Torben Ulrich, Renowned Tennis Star and Father of Metallica Drummer Lars Ulrich, Passes Away at 95

On Wednesday, Dec. 20, Lars shared the news on Instagram along with a series of photos captioned: “Torben Ulrich: 1928-2023. 95 years of adventures, unique experiences, curiosity, pushing boundaries, challenging the status quo, tennis, music, art, writing … and quite a bit of Danish contrarian attitude. Thank you endlessly! I love you dad.” The cause of death was not disclosed.

Torben, known for his prowess in tennis and jazz writing, gained recognition among Metallica fans through his appearance in the band’s 2004 documentary, “Some Kind of Monster.”

In a memorable studio session for the material that later became the 2003 album “St. Anger,” Torben provided his insights to the Bay Area hard rock band. When asked about a song snippet, he famously remarked, “I would say, delete that,” making him a legend among Metallica’s fans as the band’s most honest critic.

Born on Oct. 4, 1928, in Copenhagen, Torben hailed from a family with a tennis background, with his father, Einer, also being a tennis player.

Torben actively played tennis from the 1940s, participating in the Tennis Grand Masters tour during the 1970s and 1980s, and representing Denmark in 102 Davis Cup matches. In 1976, he held the top-ranked position globally among senior players and concurrently contributed to Danish jazz magazines and newspapers, including Information and Politiken. Throughout the 1960s, he maintained a weekly column for the Danish daily newspaper BT.

Beyond his tennis career, Torben was a versatile artist, poet, choreographer, actor, and musician, having several albums to his credit. Lars once mentioned that his father was a significant influence, stating in a 1995 Rolling Stone interview, “My dad was always around music.”

Lars, residing in San Francisco, fondly recalled his father’s connections with jazz icons like Sonny Rollins, Don Cherry, and Dexter Gordon.

“Dexter Gordon was my godfather,” Lars said. “I used to play with Neneh Cherry when we were little kids. Her stepfather, Don Cherry, lived like six houses from where we lived in Copenhagen. Those types of people were always around. … Miles Davis and Ornette Coleman were always playing in the stereo around the house. Later it was the Doors and Jimi Hendrix.”

In 2021, at the age of 92, Torben released a jazz album titled “Oakland Moments: Cello, Voice, Reuniting (Rejoicing),” a collaborative effort with cellist and composer Lori Goldston.