January is a month known for being a depressing time; holidays are over and it’s back to the grindstone for the new year. You’d think having some time off to reset would help, but alas you are feeling more burnt out than ever. Burning out can get the best of us; it even got the best of the legendary rock band Metallica in 1988 when their album “And Justice For All” was released. The album is notoriously known for having zero bass guitar on it, and many thought it was a way of hazing Jason Newsted for being the new member in the band. Others speculated it may have been an homage to former member Cliff Burton after his tragic accident.
In a recent interview with Metallica fan magazine “So What!” James Hetfield stated that it was none of those reasons, but the fact that the band was just burnt out. He stated “We were frigging fried. Going back and forth between touring and mixing the album. Playing a gig, no earplugs, no nothing. You go back into the studio, your hearing is shot. If your ears can’t hear any high end anymore, you’re gonna turn it up.” This explains the lack of bass and it being drowned out by guitars and vocals in the mix!
I feel that with Metallica in their peak (let’s be honest, that was their peak) there was a ton of pressure to pump out amazing records. Pair this with all the touring, alcohol problems and becoming accustomed to a new member, it was probably a pretty stressful time for the band. Neglect of their mental health resulted in a lapse of judgment and thus a poorly mixed masterpiece was born.
As we move through January, here’s a couple things to keep your spirits up so you don’t make the same mistake that Metallica did.
You could plan a trip! A great way to turn that frown upside down is to get out of town for a bit. Maybe a weekend trip to the beautiful city of Calgary? Or go check out what the US of A has to offer before the Third World War breaks out.
The second way to beat the winter blues is to book a dentist appointment. Honestly what’s better than sparkly clean teeth – plus if you do it now you don’t need to do it later.
The third and final tip for surviving January is to sell some of that clutter. It’s easier than ever to sell things nowadays with the internet and after you get some extra cash and declutter, it will feel great!
You may not be writing the next big rock album, but everything you do is important on its own! The burnout crept up on Metallica and it was one of the most controversial mistakes of their career. Everyone is susceptible to this gloomy time of year, and that’s totally OK. If you’re proactive about it now and maintain that positive mental attitude, then you won’t be leaving any necessary low end out of your life. Happy New Year from all of us at 1021 CJCY and 1053 ROCK.
Ryan Cowitz is a producer at 102.1 CJCY and 105.3 ROCK. He hails from Calgary and is happy to be calling the Hat his new home.
