Renowned rock and metal producer Bob Rock recently made a fascinating comparison between drummers, highlighting the similarities between The Who’s Keith Moon and Metallica’s Lars Ulrich. Rock shared his insights as a guest on the podcast “The Metallica Report,” hosted by Steffan Chirazi and Renée Richardson, who are actively involved in Metallica’s community.

During the podcast, Rock revealed a unique observation he made about Ulrich’s drumming style while working on the S&M performances. He noted that while the orchestra typically follows the conductor with a natural delay, Ulrich, in contrast, plays to Metallica’s guitarist James Hetfield.

According to Rock, Ulrich bases his drumming rhythm on Hetfield’s guitar playing, reminiscent of how Keith Moon synchronized his drumming with The Who guitarist Pete Townshend. Rock emphasized that both Ulrich and Moon approach drumming in a musical manner, incorporating fills around the riffs rather than simply maintaining the beаt.

While acknowledging a few other drummers who grasp this concept, such as Josh Freese of Foo Fighters, Rock reiterated that many drummers primarily focus on keeping time rather than integrating with the musical elements of a song.

Rock’s association with Metallica dates back to their seminal 1991 self-titled album, which propelled them to global acclaim in the rock and metal scenes. Reflecting on his collaboration with the band, Rock highlighted his role in guiding Metallica to explore new recording approaches, departing from their previous methods under Flemming Rasmussen’s direction.

Ultimately, Rock’s goal was to assist Metallica in reaching their full potential as musicians, fostering an evolution in their sound and recording techniques.

This insightful comparison sheds light on the intricate musical dynamics within Metallica and provides a deeper understanding of Ulrich’s drumming style, drawing parallels with the legendary Keith Moon.