Metallica’s James Hetfield: ‘Orion’ Festival Was a ‘Disaster Financially’ + ‘Not Able To Happen Again’
Even when you’re the most commercially successful metal band in history, financial issues can still set you back. In a new interview, Metallica frontman James Hetfield calls the band’s ‘Orion Music + More’ festival a “disaster financially.” Additionally, after back-to-back years of ‘Orion,’ Hetfield believes that because of money issues, the festival will not happen again.
In a creative sense, Metallica have been very successful in their larger-than-life endeavors. The ‘Orion’ festival and it’s many sideshows such as Hetfield’s car show, guitarist Kirk Hammett‘s horror crypt and drummer Lars Ulrich‘s film showcase, provided a unique experience, but ‘Orion’ lost money during its two-year history. The band’s 3D concert film ‘Metallica Through the Never’ was a box office bomb, drawing less than $3.5 million in North America after the band spent $18 million on its production.
“Right now, it seems like metal is struggling a little bit in the States,” Hetfield recently told 94.5 The Buzz. “Obviously, the Orion [Music + More] festival that we had tried to do the last couple of years has really not been… Gosh, it’s been a disaster financially, and it’s not able to happen again because of that. So it’s a bummer. So, you know, we’re doing what we can to keep being alive here. And I hope to get out and play in the States. It seems like forever since we’ve been out and about. You know, we’ve hit the coasts and we’ve done TV stuff and things like that. But it will happen again.”
Bottom line: Although ‘Orion’ may never see its third installment, Metallica will once again hit North America with a tour, and if handled properly on the business end, there’s no doubt that Metallica will make boatloads of money.
Stay tuned to Loudwire for all your Metallica news.
Sign up to have news and information about your community delivered to your email.