'Save METALLICA' Petition Calls For Split With Longtime Producer BOB ROCK

Several "longtime loyal" fans of METALLICA have launched a petition to force a split between METALLICA and producer Bob Rock on the grounds that his "contributions" to the group's songwriting/recording process are "quite wrong and have been getting worse as time goes on." An open letter to METALLICA from the petitioners reads as follows:

"We, the longtime loyal fans and friends of METALLICA and their music, would like to see a major change with the upcoming album. I know it will be a hard thing to do, but we feel it is time to sever your working relationship with Bob Rock.

"Don't get us wrong, some of us like a few (very few) contributions Bob Rock has made to METALLICA. Unfortunately one thing we can all agree on is nothing has been the same since he joined the ranks as longtime METALLICA producer. We are not criticizing Bob Rock on his technical skills as he has mastered his sound. We just feel that his contributions to help craft a METALLICA song are quite wrong and have been getting worse as time goes on.

"From 'Kill 'Em All' through '…And Justice For All', the albums are timeless and we can listen to them over and over. Although Bob Rock's first producing effort with METALLICA, 'The Black Album', may have sold the most copies worldwide, it doesn't mean the album is the most musically pleasing. As much as we support METALLICA, most of us listen to the first few albums much more. The songs were simple and overproduced.

"'Load' and 'Reload' were examples of not having any control. The music was all over the place and Bob Rock went with the same sound plan as he has done for all of METALLICA's albums. We heard this sound yet again on the first disc of 'Garage Inc.' We have watched the videos of Bob Rock telling METALLICA horrible suggestions in the studios while we cringe knowing it is the wrong decision. Keep in mind, Bob Rock was in a band or two himself when he was younger. The reason no one knows this is because his bands failed because he cannot craft a good song let alone a help craft a good METALLICA song.

"Then we are left with 'St. Anger'. It is completely unlistenable and this is the album that Bob Rock had most of his influence. Not only in production but the songs are all a mess as well. Every song could be cut down by about 3-5 minutes simply by cutting out most of the repetition. Bob Rock didn't realize that repetition of one riff over and over for 10 minutes doesn't make a song a pleasingly structured song. The sound, as everyone can agree, did not break any musical barriers, it just made the album worse. Even Bob Rock can do better than this.

"We understand and appreciate the time and effort Bob Rock has put into METALLICA. By your own admission, you state METALLICA is a hard band to work with. We appreciate him being there to keep the band together at a personal low point of their career to help them carry on as a four-piece. But we feel the day has come.

"We are excited to hear the next studio album with the addition of masterful bassist Robert Trujillo. We hope it breathes new songwriting life into the band. All we ask is you take our suggestion seriously for the sake of the band and your fans. Please end your working relationship with Bob Rock as producer and let's enter into a new phase for METALLICA."

To view and/or sign the petition, click here.