Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich acknowledges the negative criticisms drawn from their collaboration with Lou Reed but isn’t taking it to heart. However, Lou Reed is.

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In an interview with a DC radio station, Ulrich says that he’s been hearing the disapproval but doesn’t let it bother him because he has thick skin.

Ulrich says:

“Obviously, it’s fantastic in 2012 that the Internet gives everybody access to voicing their opinions, and I think it’s an incredible medium to communicate and to bring the world closer. But, obviously, as an artist, or somebody who is creating something, you’ve gotta be careful how deep you dive into what everybody’s talking about, because it could really screw with your mind. I’ve always been in a place where I’m pretty thick-skinned, so it doesn’t bug me that much… “

Lars is obviously referring to the message boards and comments sections of websites – where everyone has an opinion. One message board claims Lulu is The Worst Album of All Time while one critic calls it a “frustratingly noble failure.”

In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find any positive reviews of the album on the internet – which doesn’t bother Lars but it does bother Lou Reed.

Ulrich on how Lou Reed is receiving the criticism:

“It was difficult for Lou Reed because he takes everything very personally. And I think he was very surprised. We told him all along: ‘Listen, there are some very, very, very hardcore metal fans out there that like everything pre-packaged in a particular little box that looks like this, and the minute that you slightly veer outside of that, then they have a hernia.’ And that’s fine – I’m fine with that…

He continued:

“People have to understand that in Metallica, we sort of need to continue to shake it up for ourselves and to try different things and to try different experiences; that’s part of what we need to survive creatively. So, in this situation, when a legend, icon like Lou Reed calls up and says, ‘Come and make a record with me,’ it’s like, ‘Okay. We’ll come and make a record with you.’ And then you just jump out on that adventure and see where it takes you.”

Is Lulu’s harsh criticism due to metal fans’ resistance to change? Or is the album really that bad? Me personally, I think the latter is true…

What do you think? Is their collaboration as bad as everyone says it is?