James Hetfield

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“How can you possibly be satisfied being a singer when you play like that?”: Dave Mustaine recalls the first time he heard James Hetfield play guitar

By Matt Parker published 20 September 23

The Megadeth man has said Hetfield kept his talent hidden, and that witnessing him play for the first time was “kind of shocking”

James Hetfield and Jason Newsted of Metallica onstage at the 24th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at Public Hall on April 4, 2009 in Cleveland, Ohio.

“Hetfield would say, ‘Dude, get that bass s**t happening!’ It was a breathin'-down-your-neck type of thing...” Jason Newsted on the making of Metallica’s Load album

By Nick Wells published 31 August 23

The ex-Metallica bassist recalls the making of Load and why James Hetfield had a lot to do with the bass

10 Metallica guitar techniques you need to know

By Charlie Griffiths published 9 June 23

How the rhythm and lead styles of James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett will power up your metal playing fast

The guitar gear secrets behind James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett’s tones on 72 Seasons

By Jenna Scaramanga published 12 May 23

Metallica co-producer Greg Fidelman reveals how the new album was made with the help of a Marshall modded by Eddie Van Halen’s amp wizard and a rack full of battle-hardened guitars, including one that makes Hetfield “immediately want to play fast riffs”

James Hetfield recalls Dimebag Darrell introducing him to solid-state amps: “He had this freaking amazing crunch going on”

By Matt Parker published 3 May 23

The Metallica frontman was asked about his time with the Pantera legend and credited Darrell for making him question his tube tone

Metallica's James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett perform live

James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett debut new ESP and Gibson guitars at first show of M72 world tour

By Michael Astley-Brown published 28 April 23

Papa Het has a fresh Vulture, while Hammett’s uber-rare ’59 Les Paul got its first-ever runout for the set’s surprise opener

NAMM 2023: ESP meets fan demand with James Hetfield Olympic White Vulture and debuts 12 LTD signature guitars, including Gary Holt’s “very pointy” GH-SV

By Matt Parker published 13 April 23

Bill Kelliher, Stephen Carpenter, Nergal, Lars Frederiksen and Javier Reyes all have at least one new guitar on the way from the LTD stable

Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield of Metallica perform as Metallica Presents: The Helping Hands Concert (Paramount+) at Microsoft Theater on December 16, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.

James Hetfield was offered the chance to buy the Greeny Les Paul before Kirk Hammett, but he turned it down: “I’m a real idiot”

By Michael Astley-Brown published 13 April 23

Watch Hammett demo Peter Green’s iconic Gibson for Howard Stern as his Metallica bandmate makes the surprise revelation

James Hetfield (pictured onstage in 2023) - the Metallica man used a José Arredondo modded Marshall head on 72 Seasons

James Hetfield used a “legendary” head modded by Eddie Van Halen’s amp wizard for every track on Metallica’s new album

By Matt Parker published 6 April 23

According to 72 Seasons producer Greg Fidelman, the Metallica frontman leant heavily on this revived guitar amp, which was modded by renowned tech José Arredondo

James Hetfield (left) and Kirk Hammett perform onstage with Metallica

James Hetfield says “if there was a guitar that changed the course of my history” it was this one – and it’s a cheap copy

By Matt Parker published 29 March 23

The story of this particular guitar features in the Metallica man’s new book about his six-strings, Messengers: The Guitars Of James Hetfield

Dave Mustaine says his influence on Metallica is “pretty f**king deep”: “I wrote many of the songs that made you famous”

By Matt Owen published 15 February 23

Reflecting on his relationship with Metallica, the Megadeth frontman also gave his opinion on Kirk Hammett playing his parts – and claimed James Hetfield only played guitar in the band because they “couldn’t find anyone else” to do it

Metallica share scorching, wah-laden new single, Screaming Suicide

By Matt Owen published 20 January 23

It's the second track to be lifted from the band's 12th studio album, 72 Seasons, which arrives April 14

Watch St. Vincent perform Nothing Else Matters onstage with Metallica

By Sam Roche published 19 December 22

The band's third annual Helping Hands benefit concert also played host to the first-ever performance of new single Lux Æterna

Scott Ian says Kirk Hammett is the most underrated rhythm player in metal

By Matt Parker published 14 December 22

The Metallica man is often overlooked when it comes to his rhythmic ability says the Anthrax guitarist

Dave Mustaine (left) and Lars Ulrich perform onstage in 2022

Dave Mustaine: Lars Ulrich wrote the opening riff to Metallica’s Master of Puppets

By Jackson Maxwell published 23 November 22

"It was a guy with a guitar that doesn't know how to play... It wasn't anything really mind-blowing by any means. The way James played it made it mind-blowing"

Dave Mustaine opens up on failed James Hetfield reunion: “We were talking about getting back together”

By Matt Owen published 18 November 22

The pair were in talks over a new project, but discussions fell through due to a disagreement over a “publishing discrepancy”

[L-R] James Hetfield of Metallica and Eddie Munson from Stranger Things

It’s settled: James Hetfield had the best Halloween costume this year

By Sam Roche published 1 November 22

The Metallica frontman paid tribute to Stranger Things – which gained the band a deluge of new fans earlier this year – by dressing up as the Hellfire Club’s guitar-toting hero, Eddie Munson

James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett onstage in Japan, 1986

How Metallica changed metal with their groundbreaking 1986 classic Master of Puppets

By Paul Elliott published 24 October 22

With testimony from James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett and producer Fleming Rasmussen, we unpack the story behind the definitive Metallica album

Dave Mustaine wants to write new music with James Hetfield: “There is a pretty good possibility of it happening”

By Matt Owen published 30 September 22

The Megadeth maestro says he's been secretly harboring hopes that a link-up with Metallica will become a reality

Here's what Dave Mustaine texted James Hetfield after the Metallica leader felt insecure about his playing

By Matt Owen published 13 September 22

The Megadeth frontman revealed he has also struggled with playing insecurity in the past

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