photo by Lyndsay Siegel

Instead of our usual Friday audio podcast, we've ramped it up a little bit in commemoration of our 20th anniversary celebration of "Headbangers Ball." We've put together a video podcast for you, and not just any video podcast, a video podcast with Metallica founder Lars Ulrich that was shot at the band's San Francisco practice space/hangout/home studio Metallica HQ.

During the interview, Ulrich talks about the birth of and enduring influence of "Headbangers Ball," referencing ex-host Riki Rachtman and some of the highlights of the program; the uniting force of the program; and the importance of Metallica's "One" video, which broke the band into the MTV world.

Ulrich also discusses the tremendous success of the band's new record Death Magnetic, the perceived "failure" of its last album St. Anger, the decision to revisit elements from past releases for the new disc, what producer Rick Rubin brought to the band and the challenge and importance of relinquishing control and rolling with the punches. Click "more" to stream or download the interview and watch a couple live clips. And don't miss the rest of our "Headbangers Ball" 20th anniversary celebration, which concludes Saturday night with a two hour special that runs from 10 to 12 a.m. EST on MTV2 and features special guests Dee Snider, Riki Rachtman and Jamey Jasta. Read more...

photo by Cody Smyth

Before "Headbangers Ball" got its name, the show was called "Heavy Metal Mania" and was hosted for about two years by Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider. Then, the program changed to the "Ball," and Kevin Seal and Adam Curry were hosts for a brief time before Riki Rachtman took over in 1987 and Headbangers Ball" quickly became an institution.

For years, the show persevered with Rachtman alternately playing the roles of rocker, clown and interviewer. He accompanied Alice in Chains on a trip to a water part, in which singer Layne Staley fished in a public aquarium, members showed up in flippers and a duck life preserver and general mayhem ensued. On other programs, Rachtman went skydiving with Megadeth, partied with Pantera and stood bemused as Niravna frontman Kurt Cobain appeared for a "Headbangers Ball" interview in a full ball gown.

After the decline of metal, "Headbangers" went off the air for a while, starting in January 1995. But it was resurrected in 2003 on MTV2 and was hosted by Hatebreed frontman Jamey Jasta until early 2007. Along with the usual slew of headbanging favorites, Jasta brought in more underground acts, such as Pig Destroyer, Cattle Decapitation and Meshuggah.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of "Headbangers Ball," Snider, Rachtman and Jasta took part in a roundtable discussion hosted by Sirius radio programmer and personality Jose Mangin. Click "more" to check out some of the discussion and debate: Read more...

Sure, that's Lemmy, but can you ID the other folks in the pic?; photo by Nancy McDonald

Just three days left until MTV2 launches it's 20th Anniversary of "Headbangers Ball" celebration. In the spirit of old-school headbanging, we've got some vintage photos for you that'll either make you feel really, really old or really young.

Either way, tune in to "Headbangers Ball" Saturday from 11 p.m. to midnight EST and catch the on-air premiere of Divine Heresy's "Bleed the Fifth." Then chill for the rest of the weekend before we launch a week of what Spinal Tap might call "Heavy Metal memories." Read more...

photos by Cody Smyth

Okay, all you oldtimers. Surely, you remember 1990s-era "Headbangers Ball," back when Riki Rachtman was the host. Who could forget the classic episodes, like when Riki went skydiving with Megadeth or when Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain showed up for an interview wearing a ball gown? But you may not know that before Riki, Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider and VJ Adam Curry helmed the ball. Of course, when "Headbangers Ball" returned to the airwaves in 2003 following an eight year hiatus (damn, that alternative rock!), Hatebreed singer Jamey Jasta was the new host.

In commemoration of the commanders of the Ball, MTV2 invited Snider, Rachtman and Jasta  to take part in a roundtable discussion moderated by Sirius - XM Radio “Hard Attack” on-air talent and format manager Jose Mangin. Read more...