

Eight years ago, when Metallica became the poster band for the clash between the record industry and its fans, the whole thing started when drummer Lars Ulrich personally delivered a massive printout of the names of people who had been sharing Metallica songs on Napster to the company's headquarters.

But with only one record left on its Warner Music Group contract, the Ulrich says Metallica could be planning a digital release along the lines of what Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails have done, as ironic as that might seem.

"You know, this is our last record under contract with Warner, sowe're looking at how we can embrace everything," said Ulrich, who pointed out to Rolling Stone during a Record Store Day appearance that the band already allows fans to buy MP3 and FLAC versions of recent live shows and download older shows for free.

After denying that the Metallica would sign a 360-degree deal withLive Nation, Ulrich implied that the band could choose a more independent, digitalroute: "We've been observing Radioheadand Trent Reznor and in twenty-seven years or however long it takesfor the next record, we'll be looking forward to everything interms of possibilities with the Internet."

Although it seems ironic that the band which so infamously tookon its fans for downloading music would choose an internet-only release strategy, possibly with an optional price or even a free option,

Ulrich claimed the move would not represent a change of direction. The band has always been "fiercely independent and controlling;

sometimes to a fault," he said.

(In another sign of the times, Ulrich spent a good portion of Record Store Day signing Guitar Hero controllers.)

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(via Music Ally; image of Lars Ulrich on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire via YouTube