The Metallica Report

Keep up with all things Metallica by going straight to the source. Now you can get your news directly from those entrenched in the band’s own Northern California headquarters. This weekly report is hosted by Steffan Chirazi and Renée Richardson, two members of the Metallica Camp.


Steffan is a long-time rock scribe and editor of the band’s online mag, So What!, whose days covering Metallica began in the 1980s with the British music magazines Sounds and Kerrang! Renée is the Director of Philanthropy for the band’s foundation, All Within My Hands, and also has a storied background in music as a well-known Bay Area radio personality.


Each week will sound a little different, but you’ll always remain in the loop. Steffan and Renée will keep you posted with the latest news and updates from Metallica HQ and the road as the M72 Tour makes its way around the world. They’ll bring you mini-features for a little peek behind the curtain, and you’ll learn bits of info you won’t find anywhere else through chats with everyone from members of the road crew to poster artists, from fans to band members themselves! 


They won’t just tell you what you need to know; they’ll also get to the bottom of what you want to find out! Listeners can submit questions, and Steffan and Renée will get to work finding answers.


You’ll enjoy all of this and more with The Metallica Report, your quick, weekly fix covering our most relevant topics of the day.

A proud part of Pantheon Podcasts


Produced by Pantheon Media & PopCult

Executive Producers: Marc Reiter, Vickie Strate, Doug Oswandel

Written by: Steffan Chirazi & Renee Richardson

Production Coordinator: Lane Watson 

Music
Music Commentary
Music Interviews
1
Episode 127: Happy New Year - Revisiting the Be...
Steffan and Renée revisit some of their favorite moments from 2025, pre-episode 100.
23 min
2
Episode 126: Happy Holidays from James Hetfield...
Steffan and Renée search for the meaning of Christmas. Well… at least what it means to James and Kirk.
8 min
3
James Hetfield - “Twas The Night Before Christmas"
James Hetfield - “Twas The Night Before Christmas"
4 min
4
Episode 125: Get The Load Out Special
Steffan and Renée do a deep dive into the hugely successful “Get The Load Out” competition, which has seen fans submit their cover versions of every cut from the Load album.
25 min
5
Episode 124: Robert Trujillo Roving Reporter: F...
Steffan and Renée settle in as official TMR Roving Reporter Robert Trujillo takes the reins.
15 min
6
Episode 123: James Hetfield & Kirk Hammett on M...
Kirk Hammett speaks with Steffan and Renée about the importance of surfing whenever possible on tour.
13 min
7
Episode 122: James Hetfield & Kirk Hammett Give...
James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett join Steffan Chirazi to discuss what Thanksgiving means to them and share their holiday plans.
21 min
8
Episode 121: James Hetfield & Robert Trujillo C...
Steffan joins the band Down Under and gets the chance to sit down with James and Robert to hear a bit about the on- and off-stage shenanigans the guys have gotten up to in Australia.
21 min
9
Episode 120: Metallica Brings the M72 World Tou...
Steffan and Renée check in with Robert Trujillo as the band commences their tour Down Under in Perth.
19 min
10
Episode 119: The Metallica Fan Debate Rages On
Steffan and Renée pick back up with part two of The Fan Debate, featuring super fans Don & Carla Hammond and Tricia & Andrew Dowis.
19 min
11
Episode 118: The Metallica Fan Debate
Steffan and Renée sit down with two Metallica super-fan couples, Don & Carla Hammond and Tricia & Andrew Dowis, in this TMR debut of The Fan Debate.
24 min
12
Episode 117: Kirk Hammett - The Collector
Steff sits down to talk about various aspects of collecting with Kirk Hammett, who, aside from being a guitar legend, is also a legendary collector of various items such as horror memorabilia and, of course, guitars.
16 min
13
Episode 116: Digging Deeper into Metallica’s Vault
We wrap up our final 2025 visit to Iveniem, home to the real-life Metallica Black Box.
16 min
14
Episode 115: Get The Load Out Contest and Josh ...
Steffan and Renée deep dive into the #GetTheLoadOut Fan Cover Song Contest currently running across Metallica’s social channels, where fans are invited to offer their interpretations of each track on Load.
18 min
15
Episode 114: Robert Trujillo’s Radio Roots
Robert Trujillo sits down with Steffen & Renée to reflect on the impact and importance of radio on his early life, from his Grandma’s transistor to car rides with his mom.
31 min
16
Episode 113: Exodus’ Gary Holt Talks Kirk Hamme...
Gary Holt—the veteran lead guitarist of Exodus and, more recently, a member of Slayer—speaks to us about his longtime friendship with Kirk Hammett.
20 min
17
Episode 112: Catching Up With Robert Trujillo
Robert Trujillo checks in with Steff and Renée to reflect on his busy summer, including two memorable SoCal shows with Infectious Grooves and, of course, the impactful Back to the Beginning experience and Ozzy Osbourne’s enormous legacy.
19 min
18
Episode 111: Back To The Metallica Vault
It’s another gloves-on adventure at Inveniem, home to the real-life Metallica Black Box.
17 min
19
Episode 110: Maximum Metallica with Lars Ulrich
It’s Maximum Metallica all the way as we celebrate the launch of the band’s brand new, permanent SiriusXM channel! 
28 min
20
Episode 109: More Metalli-archeology at the Inv...
We dive right back into another Metalli-treasure excavation with Steffan, Dan Nykolayko, and Ally Bace at the Inveniem, the home of the real-life Metallica Black Box.
17 min
21
Episode 108: High Voltage: A Return To Metallic...
We're back at Inveniem, home of The Metallica Black Box, for yet another deep dive into some authentic Metalli-artifacts in the Vault.
24 min
22
Episode 107: Steff & Renée’s Top Metallica Songs
Steff & Renée enjoy a good old-fashioned cohost chat, sharing the Metallica songs that hold the most meaning for them, telling stories behind their picks, and reminiscing about pivotal moments in their own personal Metallica journeys.
22 min
23
Episode 106: The Bob Rock & Dan Nykolayko Chat ...
We pick back up with the in-depth chat between Bob Rock and Dan Nykolayko, this time featuring our own Steffan Chirazi
15 min
24
Episode 105: A Chat Between Bob Rock & Dan Nyko...
Steff and Renée cede microphones to Bob Rock and Dan Nykolayko
26 min
25
Episode 104: Jason Newsted on The Load Era
Steff and Renée hear from Jason Newsted, who brings his trademark honesty and enthusiasm to a chat about Metallica’s Load era.
17 min