Metallica's Ulrich praises 'Guitar Hero'

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Superstar drummer Lars Ulrich of the U.S. band Metallica gives credit to music-based video games for his 10-year-old son's interest in classic rock music.

After years of being one of the most militant voices against Internet file-sharing of copyrighted music, Ulrich has changed his tune about downloading after Metallica's deal to allow downloads of its new album for the video game "Guitar Hero," CNN reported Wednesday.

Rather than becoming a fan of bands like Aerosmith from listening to his father's records, 10-year-old Myles Ulrich has instead discovered them in a more interactive way -- by "playing" their songs on computer games like "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band," Lars Ulrich says.

"It's a cool generational thing to share that with your kids," he told the broadcaster. "My (son's) favorite bands are ... the same bands that are my favorite bands -- the bands I grew up on."

Metallica, whose first album came out in the early 1980s, hopes to enlist a new generation of fans this way in September when its new album "Death Magnetic" hits the stores.

"You can actually download the new album the same day it comes out, and play it on your 'Guitar Hero III,' " Ulrich told CNN.