- 5/21/2025
Category
đ”
MusicTranscript
00:00I love telling the story of how I got here, but it's so not about me. We are 100% about the people
00:06and the communities that have supported this band for so many years. Metallica fans love
00:11to give back and support each other. And the family is a really wonderful, wonderful group.
00:18Rock, metal, frog, and everything in between. Welcome to this episode of Talkin' Rock with
00:25Meltdown. Don't forget to follow the audio-only Talkin' Rock podcast on all podcast platforms.
00:30And now, it's time for today's conversation. Here's Meltdown.
00:35Hey, Renee, great to see you.
00:37How are you? It's great to see you.
00:39I'm doing well. So you're, Renee Richardson, you're the, now correct me if I'm wrong,
00:43you're the Director of Philanthropy for All Within My Hands for Metallica. Is that correct?
00:47That is absolutely correct. I help the band spend their money on do-goodery.
00:53Is it their money or is it donations?
00:59Well, it's their money and donations. So it's twofold. We're like a family foundation.
01:05So the band has, in 2017, they decided they would give back a portion of ticket sales.
01:12They didn't raise prices for ticket sales. They gave back a portion of their ticket sales
01:16and they would funnel that to All Within My Hands. So $3 from every ticket now goes to All
01:21Within My Hands so that we can provide support for the things that matter to the band.
01:26Metallica Scholars Initiative, the fight against hunger, and critical local services like disaster
01:32and relief in times of disaster. So the money flows there. And then the other part of it is I come from
01:38a development background. So I'm always looking for people to partner with us and help that cause
01:45and make our impact greater. So what my job is, is to find like-minded supporters, fans who want to
01:55support this. Everybody who has a disposable income and wants to give back can feel really good about
02:04giving to All Within My Hands because the band covers all administrative costs. Their dollars come right
02:09to us and go right back out into the programs that we support. So it's a combination of things. It's a
02:15band's money and it's also supporters. Now you're the head of this whole thing. How many people do you
02:21have working? Oh, please. We are a group. We are. So I'm the technically I'm the sole employee
02:30of All Within My Hands. So I'm the only one who is a full-time, I shouldn't say sole employee. That's not true.
02:38I'm the sole full-time employee of All Within My Hands, the foundation. We lean heavily on Metallica's
02:46digital team to support us in communications and everything that we do out there on the internet
02:52and getting fans engaged. So they help us with the things we set out to do. And then we have a
03:00wonderful staff of volunteers. The executive director, Pete Del Grosso, he has a very busy other day job
03:08yet he leans into what we do and he acts as executive director of the foundation. And then
03:14all four band members are members of the board of All Within My Hands, as well as management team and a
03:22couple of friends and folks who really support the work that we're doing as a foundation.
03:27Now, real fast, before I move on, I got to give a plug and a shout to all the struggle within Michigan
03:33fan clubbing and Kurt Schwarz for helping me out and hooking me up with this. But how tight or how
03:40close do you work with the fan clubs throughout the country and throughout the world?
03:44So that's been, that has been a beautiful thing. And that's been something that's been growing
03:48over the last few years. So in 2019, when we developed our day of service, we leaned on the Metallica fans.
03:57I mean, that was something we always knew that even if you could not give a dollar, you could
04:02give your time. So we created this day of service. And that was the first touch point for All Within
04:07My Hands with the fans. Now, Metallica has had their relationship with the fans and the many
04:12wonderful fan clubs around the world for many years. But for All Within My Hands to start getting
04:17engaged with those folks was really important. And as time has gone on, the relationship has really
04:24grown. We started in 2020, when COVID hit, everything changed. And we couldn't volunteer as a group in
04:30the same manner. And food banks needed different kinds of support. So that's when we reached out
04:36and developed our month of giving. So May is now month of giving. And we checked it out with the
04:43fan clubs and said, would you be into a little friendly competition? See who can raise the most funds
04:48for All Within My Hands. We'll pick a project every month of May. So we gave back to World Central
04:52Kitchen. We've supported Support and Feed. We've supported Farm Link Project. Right now we're
04:59doing work for the Metallica Scholars program. So we're helping to raise funds for people who are
05:05learning a trade and getting upskilled in a trade so that they can help support their family. So it's
05:11been really, really great. And the fan clubs are a huge part of what we do as a foundation. They're
05:16kind of like, you know, they're the muscle behind it in a lot of ways for, for getting the word out
05:22and getting, uh, drumming up excitement about what All Within My Hands is doing. So, um, shout out to
05:28Kurt. He is, uh, becoming a dear friend. In fact, I was in the snake pit with him at, um, at Virginia
05:34Tech and that was pretty awesome. Yeah, that's great. And, uh, speaking of that, so do you travel
05:39with the band? Like are you in Philadelphia this weekend as we record this? Like, uh, Rob Dietrich
05:43from, uh, my friend from Blackened and, uh, the cigar company, do you, do you travel with the band?
05:47So I, I travel when it makes sense for the foundation. So if we have, we, we certainly
05:52have volunteer activations, uh, as much as we can in every city on tour. I don't always, uh, get the
05:59opportunity to do those, um, those volunteer moments with the fans, which is unfortunate, but I do have
06:05a lot of moving parts in my world. So, um, I go out when it really makes sense. Uh, I'll be in
06:12Philly because we have a lot of Metallica scholars, partners in the area. We also have, um, food banks
06:18that we're doing work with. I was in Blacksburg for Virginia Tech because we had a lot of connections
06:23there. And I also co-host the Metallica report, the official podcast for Metallica. And so sometimes
06:30I get sent out so that I can capture some, some audio for our show.
06:34So that's awesome. And, uh, what, what's the name of the, the, the other, uh, gentleman
06:37that's on the podcast with you?
06:39Stefan Shirazi.
06:40You guys do a great job by the way.
06:42No, thank you. We have fun.
06:43No, I, I didn't even realize that was you to be quite honest with you. That's really cool.
06:47Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, you know, the, the, the more that, um, the, the more they find out
06:52you have a talent at something, the more they bring you into the fold.
06:56I'm trying to remember, do you have a background in media?
06:58I do. I do. I was a radio host for 30 years in San Francisco. I was on a
07:04morning show at KFOG for about 25 years. And I did a number of years at live one
07:09Oh five. Yeah. KFOG. Yeah. Live one Oh five to, uh, two historic stations.
07:14Yeah. Yeah. That's great. So, um, yeah, with that podcast, that's pretty cool. So, uh, you
07:19guys, you know, obviously you run the gamut as far as, uh, talking with the guys from
07:23Metallica and about topics and different things like that. And, uh, do you got, you guys put
07:27that together yourself?
07:27Yeah, we do. We, I mean, we're on Pantheon media. Uh, so we work with the team over there
07:32to, to put the, um, you know, technically get it out there, but, um, Steph and I and,
07:39uh, and Michael and Lane and, and Mark Ryder and a whole host of folks, we work on it together
07:44and we, um, you know, we find where the story goes. We, we like to give folks a behind the
07:48scenes look at what's happening with the band when we can, and then get them excited about
07:52the other stuff that we're doing.
07:55All right. I'll tell you what, uh, let, let me get into some, some fandom questions here.
07:58Uh, but first I want to ask you, how does one get a job with all within my hands? Like,
08:03like you did, how does that start?
08:04So it's interesting. I, you know, we're not hiring right now. Um,
08:09I'm talking about like, how did you get hired?
08:11Oh, my, my, my journey was an interesting one. I, uh, was in radio as mentioned. I was,
08:18um, always worked in San Francisco on the air and you know, when you're in the
08:22entertainment and music business in a city like San Francisco, you get to know
08:26folks along the way, especially bands that, that hail from there and, and call
08:30that place home. So I had, um, you know, reasons to intermingle with the Metallica
08:36camp over the years. And then as radio changed and, um, things were just kind of
08:42getting less fun in the radio world, I started doing more philanthropic work and
08:47using my talent to help nonprofit organizations. Um, so I would help do, you know,
08:52auctions and, and give, you know, put my local celebrity, my name to, to things
08:59that needed to happen. And, um, I really got engaged in blue bear school of music,
09:04which is a nonprofit music school in San Francisco. And I'm also, uh, on the board
09:08for project glimmer, which helps, um, um, foster girls, but working with the
09:14nonprofit organizations, open my eyes to this world. That is so interesting to me
09:20and is so impactful that I really dug in. And at the same time, Metallica were
09:26forming their foundation. And so I would talk to members of the management team
09:31and they were talking about how, you know, this was new for them to start a
09:34nonprofit organization and have a family found. I call it a family foundation.
09:38That's how I see it. So, um, so I was just at a place where all things aligned. I had
09:44all this new found knowledge in the nonprofit sector. I had this entertainment
09:49and music background from radio. And so there were things that just came along with
09:55this job that nobody had to explain to me that I could take and just understand
09:59what the, what the, what the mission was and, and understand how to take it forward
10:04and then get everybody engaged in that idea.
10:08So did you grow up on the West coast?
10:10No, I'm from New York. Uh, I'm from Rockland County, New York, and I moved to, uh, California
10:15in 92 and, uh, got into radio shortly thereafter. And then, um, I'm temporarily in South Carolina
10:24right now. My dad is, uh, aging and my husband and I said we'd, we'd come out here and help
10:29him navigate this part of his life. So, so I'm back and forth on the East and West coast.
10:34Well, good luck to you on that. And of course, you're dead, but, uh, what, what was, uh,
10:38the first time I saw Metallica was in 1988 at the, uh, monsters of rock tour with Van
10:43Hill and docking. And then I met them for the first time in 1991. And I was in this,
10:50the snake pit and the black album, uh, and that was in Buffalo in, uh, December of 1991.
10:56So what was the first time you saw the guys? When was the first time you met them?
10:59So first time I saw the guys, uh, was, uh, 89 at, um, Brendan burn arena. I always forget
11:07if it's, I think it was a Brendan burn arena. They changed the names of these places all
11:11the time. It was 89. I was there to see the cult, uh, because I was a massive cult fan
11:17and my cousin, Michelle, uh, was a massive Metallica fan. And she, she dragged me kicking
11:22and screaming. I'm like, who are these guys? I don't have any interest in this. So when the
11:26cult were done playing, I went off to the ladies room and I was actually in the, in the women's
11:31room when they, when they first started playing and my just body just got so stoked. My ears were
11:40like on fire and I'm like, what is this? And I ran out and there they were. And it was, and it was
11:48awesome. It was like a moment of awakening to that, the, uh, a hard band that could sound
11:56so clean and tight was, was really what, what I took to at that time. So that was my first show,
12:05uh, seen them quite a few times over the years. Um, and first time I met them, I don't even really
12:12remember when I first met them. That's funny. It was obviously back in San, in the, your day
12:18San Francisco. Yeah. Yeah. You know, like when I was in radio, I'd go to movie screenings and Lars
12:23would be in the theater and we had mutual friends. And, um, so I think probably first official
12:29meeting might not, might not have been until I was on staff as all within my hands like that. I,
12:36you know, we exchanged names and, you know, they got to know who I was.
12:42Yeah. I've had some, uh, memorable interviews with them. I just interviewed when they were here
12:45in Detroit a year and a half ago, I talked to Robert in two parts, a two-part interview and he was
12:50great. Uh, you know, I talk about this sometimes on the air, but James to me is my favorite. He
12:57like epitomizes rock star and he's so approachable and he's a nice guy. And I remember waiting for
13:03Robert and this, I've had a chance to interview and meet James a bunch, but, uh, and he drove by
13:08in his SUV and got out and he's like, Hey guys, what's happening? You know, that's just how he is.
13:12He's just a nice guy, you know? Yes, absolutely. And, uh, and what about, what about your experience
13:17with James and, uh, Robert and Jason perhaps? So I have a great, I have a great joint James story.
13:22Um, all right. You're, you're helping me remember this. It was, uh, San Francisco. It was a Metallica
13:29night at the San Francisco giants. I had just come on board, uh, as, uh, a new, new person in the
13:35Metallica camp. I was sitting in the underbelly of, of the ballpark waiting for, I was helping out with,
13:42uh, the VIP, um, section. Um, because I have, you know, I know the ballpark and I, you know,
13:48so I was just there to help out. I was still very new to the organization and James was the first one
13:54to walk in and we introduced ourselves and I explained how I was going to be helping with the
13:59foundation. And he started, I asked him, I was like, I know you're, you're most interested in the
14:04Metallica scholars portion of what we're doing and, and getting trades people, uh, upskilled and,
14:09and giving back to education in that manner. And so he started to tell me all about Mike Rowe
14:16and how he just loved Mike's philosophy. And we sat there for, I don't know, 15, 20 minutes talking
14:22about Mike Rowe. And when I went out to the VIP area to do the job that I was assigned that day,
14:28who walks by, but fricking Mike Rowe. So I looked at him and I'm like, Mike, because I know him from,
14:34you know, the, from San Francisco radio stuff. So I'm like, Mike, James and I were just talking
14:39about you. And he was like, Oh, can I go back and see him? And I was like, yeah, let's get you back
14:42there. So I sent him back. They hung out. It was also Mike Rowe's girlfriend's birthday. And he
14:49was gone from her for like 45 minutes and I had to entertain her. And I felt very bad about that.
14:53But anyway, I hope you get a nice present. Um, when I was on the field before James and Kirk were going
15:03to play the national anthem, um, James, and this, this was the moment, like I've never get really
15:09stunned by, by rock stars. Cause I've been in this world for so long, but James came walking out from
15:16the dugout and he's just tall. And, you know, he's such a presence and he walked straight up to me,
15:25little old me standing there doing whatever I had to be doing. And he came straight to me and he was
15:30like, we just manifested Mike Rowe. That's funny. And I was like, Holy shit. We did.
15:42What do you mention? Uh, watching James walk. Cause, uh, I saw the tour with guns and roses in 1992.
15:49Yeah. Metallica came off the stage around nine o'clock or so. And it was, you know,
15:53it was starting to get a little bit darker and it was starting to get a little bit cooler. So the,
15:57so, uh, so Lars and Kirk and Jason all came by me. I was standing backstage. They all came by me
16:03on their golf carts with black robes on and like towels covering their faces as to not, you know,
16:08it gets sick from the cool air. And here comes James walking down this tunnel, which was about
16:1320 or 30 feet wide all by himself just walked. And it was like the coolest thing I'd ever seen.
16:19He just walked. Like I just killed the dragon. I am done. My job has been rocked and I'm just going to
16:25walk out of here. Cool. I'll never forget. That was 33 years ago. I'll never forget.
16:30It's just, it's awesome. It's really awesome. Well, I'll tell you what, we can share Metallica
16:34stories all day long, I'm sure. But I just want to make sure that people know, know about the
16:38foundation all within my hands. Of course, a lot of people, uh, that the guys from Metallica
16:42have been doing this great work for years. They can punch up the website. They can, you know,
16:47help out where, wherever you may be. And of course, uh, donate their time and money as well.
16:51Correct. Correct. Absolutely. And you know, I just want to make it clear. I love telling
16:55the story of how I got here, but it's so not about me with this organization. We are, we
17:01are 100% about the people and the communities that have supported this band for so many years.
17:07And we want to show them Metallica fans, new and old, really love to give back and support
17:14each other. And the family is, is a really wonderful, wonderful group. So, um, it's, it's
17:21about the work that we're doing together. And I'm just really proud to help, help talk
17:26about it with you. And of course, next time you come to Detroit, we have to hang out.
17:30Oh yes. I love Detroit. Last time I was there the show. Okay. So that was for 2024, right?
17:37They were in Detroit. November. Yep. Yep. So I, that show was probably my third or fourth
17:44on that part of the tour. And it's still the memory of the energy from the crowd at that
17:52first show was so great. And then I got the flu on Saturday and I couldn't go to the second
17:59show. And I was so sad because I was stuck in a hotel with the flu, but people of Detroit,
18:04I love you guys, man. I will, I'll definitely come visit, uh, you the next time I'm there.
18:14And I'll see you next time.
Recommended
29:47
|
Up next
1:00
14:19
13:04
7:06
11:55
3:23
12:05
4:26
13:56
5:26
11:09
8:21