Bill Ward Reflects on His Relationship With Lars Ulrich
Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward recently talked about his bond with Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, calling his younger colleague a “brilliant drummer” whom he loves “to death.”
As a bandleader, businessman, and creative force, Lars Ulrich helped guide Metallica to heights no other metal band had reached, including the legendary 1991 Black Album, certified 20x platinum this year.
Yet despite Metallica’s success, Ulrich’s drumming has often been criticized by fans, with some calling him a “shitty drummer” and even an early ChatGPT review describing his Master of Puppets performance as “uninspired.”
Ward Praises Lars as Both Musician and Person
For Bill Ward, a founding father of heavy metal, Ulrich is not only an important drummer but also a deeply admirable human being. Speaking on 99.1 KLBP-FM’s LA Radio Sessions, Ward said:
“Lars, first of all, he’s the most huggable man. [Laughs] Of course, I was with him recently [at the ‘Back To The Beginning’ event], and I was so happy that we could spend time together earlier when we did the last show with Black Sabbath, and we talked, I think, for about an hour nonstop.”
When me and him start talking — it’s a bit like when I’m with Johnny Kelly from Type O Negative, to be honest with you. As a matter of fact, you know what?! That can go for all the drummers that I meet. But we gave each other big hugs all the time. And we passed a lot of things between us. There’s a lot of history between us. There’s a lot of honor between us.”
“I know that he’s a huge fan of Black Sabbath and I’m a huge fan of Metallica. I just love Metallica. I love Lars’s drumming. He’s had to find himself, as have all the band. They’ve found a niche or a place where they can exist and dominate in heavy metal.”
Ward on Metallica’s Legacy
Ward also praised how Lars and Metallica created “their own society and a musical genre that is unto themselves,” calling Metallica “a great name” for a band. He spoke highly of Lars’s evolution and perseverance:
Ward noted that Lars works incredibly hard, has found his own musical identity, and continues to push himself. He joked that drummers tend to talk a lot, adding that Lars often fills the room with conversation, leaving Ward to squeeze in a word when he can.
Ultimately, Ward showed deep love and admiration for Ulrich, saying he could hug him forever and praising both his family and his drumming.
“They managed to create their own society and a musical genre that is unto themselves. Metallica is such a great name.”
“Lars is a brilliant drummer. He’s persevering, he works hard. I’ve seen him work hard. And he’s such a nice man.”
“I don’t know what it is with fucking drummers, but everybody rattles — ‘rattles’ is Astonian for ‘talks a lot’ — and so when we get together, he does all the talking, to be honest, and then I try to find a gap where, if he goes silent while he’s taking a breath, I try to find a gap where I can get in a word.”
“I love him to death. When I put my arms around him, he could stay there forever. I love his family. I love how he plays. So, he’s just one of the best people to know.”
“…And Justice for Lars”
Bill Ward is far from the only major figure standing up for Lars Ulrich.
In early 2023, Gojira’s Mario Duplantier said he grew “tired of seeing all this conversation about Lars because what he did create is quite unique.”
Soon after, Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy followed suit, saying:
“His drumming was groundbreaking. The drumming on ‘Kill ’Em All’ and ‘Ride the Lightning’ and ‘Master of Puppets,’ ‘…And Justice for All’ — the drumming on those albums had a huge, huge impact on me, and still does to this day. And I can’t state how important he is to drumming and the metal world in general.”
