(BW&BK) Rolling Stone caught up with Metallica at their Record Store Day signing event in northern California late last week. Drummer Lars Ulrich chatted about recording with Rick Rubin, bonding with his kids over Guitar Hero and learning to love the Web.Rolling Stone: How would you feel on the day the last record store in America closed? * Ulrich: "I'd do my best to try and be there playing 'Fade To Black' as the last song, but I don't think it'll come to that. iTunes? I'm there as much as everyone else, I'm not against that. If you look at vinyl, fifteen years ago CDs came out and yet it continues to make more of a comeback. I don't think you'll be able to kill the record store, at least not in major cities. I'm worried about the smaller cities. I'm against these soulless megastores."
Rolling Stone: And as far as the next record goes ... * Ulrich: "You know, this is our last record under contract with Warner, so we're looking at how we can embrace everything."
Rolling Stone: Like a 360 deal with Live Nation? ** Ulrich: "Mmm, we've never sold ourselves that way. No disrespect. We want to be as free a players as possible. We've been observing RADIOHEAD and TRENT REZNOR and in twenty-seven years or however long it takes for the next record, we'll be looking forward to everything in terms of possibilities with the internet." - more on this story