Pick a Headliner: Paul McCartney vs. Metallica
We break down each act's stats so you can make an informed decision
By Tim Stegall, Fri., Oct. 5, 2018
Paul McCartney
Fri., 7:45pm, American Express stageGovernment Name: Sir James Paul McCartney, CH MBE
Nicknames: Macca, Paul Ramon
Hometown: Liverpool, England
Active Since: 1957
Genre: Pop, rock, classical, electronica
Number of Studio Albums: 47, including 23 with the Beatles
Number of Grammys: 18
Latest Release: Egypt Station
Influences: Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Buddy Holly, Carl Perkins, Chuck Berry
Notable collaborators: Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Elvis Costello, Kanye West
Breakout moment: The Ed Sullivan Show, Feb. 9, 1964
Songs He Should Play: "I'm Down," "I Saw Her Standing There," "Live and Let Die," "Let It Be"
Song He Shouldn't Play: "Silly Love Songs"
Notable Deaths: Rumors surfaced in October 1969 that McCartney had died in a 1966 car wreck and was replaced with a look-alike. Plus John Lennon, George Harrison, George Martin, Linda McCartney
Brave Experiments: Three electronica collaborations with Killing Joke's Youth as the Fireman
Stereotypical Fan: Baby boomers
Best Lines: "And when the brokenhearted people living in the world agree/ There will be an answer/ Let it be."
Last Local Show: Frank Erwin Center, May 22, 2013, his Austin debut
Notable Achievement: The Quarrymen, the Beatles, Wings
Metallica
Sat., 8pm, American Express stageGovernment Names: James Alan Hetfield; Lars Ulrich, R; Kirk Lee Hammett; Roberto Agustín Miguel Santiago Samuel Perez de la Santa Concepción Trujillo Veracruz Bautista
Nicknames: Alcoholica (formerly)
Hometown: Los Angeles
Active Since: 1981
Genre: Thrash metal
Number of Studio Albums: 10
Number of Grammys: 9
Latest Release: Hardwired... to Self-Destruct (2016); ...And Justice for All (Remaster out Nov. 2)
Influences: Motörhead, Tygers of Pan Tang, Diamond Head, Iron Maiden, Misfits
Notable Collaborators: Dave Mustaine, Jason Newstead, Lemmy, The Simpsons
Breakout moment: Kill 'Em All, July 25, 1983
Songs They Should Play: "Whiplash," "Creeping Death," "Master of Puppets," "One," "Enter Sandman"
Song They Shouldn't Play: Prince's "When Doves Cry" (youtu.be/FgQ57Gv7W7k)
Notable Deaths: Bassist Cliff Burton, killed in a bus accident in Sweden, Sept. 27, 1986
Brave Experiments: 1991's Metallica, aka "The Black Album"; ill-advised Lou Reed collaboration Lulu
Stereotypical Fan: Lots of hair, ancient Damage, Inc. tour shirt (sleeves cut off), equally ancient greasy denim
Best Lines: "Exit light/ Enter night/ Take my hand/ We're off to Never-Neverland."
Last Local Show: X-Games, Circuit of the Americas, June 6, 2015
Notable Achievement: Chairmen of the board to extreme metal's Big Four: Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax
