James Hetfield

Birthday: 3 August 1963, Los Angeles, California, USA

Birth Name: James Alan Hetfield

Height: 185 cm

His parents were divorced, and at a young age, he lost his mother to cancer. He grew up hunting, playing guitar, and was an ordinary quiet kid. Lars Ulrich put out an ad in 1981 in a newspaper asking somebody to jam out and listen to rock music with him and he replied. Lars and James hooked up, and started the band, Metallica.

[his thoughts following the death of Metallica bassist Cliff Burton] The only thing I could think wa...Show more »

[his thoughts following the death of Metallica bassist Cliff Burton] The only thing I could think was: The band? No way! There ain't no band. The band is not the band right now. It's just three guys. ] Show less «

If I hadn't had music in my life, it's quite possible I'd be dead and I'd much rather be alive.

There is something powerful in Metallica, a will, a drive.

[Why Metallica survived after the death of Cliff Burton] Knowing Cliff's attitude, he'd kick our but...Show more »

[Why Metallica survived after the death of Cliff Burton] Knowing Cliff's attitude, he'd kick our butts if we quit. Show less «

[at the end of concerts] Thank you, friends!

[on if the Metallica song "Ride the Lightning" was about capital punishment] Not exactly; I believe ...Show more »

[on if the Metallica song "Ride the Lightning" was about capital punishment] Not exactly; I believe in capital punishment, but it was more like the idea of being strapped in the electric chair even though you didn't commit the crime. That song, and others on the record, were about not being able to escape a situation. [Lars Ulrich and I are both control freaks, and the idea of not being able to get out of a bad situation is a fear we both have. Show less «

[about the Metallica / Guns N' Roses tour] Did I enjoy the tour? It was different. It was a good ide...Show more »

[about the Metallica / Guns N' Roses tour] Did I enjoy the tour? It was different. It was a good idea. We really had no idea what was going to come with it. They're a different type of band--and I use the word "band" loosely. It's a guy and some other guys. We were out to show people that there was something a little more progressive and hardcore than Guns N' Roses. And to go about it our way. But it was hard going on, dealing with [Axl Rose] and his attitude. It's not something we'd want to do again. Show less «

There is one Metallica. We have many styles, it's called Metallica.

Regret? That's a screwed-up word.

James Hetfield

James Hetfield's FILMOGRAPHY

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