Metallica

Latest about Metallica

James Hetfield dressed as a kangaroo for Halloween 2025
James Hetfield wins Halloween by donning inflatable kangaroo costume to rip through a thrash classic – and he doesn’t miss a beat

By Phil Weller Published

Two Metallica members didn’t get the Halloween memo for the gig

Guitarists
Dave Mustaine of Megadeth [left] plays his signature Gibson Flying V live. On the right, an archive pic of Metallica frontman James Hetfield playing his white V copy, in his element circa 1984
Dave Mustaine reveals why Megadeth are covering Metallica on their final album

By Jonathan Horsley Published

Megadeth's new album will find Mustaine and co playing a Metallica classic, co-written by Mustaine in the early days, and MegaDave promises us we've never heard Ride the Lightning like this before

Guitarists
Kirk Hammett Gibson CEO4
The mystery Gibson SG Kirk Hammett played at Ozzy Osbourne’s last show is heading to auction – along with more than 150 other guitars from his collection

By Matt Owen Published

The SG was used to play a Black Sabbath cover at Back to the Beginning, and it’s headed to the auction block alongside some other choice picks from Hammett's collection

Electric Guitars
James Hetfield of Metallica during K-Rock DFP-7-Tarium at Giants Stadium in E. Rutherford, New Jersey, United States.
Meet Dino Muradian, the pyrographer who makes a living burning artwork into stars’ guitars

By Phil Weller Published

Defecting from his home country by flying himself over the border, the Romanian pilot wound up making guitar art for Metallica, B.B. King and the ESP Custom Shop

Guitars
Scott Reeder
Scott Reeder on the last days of Kyuss, QOTSA and what he told James Hetfield after that Metallica audition

By Andrew Daly Published

The veteran bassist enthuses about his Spinal Trap tribute album, his part in a James Hetfield lyric session and the heady days of desert rock

Bassists
Scott Reeder plays his left-handed bass (with right-handed strings) and wears a purple shirt. Lars Ulrich (right) points and holds two drums sticks in his hand.
Scott Reeder on the time he auditioned for Metallica – after Lars Ulrich cold-called him

By Jonathan Horsley Published

Reeder didn't get the Metallica gig but the stoner-rock bass icon got a helluva story out of it – and the silver medal in the metal Olympics

Bassists
A still from a YouTube video featuring Kirk Hammett in a white T-shirt with "Let's Go" written on the front. Guitar amps are in the backgound.
Metallica spark Mesa/Boogie mystery as unidentified amp spotted in ESP Guitars video. Could this be a James Hetfield signature?

By Jonathan Horsley Published

Speculation surrounding this unidentified chugging object has been ongoing since 2017 when it was spotted in Metallica's studio

Guitar Amps
Jason Newsted (L) and Robert Trujillo of Metallica perform the finale at Day One of the bands' 30th Anniversary shows at The Fillmore on December 5, 2011 in San Francisco, California.
When Jason Newsted swapped bands with Robert Trujillo

By Karl Coryat Published

Why Jason Newsted got the call from Ozzy – and what lay in store for Robert Trujillo, who signed with Newsted’s old band, Metallica

Bassists
Jason Momoa and his James Hetfield OGV replica: Mamoa plays a red-orange Fender bass guitar and wears his trademark hat. His heavy relic'd Metallica replica guitar rests beside its case and against an old station wagon.
Jason Momoa orders super-gnarly replica of James Hetfield’s iconic white Elektra OGV

By Jonathan Horsley Published

Momoa's downstroke game better be on point because Krupi Guitars went to town on recreating the guitar that made Metallica

Electric Guitars
Joe Duplantier ESP
Joe Duplantier explains how he started playing ESP guitars – and why he’s still playing Charvels

By Janelle Borg Published

The Gojira guitarist stunned gearheads with his custom ESP at last year's Paris Olympics opening ceremony – now, he's explaining his relationship with the guitar brand

Guitarists
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Archives