“Lars said, ‘You’re not really used to this kind of music, are you?’” Les Claypool on his failed Metallica audition By Joel McIver published 11 January 24 According to James Hetfield, Les Claypool was “too good” for the thrash metal giants
“Big jets moving, bombers, people in battle, distress, crying – the Vietnam War added a lot of darkness to his playing”: Kirk Hammett on how Jimi Hendrix’s guitar style helped birth metal and psychedelia By Jonathan Horsley published 22 December 23 The Metallica man and Hendrix fan argues that the guitar icon's influence on metal is under-appreciated
“I wouldn't be here right now if it wasn't for Master of Puppets”: Mark Tremonti on how Metallica's classic record changed his life – and how James Hetfield's right hand shaped his picking style By Amit Sharma published 20 December 23 The metal trailblazers had an immeasurable impact on the Alter Bridge axeman – here, he discusses what makes Hetfield and Kirk Hammett such a potent duo
“We called that riff ‘The Batman Riff’”: Kirk Hammett admits Metallica lifted the Batman theme on 72 Seasons By Matt Owen published 19 December 23 Thought that riff in Shadows Follow sounded awfully similar to a certain classic superhero theme? Turns out Metallica knew exactly what they were doing
“I hate to say it, but non-musicians – who are the majority of the listening world – are not going to remember guitar solos”: Kirk Hammett says it doesn’t matter how good or flashy a solo is – most people are going to forget them anyway By Matt Owen published 15 December 23 According to the Metallica maestro, the average music listener doesn't share a guitar player's enthusiasm for a ripping solo
“We didn’t have another band to point to and say, well, Sabbath is using it or the Scorpions are using it. James had the foresight to say, ‘Let’s try it. Maybe we’re the people to embrace it’”: James Hetfield’s tech shows you his 72 Seasons live rig By Jacob Paul Nielsen published 23 November 23 Chad Zaemisch has been the Metallica leader’s right-hand man for 20 years. He discusses the metal titans’ amp modeling sea change, why his boss “chickened out” with his new 72 Seasons ESP Vulture, and what happens when things go very, very wrong onstage…
“The Double-Neck Montreal makes me think of the smell of your own burning flesh”: James Hetfield opens up about the agony of his 1992 pyro accident, and how his scorched ESP left a lasting legacy on Metallica By James Hetfield published 13 November 23 In this exclusive extract from his new book, the Metallica frontman describes the experience of getting torched by pyro while playing guitar, and offers a closer look at the damage done to his ESP double-neck during the band’s fateful 1992 performance in Montreal
“A meticulous recreation of Kirk’s prized original”: Epiphone has launched a Kirk Hammett signature 1979 Flying V – and it’s a lot more affordable than the Gibson Custom Shop version By Matt Owen published 31 October 23 Made in partnership with the Gibson Custom Shop, the Metallica man’s accessible Epi pays homage to “one of the most important heavy metal guitars of all time”
“Yes, that’s a real spider”: Sophie Lloyd’s Enter Sandman (Shred Version) adds extra fretboard flair to Metallica’s thrash classic – alongside some snakes and a tarantula named Rosie By Matt Parker published 27 October 23 The British YouTuber and virtuoso guitarist has upped the shred quota on the iconic Metallica tune
“I’m trying to show the world that a bass player can do many things”: Watch the first trailer for Geddy Lee’s new docuseries, featuring Les Claypool and Robert Trujillo By Nick Wells published 26 October 23 Geddy Lee Asks: Are Bass Players Human Too? also stars Nirvana’s Krist Novoselic and former Hole bassist Melissa Auf der Maur
“My go-to guitar in the studio”: This Fender Telecaster lived in Metallica’s HQ and became Kirk Hammett’s writing workhorse – now it’s going under the hammer By Matt Owen published 10 October 23 The single-cut became an integral part of Metallica’s writing process, and helped craft St. Anger and Death Magnetic
Kirk Hammett rarely plays guest solos, but he teamed up with folk-rockers Goodnight, Texas to deliver “an absolute vintage wah solo” on Greeny – hear it now By Matt Owen published 25 September 23 Hear how the Metallica maestro helped the band usher in a heavy new sonic direction with the help of one of music's most famed Les Pauls in this Guitar World exclusive premiere
“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”
“We can do things with a Fractal that we can’t do with a real amp”: Kirk Hammett’s guitar tech reveals why Metallica converted to Axe-Fx By Jonathan Horsley published 14 September 23 The Bay Area metal behemoths’ 2013 Freeze ‘Em All gig in Antarctica opened their eyes – and ears – to the potential of digital amp modeling
Metallica just launched the world’s first-ever guitar-shaped ice cream bar By Michael Astley-Brown published 4 September 23 Based on James Hetfield’s ESP Truckster, the Enlightened x Metallica vanilla dark chocolate bars will raise money for the metal icons’ All Within My Hands foundation
“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
“It’s the greatest wah, for me, that’s ever been made”: Kirk Hammett owns 200 wah pedals, but this is his studio go-to – and it’s not his signature Cry Baby By Matt Parker published 23 August 23 The Metallica guitarist says he uses someone else’s signature wah every time he’s in the studio
“I hate admitting this but I started bawling like a baby”: Kirk Hammett says his iconic ‘Greeny’ Les Paul recently had another gut-wrenching injury By Matt Owen published 18 August 23 Another footnote has just been added to the iconic Les Paul's long medical history – but, as the Metallica maestro explains to Rick Beato, it could have been a whole lot worse
“For 40 years, guitar manufacturers have been trying to get me to flaunt their product”: Lars Ulrich turns his hand to guitar demos for the first time – while Kirk Hammett shreds on a Strat By Jonathan Horsley published 16 August 23 It’s only taken four decades, but Juanes’ signature Fender Strat is so cool that Lars finally feels comfortable sharing his guitar-playing capabilities as Metallica turn their hand to gear demos
“Ozzy Osbourne gets in my face and we're doing this dance. Sometimes Kirk and I do it during For Whom the Bell Tolls”: Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo explains the origin of his iconic crab walk By Nick Wells published 11 August 23 Robert Trujillo thanks Ozzy Osbourne for helping turn on his stage performance with Metallica