This is Apple Computer's chat with Metallica that went along with their webcast. It took place on June 10th, 1996.

AWWC Scoot: WELCOME to Apple Computer, Inc.'s webcast coverage of Metallica! Our special guest's are James Hetfield - Guitars, Vocals, Lars Urlich - Drums, Kirk Hammett - Guitars, Jason Newsted - Bass.

LOAD Metal: Hey, We have Lars and Kirk together now and they'll be taking the first round of questions!

AWWC Ron: Kirk--Load's been out for a week. What's your thoughts?

LOAD Metal: Kirk: I love seeing the album cover plastered everywhere because of what it is and I'm not sure what people know what the image is all about!

AWWC Ron: Do you want to tell us what it is about, or leave it up to our interpretation?

LOAD Metal: Kirk: I'll leave it up to your interpretation! I think it ushers a whole new genre of Metallica!

AWWC Ron: How much of "metal" is attitude and look, and how much is the music and craftsmanship?

LOAD Metal: Kirk: To some bands it's a musicianship and to some it's more image and there are bands out there that have a little of both. We're experimenting with the visual aspects of things now more than ever before only because we never have in the past and it's a challenge to us and our fans!

AWWC Ron: Metallica has said over the years, "We will not sell out!" What has Metallica done to maintain that promise?

LOAD Metal: Kirk: We keep the music true to ourselves and we play the music we want to play and we're not catering to anyone, we're completely doing this to satisfy ourselves creatively and musically.

AWWC Carl: Many people wonder.... Why the new logo?

LOAD Metal: James did the star. We had for so long we were just looking to change it we were tired of it. That's all! We wanted to reinvent the logo, just like we reinvented our music! :-)

LOAD Metal: Kirk adds: I'm not going to talk about our haircuts ;-)

AWWC Ron: On what levels do you think "Lollapalooza" will be different now that founder Perry Farrell has abdicated the crown?

LOAD Metal: Kirk: Perry who?

AWWC Ron: Why and how did Metallica steer "metal" into the alternative realm in 1992?

LOAD Metal: Kirk: In 1992 alternative music didn't exist!

AWWC Carl: From IRC: Did you guys film a new documentary when you recorded the new album?

LOAD Metal: Kirk: No, because we're tired of having those MF following us around everywhere and it really bothered us. I mean we did it once and we're not really interested in doing it again!

LOAD Metal: Kirk: I think Jason has thought about it but don't quote me on that!

AWWC Carl: Monastery wonders... What kind of stage setup are you planning on having when you start your own tour of the US?

LOAD Metal: Kirk: it's bigger than last time, LOL! And I haven't really seen the new stage yet so once I find out, I'll tell you guys, LOL!

AWWC Carl: From IRC: Do you think the band will have a bigger presence on the Net after this IRC session?

LOAD Metal: Kirk: I think we're embracing this sort of presentation (cyber presentation) and I think you'll see more of this sort of things in future for us. It works for us in a very positive way and the net at all is very interesting to us! We just put up a home page for our fun club Keyword: Metallica on AOL and on the Internet at http://www.metclub.com

AWWC Carl: DR Mildew asks: Why did you suddenly become radio friendly, when you already had enough popularity?

LOAD Metal: Kirk: ask the radio stations that

LOAD Metal: Lars: it's the whole musical climate that starting shifting. After the Injustice for All record, we were interested in making better sounding records and it so happens that at the same time radio changed in the early 90s and for no ulterior motives radio starting chasing us, rather than us chasing them

AWWC Carl: From the IRC: What were you guys up to between your last tour, and the recording of Load?

LOAD Metal: Kirk: I became a woman, but then I switched back because it wasn't fulfilling enough ;-) The Black Album and the whole tour was pretty exhausting so it was the first time we got to spend some time away from each other which was very healthy for us and it was a great opportunity to chill. I got to do a lot of diving and just a lot of nothing. It was great!

AWWC Carl: U H003 wonders.... how early did u start to realize that you liked music?

LOAD Metal: Kirk: when I was 5 I was constantly drawn to my brothers Beatles albums more so for the covers than anything else. And it so happened that I liked the music

LOAD Metal: Lars: My dad owned a jazz club in Copenhagen and I he was also reviewing and writing about jazz music in Danish newspaper so there was always Miles Davis, Johnny Coltrane playing around the house then as I was getting older I started getting into English pop bands, like Sweet and Slade and then I went and saw my first Deep Purple concert in 1983 and that was it! :-) I'm sorry, 1973.

AWWC Carl: From IRC: I heard last night that the cover to your next album will criticize the Catholic Church... can we get some more information on that?

LOAD Metal: That was pure satire! :-)

AWWC Carl: Ofc Duck wonders: Will any of the unreleased tracks by showing up on CD singles?

LOAD Metal: Lars: there already is! Unreleased as in live stuff and demos and blah, blah, blah are all over the singles we've never ever written a song that we didn't think was good enough to go on one of our albums hence it's on not on any of our singles.

AWWC Carl: From IRC: Are there any things planned for release for fan club members only?

LOAD Metal: Lars: the fan can we put out last winter will hopefully be a somewhat yearly event especially if we have cool enough things to put in it! experience?

LOAD Metal: James has just walked in the door too :-)

AWWC Carl: ACMtweene asks: How long did it take you to write this album?

LOAD Metal: James: 5 months! Which is actually quicker comparatively with the amount of songs we have this time.

AWWC Carl: From IRC: The photos in Load booklet are made by Anton Corbin what do you think of his previous works?

LOAD Metal: Lars: I think he's probably about the best photographer out there. We've done a bunch of stuff with him all spring and we really haven't made a decision on what to do with the videos yet. We make that decision one at a time. I think his best previous stuff is the U2 stuff and I also like a lot of his non musical work!

AWWC Carl: From IRC: Since the Black Album, why did it take 5 years to come out with Load?

LOAD Metal: :::: thinking ::::::

LOAD Metal: James: we were busy! Doing shows, putting out the live package, also I think 1.5 years A Year In the Life of Metallica came out.

LOAD Metal: Lars: busy getting haircuts ;-)

LOAD Metal: James: there was some time off in there somewhere, some of us remember it some of us don't and writing the new one significance. Five years went by pretty quick for us I know it didn't for many of the fans but the process for us is very strong!

AWWC Carl: MESSERT wonders: What songs from LOAD are you looking forward to playing live?

LOAD Metal: Lars: a lot of them!

LOAD Metal: James: I think we'll just have to try playing them and whatever feels best. You have an obvious idea of what songs will work better live but in the long run you can never tell. It's up to the song basically!

AWWC Carl: From IRC: Taking into account the unfortunate loss of Cliff, how does Jason feel now that he has been a member of the band for so long, does he still feel as if he is the odd one out?

LOAD Metal: Lars: until we get out backup singers Jason will always be the new kid in the band forever and ever. BUT, you gotta remember that he's been with Metallica for 10 years now and Cliff was with Metallica for 3.5 so Jason has definitely put some time in! I think he definitely feels by James and me taking a baby step back and letting the other two guys in, he feels part of what is going on and a little more respected. And the whole musical trip for the band, he's not sitting as uncomfortably as he used to. So all in all he feels much better. Sorry, And the whole musical trip he does outside the band! ....

AWWC Carl: Staley123 wonders: Why did Lars downsize his drum set?

LOAD Metal: Lars: I was up in Seattle a couple of years ago and ended up playing Sean from Alice in Chains drum kit and really liked the feel of smaller drums.

AWWC Carl: From IRC: James, your singing on Load is much more passionate then on previous albums, where do you think the motivation came from? (I always knew you had it in you.)

LOAD Metal: James: being a lot more relaxed in the studio and having the songs worked out for a longer time had a lot to do with it. Just breaking down some of the studio technical rules being out in the tracking room standing with a cold microphone six inches away being in the control room being able to concentrate on the lyrics instead of where I'm supposed to stand. These lyrics also helped because they are so from the core inside that it was a lot more emotion to be put into it.

AWWC Carl: From IRC: How long will your set be at the Copenhagen Rock Festival?

LOAD Metal: Lars: it will probably in the 2 hour vicinity. We'll probably play Enter Sandman Just kidding ;-) So, we'll be playing lots of stuff from all six records, covers and we'll do our circus routine ;-)

AWWC Carl: From IRC: What would you say to those fans who say you sold out with the last two albums?

LOAD Metal: Lars: we sold out pretty much everywhere we played over the last two albums ;-)

LOAD Metal: Jason has just arrived!

AWWC Carl: How has San Francisco and it's rich counter-cultural history affected your music?

LOAD Metal: James: it made me move out of the city, LOL!

AWWC Carl: What are some untrue myths about Metallica?

LOAD Metal: Lars: what we sold out!

LOAD Metal: James: that we're good ;-)

LOAD Metal: Lars: that we used to have long hair ;-)

AWWC Carl: From IRC: Why did you include the words "We're off to Never, Never Land" at the end of Kind Nothing?

LOAD Metal: James, I thought the line was so good on the last record, that I would sing it again ;-)

AWWC Carl: From IRC: Was there any anxiety after the incredible success of the Black Album...that you wouldn't be able to top it musically or commercially?

LOAD Metal: James: musically we're pretty hard on ourselves, so that was the main pressure on us so that was the main reason we were in it for. Popularity isn't the main concern. We're not worried about the commercial aspect!

AWWC Ron: Do you have any closing comments?

LOAD Metal: Jason: bolt your computer down!

LOAD Metal: Lars: :::waving :::: peace and vote!

LOAD Metal: James: peace and murder... Thanks!

AWWC Carl: Thank you all for coming. We're sorry we didn't get to all your questions... We literally had thousands to go through. Goodnight everyone.