Highlight the blank space for a major spoiler for the season finale of Stranger Things
We talked about how Joseph Quinn’s character, Eddie Munson on Stranger Things, played Metallica’s Master of Puppets. Not only was it a great rendition of the song, but it was also a climactic moment for the character and story. Highlight for major spoiler: A true rock star’s death. We found out that the band worked with the show to make it fit and that Robert Trujillo’s son even helped lay the new guitar down. When fans tried to pull the same weird possessiveness they did with Kate Bush’s music, Metallica gave a lovely response about how music bonds people no matter when they discover it. It was a feel-good story all the way around.
Over the weekend, it got better. Joseph attended Lollapoloza where Metallica was playing. He went backstage only to have the band gift him his own warlock guitar that they signed for him. Then they all jammed to Masters of Puppets together. And a new Metal Prince was birthed from the flames created by shredding guitars. Okay, maybe not the last part. But the rest is true and it’s awesome.
Joseph Quinn, the actor who portrays guitar-shredding metalhead Eddie Munson in the new season of Stranger Things, paid a visit to Metallica at Lollapalooza on Thursday (July 28). Quinn joined the band backstage ahead of their headlining set at the Chicago festival, where he chatted and jammed with the group. They obviously played “Master of Puppets,” Metallica’s 1986 single that Eddie Munson plays in the upside down during a the season finale of the series. Metallica also gifted Quinn a custom red and black electric guitar and signed it. Watch it all happen below via Netflix.
Prior to jamming, Metallica frontman James Hetfield expressed love for Stranger Things, calling himself “a big fan.” He added: “My kids and I, it’s a bonding experience for us.” Quinn then told Metallica about the process of learning “Master of Puppets” in preparation for the scene. (The actual guitar solo performed on the episode was recorded by Tye Trujillo, son of Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo.) “It’s all I was listening to for two years,” Quinn told the band. “I feel very connected to you guys.”
If you watch the clip from Netflix below, it’s so wonderfully staid as they sit around chatting about watching TV with their kids. Then Joseph talks about feeling his connection to the band. But I think my favorite part is Joseph’s face when he’s playing with the group – he’s so focused, trying not to mess up with his new super-cool friends. The band, by contrast, it just ripping it up. But they all genuinely seem pleased as punch to meet each other. Even though it’s filmed, I think they meant everything they said. I kind of identified with James Hetfield – and believe me when I tell you that is not something I often say – when he talked about bonding with his kids over Stranger Things. I fell away from the show, remember, but my daughter got into it and wanted to watch with us so it because an ‘us’ thing. The band took a risk putting their song in the hands of a TV character. And Joseph did, in turn, do that song justice in every way. I’m also extremely jealous of the guitar they give Joseph. Could you imagine getting a custom warlock electric guitar from Metallica and having them all sign it for you? The question is: do you ever play it, or does it sit behind glass?
🤘this is for Eddie 🤘
Joe Quinn met Eddie Munson's heroes: @Metallica! pic.twitter.com/y0oaSLpT6P— Netflix (@netflix) July 29, 2022
Photo credit: Instagram, Twitter and Netflix
Eddie Munson was the best part of this season! And it has been a delight to watch Joseph Quinn be love bombed by the world — he seems like such a sweetheart!
It really is so stinkin’ adorable watching this all unfold. I agree, Eddie Munson (and Joseph Quinn) really made this season. I haven’t loved Stranger Things this much in quite a while. I am loving watching everyone give him the props he deserves.
He was the only thing I liked about the season.
I wish we had more of him! I really liked Chrissy too.
Eddie and Chrissy’s scene together was sooooooo sweet (until it wasn’t, lol). I am sad that there wasn’t more of that because I would have loved to see that friendship bloom further.
I agree. I’m hoping he’s having the best life ever. It’s nice read something that is simply heartwarming.
I wouldn’t even recognize him walking down the street. But he’s adorable in and out of character. I’m not surprised Metallica loves the nostalgia bandwagon. As an 80s kid, I think the show brilliantly recreates the vibe of growing up in the 80s. I’m genuinely curious why it’s so appealing to younger generations.
100% agree on the 80’s vibe. My sisters and I (all 80’s kids) were buzzing with nostalgia when the show first premiered because of how well it captured that time period. Even the opening credits music and graphics nail it. Regardless of era, it’s still a captivating show and would be enjoyable no matter what, but yeah, the 80’s nostalgia elevates it to another level.
I’m an 80’s kid with a 14 yr old son. I think the appeal is that the story is largely driven by kids their age. The era in which it’s set wouldn’t matter to them, I don’t think. But it does make for a good bonding experience for those of us who had kids later in life.
Specifically, it was fun to have some “Metallica when they were cool” nostalgia!
Joseph Quinn is the Internet’s new boyfriend. Fun to watch him being the breakout star of this season. He is so charming and talented.
IKR? Go to the 7:10 mark to see him do Eddie’s dialogue in different accents. Or just watch the whole thing! It’s his talk-show debut on Fallon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uookwKDmtzU
I’m not even caught up on Stranger Things but know enough about what happened to find this so very cool. What an awesome way to honor the character!
This was my first time knowing about Lollapalooza.
Like 14.9 million other people not in the US, I tuned in on Weverse because of J-Hope. Checked other performances as well and loved the whole thing.
If I ever go to the USA again, I want to go.
My mom probably wants to see Metallica. She’s a big fan.
Utterly brilliant. Metallica is legendary and Joseph is massively talented and seems truly thrilled at all of this. His acting is quite something. Such sensitivity matched with technique. He’s amazing.
Go listen to his podcast ep on James Acasters’s show, Off Menu. So good!
Eddie’s probably losing his sh*t over all of this. So lovely. And Joseph was great on the show.
Awwww, Eddie’s sheer joy being with the band and playing with them is sooooo infectious 🥰
I really liked Eddie… there’s a Van Halen movie in this actor’s future!
I also liked Hopper and his Russian fellow, particularly when they team up to fight (*NOT SPOILING*). And wow Max as well. The scene where she lies in Lucas’ arms after (*NOT SPOILING*) made me reflect a lot and cry.
I’m baffled at how the show has consistently killed off good characters, I really miss Samwise and Billy. No matter how much they spend on visual efects, the show’s success runs on nostalgia and good casting.
The 80s recreation is aces, but for the jackets in white/red/blue obvs pertaining some kind of Russian uniform when back in the day Russia was only a Federative Republic of USSR and red was the national color.
And I decided not let my kids watch this time, this season contains graphic image of very young people undergoing… No good things.