hold Your Hand "I Want to Hold Your Hand" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles. Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and recorded on 17 October 1963, it was the first Beatles record to be made using four-track equipment. With advance orders ...
" called "I Want to Choke Your Band", is an example of their criticism towards glam metal. Although facing some misunderstandings in the media, members of Metallica itself have repeatedly praised the comedic styling of the group. For example,
Kirk Hammett Kirk Lee Hammett (born November 18, 1962) is an American musician who has been the lead guitarist and a contributing songwriter for heavy metal band Metallica since 1983. Before joining Metallica, he formed and named the band Exodus. In 2003, ...
has publicly remarked point-blank, "I think it's cool," and, "It's just fun for me."
James Hetfield James Alan Hetfield (born August 3, 1963) is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, co-founder and a main songwriter of heavy metal band Metallica. He is mainly known for his intricate rhythm playing, but occasionall ...
and
Lars Ulrich Lars Ulrich (; ; born 26 December 1963) is a Danish musician best known as the drummer and co-founder of American heavy metal band Metallica. The son and grandson respectively of tennis players Torben and Einer Ulrich, he played tennis in his ...
have also been friendly with the band.


History

The project was founded in 2001 by original guitarist "Krk Hammetson" and singer "Jaymz Lennfield". The EP '' A Garage Dayz Nite'' was recorded for the annual ''Spoof Fest'' concert held in Milwaukee, as a memento of that year's concert. A few dozen copies of the EP were handed out to friends. Later that year, one of those CDs made its way to Milwaukee resident Dr. David Dixon, who created
web page
that included mp3s of the songs and he named the band "Beatallica". The band was unaware of the webpage until Dixon finally met them in the summer of 2002, carrying a stack of fan emails from all around the world. Beatallica gave the webpage its blessings, and after further urgings from its internet fanbase, recorded the EP '' Beatallica'', also known as ''The Grey Album'', releasing it online on April 1, 2004. Later in 2004, the band (including bassist "Kliff McBurtney" and drummer "Ringo Larz") started to perform at live venues nationally and internationally, with a stage show incorporating elements from both Beatles and Metallica performances. They also played as an opening act for
Dream Theater Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out o ...
;
Mike Portnoy Michael Stephen Portnoy (born April 20, 1967) is an American musician who is primarily known as the former drummer, backing vocalist, and co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. In September 2010, Portnoy announced his departure ...
even joined the band on stage playing drums for one song. During 2005 and 2006 the band toured around the world, playing over 60 shows, including their first UK show in London on April 26, 2006. Beatallica would go on to perform with likes of Motorhead, Testament,
Kreator Kreator is a German thrash metal band from Essen, formed in 1982. Their current lineup consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Miland "Mille" Petrozza, drummer Jürgen "Ventor" Reil, lead guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö, and bassist Frédé ...
,
Sepultura Sepultura (, "grave")Barcinski & Gomes 1999, page 17. is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte. Formed in 1984 by brothers Max and Igor Cavalera,Barcinski & Gomes 1999, page 16. the band was a major force in the groove metal, thra ...
, LA Guns and play huge summer festivals worldwide, including Milwaukee's Summerfest, Germany's Earthshaker Festival, The Netherlands' Kings of Metal festival, and Korea's Busan International Rock Festival. In 2007, the band's current lineup of Jaymz Lennfield (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Grg Hammetson (lead guitar), Kliff McBurtney (lead bass, backing vocals) and Ringo Larz (drums) went into the studio to re-record many of Krk and Jaymz' original songs and write some new compositions for their official debut '' Sgt. Hetfield's Motorbreath Pub Band''. May 2008, marked the release of Beatallica's single; " All You Need Is Blood" recorded in 13 languages as a worldwide thank-you to the network of Beatallica fans known as Beatallibangers. The band added Belgium, Czech Republic, and Poland to the list of places they have toured. Sgt. Hetfield's Motorbreath Pub Band was released in Poland on the label Metal Mind Productions. September and October 2008 saw the release of both album '' Sgt. Hetfield's Motorbreath Pub Band'' and single " All You Need Is Blood" by Sony-ATV in Japan. Both Japanese CD versions contain bonus tracks. On April 1, 2009 (Beatallica's birthday), Beatallica met Metallica backstage after Metallica's show in Paris, France. This was the first time that both bands had met each other in person. Both bands had communicated with each other over the years, as they continue to do so. On August 4, 2009, '' Masterful Mystery Tour'', the band's second full-length album was released internationally. An official music video for the first single, Hero of the Day Tripper, was made with the band starring as hesh 1970's superheroes saving a party from the clutches of four Big Sleazers. On September 9, 2009, '' Masterful Mystery Tour'' was released by Sony-ATV in Japan. The Japanese album version includes 2 bonus tracks, live versions of "I Want to Choke Your Band" and "Revol-ooh-tion", recorded live in concert in Milwaukee, WI. September 11, 2009 Masterful Mystery Tour was released by the German label Megapress. The CD contains a bonus track, Beatallica's cover of the JBO song "Eine Guten Tag Zum Sterben" (English translation: "A Good Day for Dying"). Also of note is fact that Beatallica recorded this cover song singing in German, making this the second song they have released singing in German. Beatallica's cover version of the song was also included on the JBO 2009 album ''I Don't Like Metal – I Love It'' (Limited Edition version that includes a bonus CD). '' Winter Plunderband'' was released on November 17, 2009. It is Beatallica's first ever Holiday Season release. The (EP) album is only available as a CD at Beatallica live shows (very limited pressing) and can also be purchased as a Digital Download which includes Digital Booklet with artwork, lyrics and photos (including Beatallica and
Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
together). The songs included are covers of Paul McCartney's " Wonderful Christmastime" and John Lennon and Yoko Ono's " Happy Christmas (War Is Over)" and also the very first two Beatallica original songs " Hella Day For Holiday" and "Heretic". Beatallica toured Germany in December 2009 supporting JBO who were celebrating their 20th anniversary. During the tour Jaymz would join J.B.O on stage to sing "Ein Guter Tag Zum Sterben" in German. On the final night of the tour in Berlin, J.B.O. (mainly Vito C.) hijacked Beatallica's set by playing AC/DC's song " Highway to Hell" on guitar from backstage. Beatallica had no idea what was going on and thought a CD somehow was being played in error from the soundboard. During J.B.O.'s final set, Beatallica came out on stage wearing J.B.O.'s pink robes, which they stole from their dressing room, and took over the stage dancing around and drinking. Jaymz used a 'Beatallica Arschwaschlappen' to wipe Hannes Holzmann's face, much to the amusement of the sold-out audience. March 5, 2009 saw the release for Beatallica's second (and third) official video entitled "Fuel on the Hill (and Benzin auf dem Berg)". On April 16, 2013, Beatallica's third album, '' Abbey Load'', was released. Unlike other Beatallica albums, the songs on this album maintain the original lyrics written by the Beatles. On November 12, 2021, their fourth album ''The Devolver Album'' was released, with a preview of the first song "Wherever and Everywhere" being released on the band's official YouTube channel on October 1, 2021.


Legal problems

To avoid legal problems, the band maintained a strict non-commercial policy (all songs were available for free download) and shrouded themselves in anonymity (all names mentioned above are stage names, but their real names were revealed in interviews and, hence, also appear in this article). Metallica were aware of the spoof band's existence and never threatened to take any legal action;
Lars Ulrich Lars Ulrich (; ; born 26 December 1963) is a Danish musician best known as the drummer and co-founder of American heavy metal band Metallica. The son and grandson respectively of tennis players Torben and Einer Ulrich, he played tennis in his ...
,
James Hetfield James Alan Hetfield (born August 3, 1963) is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, co-founder and a main songwriter of heavy metal band Metallica. He is mainly known for his intricate rhythm playing, but occasionall ...
and
Kirk Hammett Kirk Lee Hammett (born November 18, 1962) is an American musician who has been the lead guitarist and a contributing songwriter for heavy metal band Metallica since 1983. Before joining Metallica, he formed and named the band Exodus. In 2003, ...
have all publicly stated that they enjoy Beatallica's music. On February 17, 2005, a
cease-and-desist A cease and desist letter is a document sent to an individual or business to stop alleged illegal activity. The phrase "cease and desist" is a legal doublet, made up of two near-synonyms. The letter may warn that, if the recipient does not disc ...
notice was sent to David Dixon (and the band's web host) by
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Sony Music Publishing (formerly Sony/ATV Music Publishing) is the largest music publisher in the world, with over five million songs owned or administered as of end March 2021. US-based, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is itself owned ...
, a company which holds rights to most of The Beatles' catalog. The notice states that the "music", "news" and "merchandise" sections of the official Beatallica website constitute a
copyright violation Copyright infringement (at times referred to as piracy) is the use of works protected by copyright without permission for a usage where such permission is required, thereby infringing certain exclusive rights granted to the copyright holder, s ...
and should therefore be taken down. In response to this, a
petition A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer called supplication. In the colloquial sense, a petition is a document addressed to some offi ...
requesting Sony/ATV Music Publishing to retract its threat of legal action was created. The band was saved from further legal action by Metallica drummer
Lars Ulrich Lars Ulrich (; ; born 26 December 1963) is a Danish musician best known as the drummer and co-founder of American heavy metal band Metallica. The son and grandson respectively of tennis players Torben and Einer Ulrich, he played tennis in his ...
, who offered to provide assistance with legal negotiations and also asked Metallica's longtime attorney to try to defuse the situation with Sony. Sony ultimately reached an agreement with Beatallica and their new label Oglio Records, and an official Beatallica recording was released in July 2007 entitled '' Sgt. Hetfield's Motorbreath Pub Band''.


Members, former members, special guests


Timeline

(note: Kliff McBurtney has been three different people over the course of the band's history, but unlike Grg Hammettson, the name was not changed) ImageSize = width:850 height:auto barincrement:30 PlotArea = left:100 bottom:60 top:0 right:10 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:01/01/2001 till:01/01/2022 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:1 ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:2001 ScaleMinor = increment:2 start:2002 Colors = id:vocals value:red legend:Vocals,_rhythm_guitar id:lguitar value:green legend:Lead_guitar,_backing_vocals id:bass value:blue legend:Bass,_vocals id:drums value:orange legend:Drums id:lines value:black legend:Studio_Albums LineData = at:07/10/2007 color:black layer:back at:08/04/2009 color:black layer:back at:04/16/2013 color:black layer:back at:11/12/2021 color:black layer:back BarData = bar:Lennfield text:"Jaymz Lennfield" bar:Krk text:"Krk Hammettson" bar:Grg text:"Grg Hammettson" bar:GrgIII text:"Grg Hammettson III" bar:Kliff text:"Kliff McBurtney" bar:Larz text:"Ringo Larz" PlotData= width:10 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) bar:Lennfield from:01/01/2001 till:end color:vocals bar:Larz from:01/01/2001 till:end color:drums bar:Krk from:01/01/2001 till:08/12/2006 color:lguitar bar:Kliff from:01/01/2001 till:end color:bass bar:Grg from:08/12/2006 till:08/12/2008 color:lguitar bar:GrgIII from:08/12/2008 till:end color:lguitar


Discography

Until 2007, Beatallica's recordings were only available as MP3 and
FLAC FLAC (; Free Lossless Audio Codec) is an audio coding format for lossless compression of digital audio, developed by the Xiph.Org Foundation, and is also the name of the free software project producing the FLAC tools, the reference softwa ...
downloads. * (2001) '' A Garage Dayz Nite'' (EP) * (2004) '' Beatallica'' (EP) * (2007) '' Sgt. Hetfield's Motorbreath Pub Band'' * (2008) '' All You Need Is Blood'' (maxi-single) * (2009) '' Masterful Mystery Tour'' * (2009) '' Winter Plunderband'' (EP) * (2013) '' Abbey Load'' * (2021) '' The Devolver Album''


References


External links

* {{Authority control American parodists Copyright activists Heavy metal musical groups from Wisconsin Tribute bands Parody musicians The Beatles tribute bands Mashup albums Metallica