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S&M (1999)

Where the lyrics of S&M take you, and where it was really made.

Metallica's orchestral live album was recorded over two nights in one Berkeley theatre, and the S on its cover is a backwards treble clef.

Key places

Two nights at the Berkeley Community Theatre (1999)

Live show Berkeley Community Theatre — The album was recorded live on April 21 and 22, 1999, at The Berkeley Community Theatre in Berkeley, California, with the San Francisco Symphony accompanying Metallica. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• S&M is a live album by the American heavy metal band Metallica
• Metallica songs performed with the San Francisco Symphony, conducted by Michael Kamen
• The title is an abbreviation of Symphony and Metallica
• Recorded on April 21 and 22, 1999, at The Berkeley Community Theatre
• The final Metallica album to feature bassist Jason Newsted
• Includes two new compositions, "No Leaf Clover" and "−Human"
• Symphonic accompaniment composed by Michael Kamen, who also conducted the orchestra during the concert

Background

• Cliff Burton's love of classical music, especially Johann Sebastian Bach, appears in instrumental parts and melodies on Ride the Lightning (1984) and Master of Puppets (1986)
• According to James Hetfield, the idea of combining heavy metal with an epic classical approach was Cliff Burton's idea
• Kamen met the band for the first time at the 1992 Grammy award show
• After hearing the "Elevator version" of "Nothing Else Matters", Kamen suggested the band perform with a whole orchestra
• The band did not accept the offer until seven years later
• Earlier rock and orchestra albums include the Moody Blues' Days of Future Passed (1967), Deep Purple's Concerto for Group and Orchestra (1969), and Rage's Lingua Mortis (1996)

Recording

• Songs from Ride the Lightning through Reload are included
• "The Ecstasy of Gold" by Ennio Morricone, Metallica's entrance music, was played live by the orchestra
• Some lyrics were changed: the second verse and chorus of "The Thing That Should Not Be" were removed and the third verse was played in their place
• "No Leaf Clover" has since been performed by Metallica in concert, using a recording of the orchestral prelude

Cover

• The S in the stylized S&M logo is a backwards treble clef
• The M is taken from Metallica's logo

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Disc 1

Disc 2

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Formed in Los Angeles in 1981 by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, later based in San Francisco for most of its career.
• Founded as one of the "big four" of thrash metal alongside Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer.

Members

• Current lineup: Hetfield, Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo.
• Former members include Ron McGovney, Cliff Burton, Jason Newsted and Dave Mustaine.

Career

• Commercial breakthrough with Master of Puppets (1986), often cited as one of the best metal albums of all time.
• The self-titled 1991 album moved the band toward a more mainstream audience and became its best-selling record.
• Returned to thrash roots with Death Magnetic (2008) and released 72 Seasons in 2023.
• Led the lawsuit against Napster in 2000.
• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009.
• Sold more than 163 million albums worldwide as of 2023.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Rolling Stone (January 2000) gave it 3 out of 5 stars, saying the live performance succeeded and the monster numbers benefit from supersizing
• Spin (February 2000) gave it 8 out of 10, describing the album as a soundtrack to everyday life
• Entertainment Weekly (December 1999) rated it B, saying the staples creep with a fearful new dimension
• Q (February 2000) gave it 3 out of 5 stars, calling it a hit-heavy live LP with bolted-on bombast from the S.F. Symphony
• CMJ (December 1999) called the orchestral renditions of hits from the band's 90s output stunning

Records

• Sold 300,000 units in the first week of release
• Sold a total of 2.5 million copies in the US
• Certified 5× platinum in the US as of 2003
• Included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
• NME ranked it 48th on its list of 50 Greatest Live Albums
• Metal Hammer named it one of the 20 best metal albums of 1999

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The S in the stylized logo is a backwards treble clef, while the M comes from Metallica's logo
• "The Ecstasy of Gold", Metallica's entrance music, was played live by the orchestra
• After Michael Kamen's death in 2003, Metallica revisited the concept in 2019 with the San Francisco Symphony, headed by Michael Tilson Thomas, at the Chase Center
• In August 2020, the 20th anniversary performances were released as an album, video, and box set titled S&M2
• The DVD and VHS were filmed and directed by Wayne Isham, and the double DVD includes a 41-minute documentary

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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