Robert Trujillo & Metallica’s Blackened Whiskey Now Sold Online

Posted on May 12, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Robert Trujillo is helping you get blackened online…

Blackened, the well-received whiskey release that hails from the 56-year-old half-Mexican American musician and songwriter and his Metallica band mates, is now available online.

First introduced a few years ago as a super limited-edition release, the whiskey is now available for purchase online at ReserveBar ($42, for a 750ml bottle).

Inspired by the song, “Blackened,” and the great American whiskey-making tradition, BLACKENED is a collaboration between Master Distiller Dave Pickerell and Metallica.

The premium whiskey uses a blend of hand-selected, well-aged bourbons and ryes, that are then uniquely finished in black brandy casks.

The distillery says the whiskey blend is aged for at least eight years.

The finishing touch: the casks are then blasted with a custom Metallica playlist, specially selected and arranged by the band themselves.

Pickerell and his team called this a “BlackNoise” finishing process, stating that “the low frequency sound waves force the whiskey to penetrate deeper into the barrel, extracting more caramel, honey and vanilla flavors from the wood.” As you can imagine, the music has to hit a certain volume and frequency range for the desired effect to take place. The result: a bold yet balanced whiskey, that’s rich in flavor yet smooth enough to sip neat or on the rocks.

Aside from the burnt caramel, oak and honey on the nose, tasting notes of Metallica’s BLACKENED whiskey include hints of cinnamon, allspice, dark fruit, clove and mint, with a finish of butterscotch taffy and maple.

Every batch of BLACKENED will come with an accompanying playlist curated by Metallica and available to listen to at blackenedwhiskey.com.

While it was sold out during its original run, you can now buy Metallica’s BLACKENED Whiskey online at ReserveBar.com. And while Metallica has been the winner of eight Grammy awards to date, the band’s whiskey just took home a new accolade as well: BLACKENED Whiskey was awarded a Gold Medal at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2020.

Find out more about Metallica’s BLACKENED Whiskey and order a bottle for delivery at ReserveBar.com.

Robert Trujillo & His Metallica Band Mates Notch Five of the Top 10 Best-Selling Albums on Billboard’s Top Album Sales Chart

Posted on February 15, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Robert Trujillo is makin’ a major mark on the Billboard charts…

The 56-year-old half-Mexican American bassist and songwriter and his Metallica band mates hold five of the top 10 best-selling albums of the week in the U.S., as reflected on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart (dated February 13).

It’s the first time since 2016 that one act has five out of the top 10 on the tally.

Metallica jumps 67-3, while the group notches re-entries with Ride the Lightning (No. 4), …And Justice for All (No. 5), Master of Puppets (No. 7) and Kill ‘Em All (No. 8), respectively. The takeover is due to the band’s release of six of its earlier albums on limited edition color vinyl via Walmart on January 29.

Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now MRC Data. Pure album sales were the measurement solely utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated December 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album units and streaming equivalent album units.

Here’s a look at Metallica’s five albums in the top 10 on Top Album Sales, along with a sixth that missed the region, but is at No. 15. Nearly all of the sales for each title are from their vinyl editions.

Title; Rank; Total Copies Sold on All Formats (Gain)
Metallica; No. 3; 10,000 (up 383%)
Ride the Lightning; No. 4; 9,700 (up 617%)
…And Justice for All; No. 5; 9,400 (up 776%)
Master of Puppets; No. 7; 8,100 (up 1,102%)Kill ‘Em All; No. 8; 8,000 (up 917%)
Hardwired… To Self-Destruct; re-entry at No. 15; 5,500 (up 2,433%)

The last act to have five of the top 10 on Top Album Sales was Prince, following his death in 2016, when he claimed half of the region on the list dated May 14, 2016.

Metallica also has six of the top 10 on the February 13-dated Vinyl Albums chart – the third time an act has held six of the top 10. It previously happened on March 19, 2016 (David Bowie) and Dec. 1, 2012 (The Beatles). Back on the Top Album Sales chart, Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album is steady at No. 1 for a third nonconsecutive week, with 25,000 sold (up 102%).

Tye Trujillo’s New Band, Suspect208, Releases Debut Single “Long Awaited”

Posted on November 14, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Tye Trujillo is officially following in his father’s footsteps…

The part-Mexican American teenager, the son of Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo, has formed an alt-rock band called Suspect208.

The younger Trujillo formed the band with London Hudson, Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, Noah Weiland, Stone Temple Pilots’ late frontman Scott Weiland, and their friend Niko Tsangaris.

And, Tye and his band mates have released their debut single because “Long Awaited” is already out.

Hudson announced their debut on Instagram last week, promising, “We got more sh– coming soon!” He was previously in a different band with Tsangaris called Classless Act, which opened for Slash at the Hollywood Palladium in 2019.

Tye Trujillo previously toured with Korn in 2017 and performed with his father’s old troupe Suicidal Tendencies last year.

Robert Trujillo & His Metallica Band Mates to Headline Next Year’s ‘Aftershock’ Rock Festival

Posted on October 22, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Robert Trujillo is feeling an aftershock…

The 56-year-old half-Mexican American bassist and songwriter and his Metallica band mates will headline next year’s Northern California rock festival Aftershock.

In addition to Metallica, the festival – which plans to return in 2021 with an expanded four-nights – the other headlining set will come from My Chemical Romance at Discovery Park in Sacramento from October 7-10.

The new Thursday night concert on October 7 will be a celebratory evening to kick off the anticipated return of the festival that has sold out for the last five years, but was canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Aftershock 2021 will be headlined by Metallica (performing two different sets, one on Friday and one on Sunday) and My Chemical Romance (Saturday), who were both confirmed for the sold-out 2020 event.

The 2021 lineup will also include Limp Bizkit, Rancid, The Offspring, Social Distortion, Rise Against, Volbeat, Machine Gun Kelly, Mastodon, Gojira, SEETHER, Parkway Drive and many more.

“We can’t wait to play at Aftershock 2021 with our Bay Area brothers Metallica,” Rancid said in a statement. “We first played with them on the Lollapalooza tour in 1996 along with the Ramones and later down the road we toured across South America together. It’s gonna be wild, see ya in the pit!”

In 2019, Aftershock celebrated its biggest-ever year with 97,500 in attendance during the sold-out three-day event. As Aftershock 2021 draws near, producer Danny Wimmer Presents will be working with local officials to make sure the festival conforms to the then-current social distancing protocols.

Passes are on sale now and can be purchased for only $20 down. Payments will then be spread out over the next nine months, beginning in December. Single day admission starts at $119.50 + fees, while four day passes start at $379.50 + fees.

https://twitter.com/AFTERSHOCKSAC/status/1319352846899265536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1319352846899265536%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3%2Ccontainerclick_0&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.billboard.com%2Farticles%2Fnews%2Ffestivals%2F9471240%2Fmetallica-my-chemical-romance-2021-aftershock-festival-lineup%2F

Robert Trujillo & Metallica Donate $250,000 to Organizations on the Front Lines of the West Coast’s Wildfire Crisis

Posted on September 29, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Robert Trujillo is helping the people affected by West Coast’s wildfires…

The 55-year-old Mexican American bassist and his Metallica band mates have donated $250,000 to five organizations on the front lines of the area’s devastating wildfire crisis through their All Within My Hands charity.

The donations are earmarked for the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Relief Fund, the Oregon Community Foundation’s Wildfire Relief and Recovery Fund, the Community Foundation Santa Cruz County’s Fire Response Fund, the Community Foundation of North Central Washington NCW Fire Relief Fund and the North Valley Community Foundation Wildfire Relief and Recovery Fund.

“Communities across the west coast of our country are suffering,” Metallica tweeted. “The @AWMHFoundation is donating $250,000 to assist in wildfire relief efforts.”

In a statement from AWMH, the non-profit organization founded by the metal icons in 2017 explains, “Wildfires have become a cruel and unwelcome annual benchmark in California, and this year we have seen them tragically extend across the entire west coast of our country. This is the fourth consecutive year, dating back to the formation of the Foundation, that All Within My Hands has activated to support fire relief: the critical local services component of our mission.”

The band is also encouraging fans to join in supporting first responders and those in need in any way they can by donating money, non-perishable food, clothing and other supplies. This year’s fire season in California, Oregon and Washington have combined to create the worst fire season on record, with more than a month left to go.

According to the New York Times, more than five million acres have burned in the three states so far, destroying thousands of buildings and killing more than two dozen people and thick smoke and ash have fouled the air up and down the coast.

“Communities across the west coast of our country are suffering,” writes the band on Twitter. “The @AWMHFoundation is donating $250,000 to assist in wildfire relief efforts. To learn more, visit https://t.co/vBaDmRgyz4. #AWMH #MetallicaGivesBack https://t.co/4QCScSN2DN

Robert Trujillo & Metallica Top Billboard’s Top Facebook Live Videos Chart for August

Posted on September 27, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Robert Trujillo is celebrating a social media feat…

The 55-year-old half-Mexican American bassist and his Metallica band mates’ final installment of its Metallica Mondays on Facebook Live has ended with a bang, as the rockers rule Billboard’s Top Facebook Live Videos chart for August 2020.

The chart, the latest of which recaps August 2020 activity, is a monthly look at the widest-reaching and most-reacted-to videos posted by musicians on Facebook Live, as tracked by media analytics company Shareablee. Rankings are determined by a formula that blends reactions, comments, shares and first-seven-days views.

Posted on August 25, Metallica’s final (at least for now) Metallica Mondays video featured the band’s March 3, 2017, concert from Mexico City.

Metallica’s upload paced the field for August 2020 in first-seven-days views (1.5 million), comments (23,000) and shares (20,000), according to Shareablee. It was also reacted to 52,000 times.

The week’s victor in reactions, meanwhile, was Larry Hernandez, whose August 26 post racked up 78,000 reactions. Hernandez’s video prominently featured his new daughter, Dalett, who was born earlier this year.

Here’s the full top 10 list:

10. Garth Brooks
9. Grupo5
8. Larry Hernandez
7. Garth Brooks
6. Garth Brooks
5. Luke Bryan
4. La Sonora Dinamita
3. Prince Royce
2. Larry Hernandez
1. Metallica

Robert Trujillo & His Metallica Band Mates Earn Third No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Rock Albums Chart as “S&M2” Debuts at No. 1

Posted on September 11, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Robert Trujillo’s hit albums keep on coming…

The 55-year-old half-Mexican American bassist and his Metallica band mates have scored their third No. 1 on Billboard‘s Top Rock Albums chart, as S&M2 debuts at the top of the ranking list dated September 12.

Recorded live on September 6 and 8, 2019, with the San Francisco Symphony, the set arrives with 56,000 equivalent album units earned in the tracking week ending September 3, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. Of that sum, 53,000 units are via album sales.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-enshrined band now boasts three Top Rock Albums No. 1s since the chart began in 2006. Death Magnetic ruled for five weeks in 2008 and Hardwired… to Self-Destruct reigned for six in 2016-17.

The new set also debuts atop the Hard Rock Albums chart, where it’s Metallica’s third leader and the San Francisco Symphony‘s first. On Classical Albums, the LP likewise launches at No. 1, as Metallica earns its first leader; the orchestra also leads for the first time, as it ups its count to 11 top 10s.

On the all-genre Billboard 200, S&M2 bows at No. 4, marking Metallica’s 11th top 10. S&M2‘s predecessor, S&M, debuted and peaked at No. 2 in November 1999.

Metallica now becomes the first group, and the third act overall, with at least one new Billboard 200 top 10 in each of the last five decades. The band banked one top 10 in the ’80s (…And Justice for All, No. 6 in 1988); five in the ’90s (its No. 1 self-titled set in 1991; Load, No. 1 in 1996; Reload, No. 1 in 1997; Garage Inc., No. 2 in 1998; and S&M, No. 2 in 1999); two in the ’00s (St. Anger, No. 1 in 2003; and Death Magnetic, No. 1 in 2008); two in the ’10s (Metallica: Through the Never, No. 9 in 2013; and Hardwired… To Self-Destruct, No. 1 in 2016); and now one in the ’20s, with S&M2.

S&M2 debuted at No. 1 on Australia’s ARIA Albums Chart, Metallica’s seventh No. 1 album Down Under.

Robert Trujillo & His Metallica Band Mates Notch 7th No. 1 Album on Australia’s ARIA Albums Chart with “S&M2”

Posted on September 7, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Robert Trujillo’s celebrating a smash Down Under…

The 55-year-old half-Mexican American bassist and his Metallica band mates have come out swinging on Australia’s albums chart as S&M2 debuts at No. 1.

More than 20 years after Metallica and the San Francisco Symphony led the ARIA Albums Chart with the first installment, S&M, the unlikely partnership yields another leader.

The live compilation, recorded last September at San Francisco’s Chase Center, gives Metallica their seventh No. 1 album in Australia following Metallica (August 1991), Load (June 1996), S&M (November 1999), St. Anger (June 2003), Death Magnetic (September 2008), Hardwired…To Self-Destruct (2016).

Lionel Messi: The World’s Highest-Paid Latino on Forbes’ The Celebrity 100 List

Posted on September 6, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is kickin’ his way to the top of the earnings charts…

The 33-year-old Argentine soccer star, who plays for FC Barcelona, is the top-earning Latinx celebrity on Forbes’ recently released The Celebrity 100 list, which ranks the world’s highest-paid celebrities of 2020.

Messi, who has been awarded both FIFA’s Ballon d’Or and the European Golden Shoe for top scorer on the continent a record six times, comes in at No. 5 with earning of $104 million.

His current contract with Barcelona is through 2020-21 and pays him more than $80 million annually. He also has a lifelong deal with Adidas, and he launched his own clothing line and opened his first retail outlet, The Messi Store, in September 2019 in Barcelona.

The World Health Organization (WHO) tapped Messi in March 2020 to help lead a worldwide campaign aimed at stopping the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nipping on Messi’s heels is another soccer star and his former teammate… Neymar.

The 28-year-old Brazilian soccer player comes in at No. 7 on the list with earning of $95.5 million.

Neymar is currently on a five-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain through June 2022 worth $350 million in salary.

His transfer from Barcelona to PSG stands as the most expensive in the world at $263 million, which the French club paid in full ahead of his signing.

He’s the second most popular athlete on social media with a combined 244 million followers on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Nike‘s Jordan Brand signed Neymar as its first soccer ambassador in 2016. In March 2020 its film unit released a movie about his life.

Jennifer Lopez is this year’s highest-paid Latina on the list.

The 51-year-old Puerto Rican superstar comes in at No. 56 on the list with earnings of $47.5 million.

One of the more popular celebrities when it comes to endorsements, J.Lo has deals with Versace, DSW, Quay sunglasses and her own fragrance.

In 2018, she played her final shows at Las Vegas’ Zappos Theater, grossing more than $100 million in two years–the top Vegas residency by a Latin artist. She tacked on another $55 million in 2019 ticket sales for her ensuing world tour, which included stops in Egypt, Israel and Russia.

Lin-Manuel Miranda makes his first appearance on The Celebrity 100.

The 40-year-old Puerto Rican actor/rapper/lyricist/composer and Broadway star, the creator of the hit musical Hamilton, comes in at No. 62 with earning of $45.5 million.

Disney acquired worldwide rights to the film version of Hamilton in February 2020 for $75 million. And he helped create a $1 million emergency relief fund to benefit artists impacted by COVID-19 in Puerto Rico.

Other Latinx celebrities making the list include Howie Dorough (as a member of Backstreet Boys); Sofia Vergara, the world’s highest-paid actress; Robert Trujillo (as a member of Metallica); tennis star Rafael Nadal; and Mexican boxer Canelo Alvarez.

Forbes’ list ranks “front of the camera” stars around the globe using pretax earnings from June 2019 through May 2020 before deducting fees for managers, lawyers and agents. Figures are based on information from Nielsen Music/MRC Data, Pollstar, IMDB, NPD BookScan and ComScore as well as interviews with industry experts and many of the stars themselves.

In total, the 100 celebrities racked in a total of $6.1 billion in pretax earnings, which took a $200 million dip from last year after the pandemic halted — or rather redirected — lots of business models.

Here’s a look at the Latino/a celebrities who made the list this year:

No. 5 Lionel Messi, 33, Argentina, Soccer, $104 million

No. 7 Neymar, 28, Brazil, Soccer, $95.5 million
No. 56 Jennifer Lopez, 51, USA (Puerto Rican), Entertainment, $47.5 million

No. 62 Lin-Manuel Miranda, 40, USA (Puerto Rican), Entertainment, $45.5 million
No. 64 Howie Dorough (Backstreet Boys), 47, USA (Half-Puerto Rican), Music, $45 million
No. 71 Sofia Vergara, 48, Colombia, Entertainment, $43 million

No. 78 Robert Trujillo (Metallica), 55, USA (Half-Mexican)Music, $40.5 million
No. 80 Rafael Nadal, 34, Spain, Tennis, $40 million
No. 91 Canelo Alvarez, 30, Mexico, Boxing, $37 million

Click here for the complete list.

Robert Trujillo & Metallica to Play First Concert of the Year for Encore Drive-In Nights Series

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Robert Trujillo is going live…

The 55-year-old half-Mexican American bassist and his Metallica band mates are set to play their first live show in nearly a year on Sunday, August 29, when they become the first rock band to be featured in the Encore Drive-In Nights series.

Hitting the stage for the first time since their September 2019 S&M2 concerts at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Trujillo and the gang will play a full set that’ll be beamed into hundreds of drive-in and outdoor theaters across the U.S. and Canada, according to a release announcing the gig.

The show – featuring opening act Three Days Grace – will be shot for the series at an undisclosed location near the group’s Northern California headquarters and edited and mixed by Metallica’s production team, with a promise of a career-spanning set.

The concert is part of Encore Live‘s series of gigs at drive-in theaters and it will adhere to CDC guidelines, including staff in PPE enforcing a six-foot distance between cars, as well as employment of contactless payment and ticketing and limited restroom capacity.

Each ticket ($115) purchased will admit a carload of fans – up to six people per vehicle – with tickets going on sale on Friday, August 14 at noon local venue time.

Click here for more information.

Every ticket will include a digital download of Metallica’s S&M2 album; pre-sale tickets for the band’s Fifth Member fan club will go on sale on Wednesday, August 12 here.

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