Season 4 of Stranger Things features Joseph Quinn’s Eddie Munson covering the song ‘Master Of Puppets’ by Metallica. Here’s how it happened.
The latest volume of Stranger Things has been doing the rounds for many things, not least of which is the stellar music in the season. From reviving the popularity of Kate Bush’s ‘Running Up That Hill’ to featuring clever Dio references, the show has been as much a treat for music fans as it has been for the regulars.
One such moment, of course, came in the Season 4 finale, when Joseph Quinn’s Eddie Munson delivered an epic performance of Metallica’s ‘Master of Puppets’ in the Upside Down.
According to a new interview by Variety, show-runners Matt and Ross Duffer and music supervisor Nora Felder always knew that Eddie’s song had to be ‘Master of Puppets’.
“It was another one of those ‘it has to be this song,’ moments. This part of the story was anticipated to be a pivotal and especially hair-raising scene in which Eddie heroically stood tall for the fight of his life.” Felder told Variety.
“I believe the Duffer Brothers felt that playing ‘Master of Puppets’ throughout the extended scene was the clear choice. No other song was discussed further, and we jumped in to clear it straight away.” she added.
Not only did the song help Eddie connect to the qualities he felt like he couldn’t express – ‘love, care, and courage’ – but the song’s lyrics and references to drugs also had a deeper connection with none other than Vecna, the big baddie this time around.
Love Classic Rock?
Get the latest Classic Rock news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
“They each have life-destroying powers that rob people of their essential personal powers. The aggressive up-tempo metal sound belies its cautionary psychological and socially conscious lyrics, which are rooted in a sensitive concern for others. The sensitive side that we’ve seen in Eddie, which is clearly evident in the scene when he meets up with Chrissy, is similarly masked and concealed by Eddie’s abrasive public image.” Felder explained.
Naturally, it was particularly important for the show to have the band sign off on using the song, something Felder says they approached very seriously. They, in fact, took extra care explaining the ‘intent’ and context of the scene.
‘Master of Puppets’ is a pretty significant song in their catalog, and I think it’s considered a favourite in their live shows. I wanted to be respectful in making sure that Metallica fully understood what context the song was being used in, plus how integral it was to the scene and for this exciting new character, Eddie Munson, who no one had met yet in previous seasons.” Felder said.
They got more than they bargained for, however. Not only did the band sign off on using the song, but Robert Trujillo’s son Tye Trujillo reportedly also did backing guitar tracks for Quinn’s performance.
“*Spoiler Alert** That’s my boy! Proud of ya Tye! Stranger Things finale shredding it on ‘Master of Puppets’ and big thanks to @kirkhammett on helping!” said Robert on his Instagram shortly after the last two episodes came out.
That doesn’t mean Quinn himself wasn’t involved in his own epic scene, however. According to Felder, Quinn – a musician himself – put in the work to learn the solo and was played along to a guide track while shooting.
For more on this topic, follow the Classic Rock Observer.
Check out Joseph Quinn’s Eddie Munson covering Metallica’s ‘Master of Puppets’ on Stranger Things Season 4, Volume 2:
