WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.259 Welcome to the Deep Dive, the show where we take 00:00:02.259 --> 00:00:04.759 the most complex source material on music and 00:00:04.759 --> 00:00:08.279 culture and really forge it into essential knowledge. 00:00:08.460 --> 00:00:10.839 That's the goal. Today, we are undertaking a 00:00:10.839 --> 00:00:14.039 deep excavation, really getting into the details 00:00:14.039 --> 00:00:17.600 of the man who became, well... the rhythmic and 00:00:17.600 --> 00:00:20.379 lyrical architect of heavy metal itself, James 00:00:20.379 --> 00:00:23.339 Allen Hetfield. Yeah, and when you analyze the 00:00:23.339 --> 00:00:26.019 foundational structure of modern thrash, you 00:00:26.019 --> 00:00:28.500 realize Hetfield is way more than just a frontman. 00:00:28.559 --> 00:00:30.579 He's the engine room, basically. Totally. Born 00:00:30.579 --> 00:00:34.780 August 3rd, 1963, Downey, California. He's cited 00:00:34.780 --> 00:00:38.280 again and again as the benchmark for heavy metal 00:00:38.280 --> 00:00:40.119 rhythm guitar playing. And that's the fascinating 00:00:40.119 --> 00:00:42.060 duality, isn't it? Yeah. He's the guy holding 00:00:42.060 --> 00:00:44.780 down the riff, just relentless, yet he absolutely 00:00:44.780 --> 00:00:47.479 commands the stage. completely. The sources back 00:00:47.479 --> 00:00:50.679 this up too. Ranked notable eight in Joel McIver's 00:00:50.679 --> 00:00:53.600 The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists and even grabbed 00:00:53.600 --> 00:00:56.820 the No. 124 spot on Hip Parader's 100 Greatest 00:00:56.820 --> 00:00:59.579 Metal Vocalists of All Time. So multiple demanding 00:00:59.579 --> 00:01:01.899 roles. Exactly. He's doing both at an incredibly 00:01:01.899 --> 00:01:03.979 high level. So our mission today really is to 00:01:03.979 --> 00:01:06.000 go beyond the, you know, the Grammys and the 00:01:06.000 --> 00:01:09.260 massive sales figures. We want to truly understand 00:01:09.260 --> 00:01:11.939 the choices he made, the technical stuff, the 00:01:11.939 --> 00:01:15.239 psychological background, the philosophies that 00:01:15.239 --> 00:01:17.939 constructed this icon. We're looking for those 00:01:17.939 --> 00:01:21.620 specific nuggets of knowledge, the details that 00:01:21.620 --> 00:01:24.700 explain why he sounds the way he does, and importantly, 00:01:24.900 --> 00:01:27.480 who the actual man is behind that aggressive 00:01:27.480 --> 00:01:30.079 persona. Absolutely. We're planning to cover, 00:01:30.219 --> 00:01:33.879 well, everything. From the profound and, frankly, 00:01:33.959 --> 00:01:36.700 tragic impact of his religious upbringing to 00:01:36.700 --> 00:01:40.120 that pyrotechnic accident that literally left 00:01:40.120 --> 00:01:42.099 a permanent mark, not just on his skin, but probably 00:01:42.099 --> 00:01:44.349 on his approach to stagecraft, too. And his gear 00:01:44.349 --> 00:01:46.469 choices, of course. Definitely. Okay, let's unpack 00:01:46.469 --> 00:01:48.430 this, starting with the influences, the early 00:01:48.430 --> 00:01:51.489 life, the friction that really shapes the legend. 00:01:51.769 --> 00:01:54.849 Yeah, to truly grasp the intensity and maybe 00:01:54.849 --> 00:01:57.209 the philosophical aggression in those early Metallica 00:01:57.209 --> 00:01:59.269 lyrics, you absolutely have to start with his 00:01:59.269 --> 00:02:02.969 childhood. The weight of belief placed upon him 00:02:02.969 --> 00:02:04.870 was immense. Tell us about the family background. 00:02:05.290 --> 00:02:08.009 Sure. His mother was Cynthia Bassett, a light 00:02:08.009 --> 00:02:10.949 opera singer, actually, and his father, Virgil 00:02:10.949 --> 00:02:14.360 Lee Hetfield, was a truck driver. James himself 00:02:14.360 --> 00:02:18.580 has this rich European background, English, German, 00:02:18.879 --> 00:02:22.580 Irish, Scottish descent. But the defining force, 00:02:22.639 --> 00:02:25.560 he said, the weight of belief, the crucible maybe, 00:02:25.699 --> 00:02:28.340 that generated so much of his future lyrical 00:02:28.340 --> 00:02:31.490 fire. That was his parents' strict adherence 00:02:31.490 --> 00:02:34.370 to Christian science. Exactly. This faith, as 00:02:34.370 --> 00:02:37.150 the sources detail pretty clearly, meant they 00:02:37.150 --> 00:02:39.889 categorically disapproved of medicine, doctors, 00:02:39.990 --> 00:02:42.090 any kind of modern medical treatment. Right. 00:02:42.169 --> 00:02:44.150 And this wasn't just, you know, an abstract belief 00:02:44.150 --> 00:02:46.629 system they talked about. It became a defining 00:02:46.629 --> 00:02:49.310 and ultimately devastating trauma for him. How 00:02:49.310 --> 00:02:51.409 so? Well, the sources highlight that his parents 00:02:51.409 --> 00:02:53.770 refused medical intervention, even as his mother, 00:02:53.870 --> 00:02:56.030 Cynthia, was terminally ill with cancer. Wow. 00:02:56.229 --> 00:02:59.120 She eventually died in February 1980. James was 00:02:59.120 --> 00:03:02.379 only 16 years old at the time. 16. Unimaginable. 00:03:02.479 --> 00:03:05.180 Yeah. And that experience, watching a parent 00:03:05.180 --> 00:03:07.319 suffer and die because of a religious choice, 00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:10.479 rejecting help that was available, that's arguably 00:03:10.479 --> 00:03:12.840 the single most profound element shaping his 00:03:12.840 --> 00:03:15.379 lyrical output, especially early on. It puts 00:03:15.379 --> 00:03:17.159 so much into context, doesn't it? That sense 00:03:17.159 --> 00:03:20.360 of resentment, betrayal maybe, that just runs 00:03:20.360 --> 00:03:22.520 like an electric current through the early albums. 00:03:22.639 --> 00:03:25.159 Absolutely. When you listen to Dyer's Eve from 00:03:25.159 --> 00:03:30.870 Justice for All or The God That Failed from the 00:03:30.870 --> 00:03:34.050 Black Album. Those aren't just general critiques 00:03:34.050 --> 00:03:36.110 of religion, are they? Not at all. They feel 00:03:36.110 --> 00:03:40.199 incredibly specific. raw, direct confrontations 00:03:40.199 --> 00:03:42.199 with the Christian science beliefs that defined 00:03:42.199 --> 00:03:45.460 his youth and, well, led to such a tragic and 00:03:45.460 --> 00:03:48.060 potentially avoidable loss. Think about the psychological 00:03:48.060 --> 00:03:50.479 impact on a teenager. You're essentially helpless 00:03:50.479 --> 00:03:53.379 watching your family prioritize doctrine over, 00:03:53.460 --> 00:03:56.000 you know, life itself. Right. And maybe metal, 00:03:56.060 --> 00:03:58.500 with its aggression, its insistence on taking 00:03:58.500 --> 00:04:01.139 control, maybe that became the perfect outlet 00:04:01.139 --> 00:04:03.039 for that raw resentment. Yeah, it makes sense. 00:04:03.259 --> 00:04:05.439 It's almost no wonder he gravitated toward a 00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:08.400 genre where... The rules are kind of self -made 00:04:08.400 --> 00:04:11.139 and the energy is all about confrontation, about 00:04:11.139 --> 00:04:14.120 pushing back. So after Cynthia's death, where 00:04:14.120 --> 00:04:16.339 did he go? James moved in with his older half 00:04:16.339 --> 00:04:19.600 -brother, David. His father, Virgil, he actually 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:23.120 died many years later in early 1996. That was 00:04:23.120 --> 00:04:25.319 right before the release of the Load album, interestingly. 00:04:25.639 --> 00:04:28.399 So that marked the end of that direct family 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:31.939 era for him. And this profound early loss. Yeah. 00:04:32.319 --> 00:04:34.199 It happened right as he was starting to find 00:04:34.199 --> 00:04:36.680 his musical footing. Pretty much, yeah. He started, 00:04:36.839 --> 00:04:39.639 maybe surprisingly, with piano lessons, age nine. 00:04:39.819 --> 00:04:41.879 Piano, okay. Then moved on to his half -brother 00:04:41.879 --> 00:04:44.319 David's drum kit for a bit. But it wasn't until 00:04:44.319 --> 00:04:46.279 he was 14 that he picked up the instrument that 00:04:46.279 --> 00:04:48.480 would define him in the guitar. Took lessons 00:04:48.480 --> 00:04:51.680 with a guy named Robert Oakner. And before Metallica, 00:04:51.740 --> 00:04:54.000 he was already playing in bands. Oh, yeah. Cutting 00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:56.560 his teeth in teenage bands, Leather Charm, Obsession, 00:04:56.680 --> 00:04:58.300 names like that. But his roots weren't purely 00:04:58.300 --> 00:05:01.180 in like underground metal. No. No, he's openly 00:05:01.180 --> 00:05:03.319 acknowledged that his main musical influence 00:05:03.319 --> 00:05:06.439 as a kid was Aerosmith. Aerosmith. Wow. OK. Yeah. 00:05:06.579 --> 00:05:09.240 He cites them specifically as the main reason 00:05:09.240 --> 00:05:10.879 he wanted to play guitar in the first place. 00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:13.300 So it connects his heavy thrash sound all the 00:05:13.300 --> 00:05:15.500 way back to classic, maybe slightly bluesier 00:05:15.500 --> 00:05:18.000 American rock. Interesting link, right? Very 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:21.500 interesting. So that. Search for identity for 00:05:21.500 --> 00:05:23.879 a place to belong musically. That inevitably 00:05:23.879 --> 00:05:27.660 led him to, well, the moment that really defines 00:05:27.660 --> 00:05:30.199 his career. Answering that ad. The foundational 00:05:30.199 --> 00:05:33.220 story. Exactly. The birth of Metallica, October 00:05:33.220 --> 00:05:38.000 1981. Hetfield responds to Lars Ulrich's now 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:41.100 infamous ad in the Los Angeles newspaper, The 00:05:41.100 --> 00:05:43.000 Recycler. And were they immediately like, OK, 00:05:43.060 --> 00:05:45.490 this is the lineup. This is the sound. Not really, 00:05:45.589 --> 00:05:47.490 no. What's fascinating about those first few 00:05:47.490 --> 00:05:49.970 months is how fluid and experimental things were. 00:05:50.129 --> 00:05:52.649 They considered several different setups. Like 00:05:52.649 --> 00:05:54.709 what? Well, even trying to emulate the structure 00:05:54.709 --> 00:05:57.230 of Diamondhead, you know, the British band they 00:05:57.230 --> 00:05:59.470 massively admired. Right, new wave of British 00:05:59.470 --> 00:06:01.589 heavy metal influence. Huge influence. There 00:06:01.589 --> 00:06:03.910 were even talks, serious talks apparently, about 00:06:03.910 --> 00:06:06.730 recruiting John Bush from Armored Saint, who, 00:06:06.829 --> 00:06:08.790 you know, later ended up singing for Anthrax 00:06:08.790 --> 00:06:11.269 to take over vocal duties. Really? So jams would 00:06:11.269 --> 00:06:13.209 have just been on guitar? That was a possibility 00:06:13.209 --> 00:06:15.819 they considered, yeah. Leaving James solely on 00:06:15.819 --> 00:06:18.019 rhythm guitar. Hard to imagine now, isn't it? 00:06:18.100 --> 00:06:20.319 It really is. And it's important to remember 00:06:20.319 --> 00:06:23.139 they were basically pioneering an unnamed genre 00:06:23.139 --> 00:06:26.720 back then. Completely. Hetfield himself referred 00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:30.480 to their early stuff as power metal. It was actually 00:06:30.480 --> 00:06:32.959 the press that kind of codified the genre later. 00:06:33.300 --> 00:06:36.060 The term thrash metal didn't really get formally 00:06:36.060 --> 00:06:39.560 coined until February 84, when a Kerrang! journalist 00:06:39.560 --> 00:06:42.759 used it to describe Anthrax's song, Metal Thrashing 00:06:42.759 --> 00:06:45.420 Mad. So they were operating in this sonic vacuum, 00:06:45.519 --> 00:06:47.180 just making up the rules as they went along. 00:06:47.360 --> 00:06:49.819 Pretty much, yeah. Inventing the playbook. But 00:06:49.819 --> 00:06:52.399 the earliest and probably most consequential 00:06:52.399 --> 00:06:55.300 decision that shaped the band's path and really 00:06:55.300 --> 00:06:58.639 cemented James' role as the definitive creative... 00:06:58.800 --> 00:07:02.339 partner to Ulrich. That was the contentious departure 00:07:02.339 --> 00:07:05.879 of Dave Mustaine. Ah, yes. This is where it gets 00:07:05.879 --> 00:07:07.620 really interesting, as the source material puts 00:07:07.620 --> 00:07:09.839 it. Yeah, this is where the band truly became 00:07:09.839 --> 00:07:12.279 Metallica, you could argue. So this friction, 00:07:12.360 --> 00:07:16.040 it built up between 82 and 83. It did. Mustaine's 00:07:16.040 --> 00:07:20.000 behavior, his heavy drinking. It was causing 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:22.360 serious issues. There's that specific story about 00:07:22.360 --> 00:07:25.279 him pouring beer onto the original bassist Ron 00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:29.180 McGovney's prized bass guitar. Ouch. Yeah. The 00:07:29.180 --> 00:07:31.519 whole environment was becoming, well, toxic. 00:07:31.939 --> 00:07:33.959 Hetfield and Ulrich realized they needed more 00:07:33.959 --> 00:07:36.439 stability if this was going to work. So the change 00:07:36.439 --> 00:07:40.439 when it came was pretty decisive. Swift and honestly 00:07:40.439 --> 00:07:44.339 brutal. April 1st, 1983, they recruit Crook Hammett 00:07:44.339 --> 00:07:46.540 from Exodus. While Mustaine was still technically 00:07:46.540 --> 00:07:48.870 in the band. Effectively, yes. They signed his 00:07:48.870 --> 00:07:52.129 replacement. Then, just 10 days later, Hetfield 00:07:52.129 --> 00:07:54.910 and Ulrich officially fired Mustaine. How did 00:07:54.910 --> 00:07:56.990 that go down? They put him straight onto a bus. 00:07:57.089 --> 00:07:59.529 A four -day Greyhound bus ride from New York 00:07:59.529 --> 00:08:01.709 back to Los Angeles. Four days on a bus after 00:08:01.709 --> 00:08:04.230 getting fired. Yeah. And that solitary journey 00:08:04.230 --> 00:08:06.870 famously became the genesis for Mustaine's next 00:08:06.870 --> 00:08:09.370 project, Megadeth, kicking off one of metal's 00:08:09.370 --> 00:08:12.089 greatest and longest -running rivalries. That 00:08:12.089 --> 00:08:14.149 moment really solidified the core power structure, 00:08:14.329 --> 00:08:17.540 didn't it? Hetfield and Ulrich. Absolutely. But 00:08:17.540 --> 00:08:20.259 while Hetfield is, you know, universally known 00:08:20.259 --> 00:08:23.019 as the definitive rhythm guitarist, the king 00:08:23.019 --> 00:08:25.639 of downpicking, the sources remind us he's always 00:08:25.639 --> 00:08:28.139 been much more than just the riff engine. He 00:08:28.139 --> 00:08:30.339 does occasionally step up for lead guitar duties, 00:08:30.540 --> 00:08:33.200 for solos. That's true. We tend to think of Kirk 00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:35.960 Hammett purely as the lead player. Exactly. But 00:08:35.960 --> 00:08:38.440 James takes some crucial solos that really define 00:08:38.440 --> 00:08:40.860 certain tracks. Think about the big one, the 00:08:40.860 --> 00:08:43.440 emotional centerpiece. Nothing else matters. 00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:46.799 That's him. Right. And his solo on My Friend 00:08:46.799 --> 00:08:49.879 of Misery. Also him. And crucially, he played 00:08:49.879 --> 00:08:52.259 the first solo on the seminal track Master of 00:08:52.259 --> 00:08:54.500 Puppets. Okay, I didn't realize that was him. 00:08:54.639 --> 00:08:57.879 Yep. And the harmonized solo on Orion. He also 00:08:57.879 --> 00:08:59.820 plays the second solo on the epic To Live is 00:08:59.820 --> 00:09:02.639 to Die and the first one on Suicide and Redemption. 00:09:02.860 --> 00:09:05.830 So he's not just rhythm. Far from it. And beyond 00:09:05.830 --> 00:09:08.350 just playing, he writes the vast majority of 00:09:08.350 --> 00:09:10.350 the guitar harmonies, almost all the lyrics, 00:09:10.470 --> 00:09:13.149 the vocal melodies, and he co -arranges those 00:09:13.149 --> 00:09:16.269 complex song structures with Ulrich. He's really 00:09:16.269 --> 00:09:18.649 the complete creative force driving the vision. 00:09:18.850 --> 00:09:21.309 And his commitment to delivering that vision 00:09:21.309 --> 00:09:23.789 on stage, it's always been absolute, hasn't it? 00:09:23.909 --> 00:09:26.710 But that led to a terrifying moment, a near disaster. 00:09:26.950 --> 00:09:30.139 Oh, yeah. We have to talk about the onstage crisis. 00:09:30.440 --> 00:09:34.639 August 8th, 1992, during that massive Guns N' 00:09:34.779 --> 00:09:37.519 Roses Metallica stadium tour in Montreal. What 00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:39.440 happened exactly? During the performance of Fade 00:09:39.440 --> 00:09:41.460 to Black, James was apparently standing in the 00:09:41.460 --> 00:09:44.539 wrong spot, too close to a new set of pyrotechnics 00:09:44.539 --> 00:09:48.019 that went off prematurely. Oh no. Yeah. The sources 00:09:48.019 --> 00:09:51.039 confirm he suffered second and third degree burns 00:09:51.039 --> 00:09:54.399 down his entire left side, his hand, arm, eyebrows, 00:09:54.519 --> 00:09:57.549 face, even his hair. all severely damaged that 00:09:57.549 --> 00:09:59.590 sounds absolutely horrific and the logistical 00:09:59.590 --> 00:10:01.590 nightmare for a huge stadium tour i can only 00:10:01.590 --> 00:10:03.789 imagine it must have been chaos but his resilience 00:10:03.789 --> 00:10:06.970 honestly is staggering he was back on stage just 00:10:06.970 --> 00:10:10.549 17 days later 17 days yeah after second and third 00:10:10.549 --> 00:10:13.929 degree 17 days shows his deep commitment to the 00:10:13.929 --> 00:10:16.649 tour right however obviously he couldn't play 00:10:16.649 --> 00:10:19.379 guitar He was forced to delegate his guitar duties 00:10:19.379 --> 00:10:21.899 to his tech, John Marshall, for about four weeks 00:10:21.899 --> 00:10:24.500 while his hand and arm properly healed. It's 00:10:24.500 --> 00:10:27.539 a moment of real physical vulnerability that 00:10:27.539 --> 00:10:30.639 stands in sharp contrast to the kind of aggressive 00:10:30.639 --> 00:10:33.320 control he usually projects. Speaking of control 00:10:33.320 --> 00:10:36.159 and commitment, the sources also detail how he 00:10:36.159 --> 00:10:38.120 tackled a different kind of performance challenge, 00:10:38.279 --> 00:10:41.019 his voice. Right. After performing that raucous 00:10:41.019 --> 00:10:44.600 anti -Nowhere lead cover, So What. which is pretty 00:10:44.600 --> 00:10:47.320 demanding vocally. Very demanding. He experienced 00:10:47.320 --> 00:10:50.259 some significant vocal complications, problems 00:10:50.259 --> 00:10:52.740 with his voice. So what did he do? It forced 00:10:52.740 --> 00:10:55.360 a reckoning, really. He had to address his technique. 00:10:55.620 --> 00:10:58.240 He took vocal lessons for the first time in the 00:10:58.240 --> 00:11:01.759 early 1990s. Did that involve complex new methods 00:11:01.759 --> 00:11:03.960 or something? Surprisingly, no. The solution 00:11:03.960 --> 00:11:07.320 wasn't some fancy new gadget. It was... Basic 00:11:07.320 --> 00:11:10.139 foundational training. Warm -up exercises performed 00:11:10.139 --> 00:11:13.139 to piano keys. Simple stuff. Okay. But here's 00:11:13.139 --> 00:11:15.220 the nugget, the detail that really speaks to 00:11:15.220 --> 00:11:19.059 his maybe ritualistic need for consistency. He 00:11:19.059 --> 00:11:21.259 apparently still uses the exact same cassette 00:11:21.259 --> 00:11:23.480 tape given to him by his coach back in the early 00:11:23.480 --> 00:11:26.240 90s for his warm -ups. No way, a cassette tape. 00:11:26.360 --> 00:11:30.409 Still. Still. Before every single live performance 00:11:30.409 --> 00:11:33.710 or recording session, that detail was captured 00:11:33.710 --> 00:11:37.690 in the documentary Metallica, some kind of monster. 00:11:37.950 --> 00:11:40.909 That's incredible for a guy surrounded by, you 00:11:40.909 --> 00:11:43.649 know, cutting edge digital gear, stadium logistics. 00:11:43.809 --> 00:11:47.210 The core of his performance ritual is this vintage, 00:11:47.470 --> 00:11:50.710 decades old cassette tape. It says a lot about 00:11:50.710 --> 00:11:52.669 his psychology, doesn't it? It's probably not 00:11:52.669 --> 00:11:54.870 just about warming up the vocal cords. It might 00:11:54.870 --> 00:11:57.610 speak to a deeper psychological need for consistency, 00:11:57.950 --> 00:12:00.970 for control, establishing a familiar foundation, 00:12:01.409 --> 00:12:04.470 especially for someone whose early life was defined 00:12:04.470 --> 00:12:08.009 by such profound chaos and loss. He applies that 00:12:08.009 --> 00:12:09.909 same kind of surgical precision to his voice 00:12:09.909 --> 00:12:11.730 as he does to his guitar riffs. It's all part 00:12:11.730 --> 00:12:14.250 of the machine. That deep, almost ritualistic 00:12:14.250 --> 00:12:17.149 commitment to technical perfection is the perfect 00:12:17.149 --> 00:12:19.480 way to transition into our next section. the 00:12:19.480 --> 00:12:21.720 technical blueprint james hetfield isn't just 00:12:21.720 --> 00:12:24.019 a musician he's like a meticulous sonic engineer 00:12:24.019 --> 00:12:26.299 crafting the heavy metal riff absolutely and 00:12:26.299 --> 00:12:28.580 the core of that metallica sound as you mentioned 00:12:28.580 --> 00:12:31.139 earlier is his right hand his picking technique 00:12:31.139 --> 00:12:33.159 this earned him that nickname the king of down 00:12:33.159 --> 00:12:36.379 picking right bestowed by annihilator guitarist 00:12:36.379 --> 00:12:39.899 jeff waters yeah it's that powerful incredibly 00:12:39.899 --> 00:12:42.820 percussive attack that makes the riffs sound 00:12:42.820 --> 00:12:45.590 almost like a machine gun Relentless. And the 00:12:45.590 --> 00:12:48.269 sources gave us a really fascinating detail about 00:12:48.269 --> 00:12:50.730 how he achieves that signature stability and 00:12:50.730 --> 00:12:53.529 power. It's different from how most rock guitarists 00:12:53.529 --> 00:12:55.730 play, isn't it? It is. Standard technique, you 00:12:55.730 --> 00:12:57.929 typically use just the thumb and the index finger 00:12:57.929 --> 00:13:00.879 to hold the pick. But Hetfield explains he grips 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:03.779 the pick using his thumb, index, and his middle 00:13:03.779 --> 00:13:06.799 finger. Three fingers. Three fingers. That third 00:13:06.799 --> 00:13:09.139 point of contact is critical. When you're doing 00:13:09.139 --> 00:13:11.759 that precise rapid -fire down picking needed 00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:14.679 for high -speed thrash, think about tracks like 00:13:14.679 --> 00:13:17.620 Battery or Blackened. Yeah, incredibly fast. 00:13:17.919 --> 00:13:21.259 Any instability at all leads to sloppiness. That 00:13:21.259 --> 00:13:23.720 unconventional three -finger grip provides the 00:13:23.720 --> 00:13:26.200 extra stability and force he needs to attack 00:13:26.200 --> 00:13:28.639 the strings consistently, maintaining... that 00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:31.379 super tight staccato chug that just defines the 00:13:31.379 --> 00:13:33.799 rhythm. Okay, that makes a lot of sense. Now 00:13:33.799 --> 00:13:36.460 let's trace his amplifier journey because that 00:13:36.460 --> 00:13:38.179 really illustrates the band's sonic evolution 00:13:38.179 --> 00:13:41.100 over time. Definitely. For the first two albums, 00:13:41.399 --> 00:13:43.820 Kill Em All and Ride the Lightning, he was primarily 00:13:43.820 --> 00:13:47.019 using Marshall heads and cabinets. A pretty classic 00:13:47.019 --> 00:13:49.879 sound for the time. Yeah, raw, aggressive, but 00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:52.720 maybe somewhat traditional, you know, British 00:13:52.720 --> 00:13:55.240 rock sound. And there's a story about that first 00:13:55.240 --> 00:13:57.059 Marshall amp, isn't there? The one used on Kill 00:13:57.059 --> 00:14:00.129 Em All. There is. And it holds huge personal 00:14:00.129 --> 00:14:02.409 significance for him. The sources reveal it was 00:14:02.409 --> 00:14:05.009 actually stolen after a concert. Oh, man. And 00:14:05.009 --> 00:14:08.269 this theft. deeply upset Hetfield, not just because 00:14:08.269 --> 00:14:10.889 it was his amp, but because it was the amplifier 00:14:10.889 --> 00:14:12.889 his mother had helped him purchase before she 00:14:12.889 --> 00:14:15.450 passed away. Wow, okay. That adds another layer 00:14:15.450 --> 00:14:17.669 to it. Yeah, that personal connection really 00:14:17.669 --> 00:14:20.029 underscores the raw loss he must have felt when 00:14:20.029 --> 00:14:22.809 it was gone, more than just gear. So after that 00:14:22.809 --> 00:14:25.409 personal loss, and maybe searching for a tighter, 00:14:25.509 --> 00:14:28.049 more modern sound for Master of Puppets in 85, 00:14:28.529 --> 00:14:31.230 he started his long and pretty iconic relationship 00:14:31.230 --> 00:14:34.360 with Meza Boogie amps. Yes, and this shift is 00:14:34.360 --> 00:14:37.240 absolutely crucial for their legacy sound. How 00:14:37.240 --> 00:14:40.080 so? What did Mesa Boogie offer that the Marshalls 00:14:40.080 --> 00:14:42.830 didn't? Well, Marshalls tend to offer that classic 00:14:42.830 --> 00:14:46.269 raw, mid -focused roar. Think ACDC, right? The 00:14:46.269 --> 00:14:48.429 Missa Boogie Mark series, especially the Mark 00:14:48.429 --> 00:14:51.049 IC Plus that he started using, offered something 00:14:51.049 --> 00:14:54.629 different. Extremely tight, articulate high gain, 00:14:54.850 --> 00:14:57.649 but with a significantly scooped mid -range. 00:14:57.970 --> 00:15:00.789 Ah, the scooped mids. That's the classic 80s 00:15:00.789 --> 00:15:03.070 thrash tone, right? Exactly. That tight aggression, 00:15:03.289 --> 00:15:06.009 that scooped sound, was what really elevated 00:15:06.009 --> 00:15:08.330 Master of Puppets. It cut through the mix in 00:15:08.330 --> 00:15:11.759 a new way. down that path using their tri -axis 00:15:11.759 --> 00:15:14.779 preamps later on and the powerful rectifier heads. 00:15:15.039 --> 00:15:17.919 So that shift from Marshall to Mesa Boogie, how 00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:20.299 would you say that defines the sound we associate 00:15:20.299 --> 00:15:22.360 with Metallica now? Well, the Marshall tone on 00:15:22.360 --> 00:15:24.480 Kill Em All is aggressive, definitely, but maybe 00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:27.289 a little looser, a bit more wild. The Mesa boogie 00:15:27.289 --> 00:15:30.529 tone is surgical. They're surgical, okay. It 00:15:30.529 --> 00:15:32.330 provides the clarity needed for those incredibly 00:15:32.330 --> 00:15:35.129 complex, fast -changing riffs they started writing. 00:15:35.289 --> 00:15:37.669 The power feels more focused, less sprawling. 00:15:37.789 --> 00:15:40.429 And later on, around the St. Anger period, he 00:15:40.429 --> 00:15:43.009 integrated the diesel VH4 head into his rig. 00:15:43.190 --> 00:15:45.629 What does the diesel bring? even higher gain 00:15:45.629 --> 00:15:47.929 potentially, and an even tighter bottom end. 00:15:48.129 --> 00:15:51.929 It just shows his constant push for maximum definition 00:15:51.929 --> 00:15:54.549 and aggression in his tone, always refining. 00:15:54.610 --> 00:15:56.710 And for those moments of light and shade, you 00:15:56.710 --> 00:15:58.529 know, the clean intros like fade to black or 00:15:58.529 --> 00:16:01.330 the bridge in one, he relies on a specific amp. 00:16:01.850 --> 00:16:04.250 For those cleaner tones, right? Yes, the Roland 00:16:04.250 --> 00:16:08.710 JC -120 Jazz Chorus. That amp is legendary for 00:16:08.710 --> 00:16:11.250 its crystal clear, almost shimmering chorus tone. 00:16:11.429 --> 00:16:14.110 It's the perfect contrast to the aggressive Mesa 00:16:14.110 --> 00:16:16.129 Diesel sound. Provides that necessary dynamic 00:16:16.129 --> 00:16:18.850 range. Absolutely. But if you look at his current 00:16:18.850 --> 00:16:21.169 tour rig, I mean, the level of complexity is 00:16:21.169 --> 00:16:23.429 just astonishing. It's built entirely around 00:16:23.429 --> 00:16:26.049 redundancy and precise control. It sounds almost 00:16:26.049 --> 00:16:29.070 surgically delicate for such a heavy genre. How 00:16:29.070 --> 00:16:31.200 does that work? Well, it's all about reliability 00:16:31.200 --> 00:16:33.440 and achieving perfect consistency night after 00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:36.720 night across massive venues. He uses, get this, 00:16:36.899 --> 00:16:39.899 four Mesa Boogie Tri -Axis preamps. Four. Four. 00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:42.659 They're highly programmable digital control centers 00:16:42.659 --> 00:16:45.700 for his core tones. These feed into two Mesa 00:16:45.700 --> 00:16:49.419 Boogie Simulclass 2 .90 power amps. So that's 00:16:49.419 --> 00:16:51.740 the redundancy. Exactly. It's a redundant system. 00:16:51.940 --> 00:16:55.039 If one preamp or power amp fails mid -show, the 00:16:55.039 --> 00:16:57.019 whole system doesn't crash. The show goes on 00:16:57.019 --> 00:16:59.629 without interruption. He combines... these with 00:16:59.629 --> 00:17:01.889 the Mesa triple rectifier heads and those diesel 00:17:01.889 --> 00:17:04.910 VH4 heads for tonal flexibility. And critically, 00:17:05.089 --> 00:17:08.869 the output from this massive setup, it doesn't 00:17:08.869 --> 00:17:11.109 just go into regular speaker cabinets on stage. 00:17:11.410 --> 00:17:13.890 Nope. It's funneled into isolation cabinets. 00:17:14.170 --> 00:17:16.309 Right. Why go to all that trouble? What's the 00:17:16.309 --> 00:17:19.000 point of an ISOCab? Isolation cabinets are basically 00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:21.420 soundproof boxes that contain the speakers and 00:17:21.420 --> 00:17:24.039 microphones. They allow the sound text to perfectly 00:17:24.039 --> 00:17:26.319 mic the speakers at an ideal distance and angle 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:28.640 without any stage volume bleeding into the mics 00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:31.380 or interference from drums or other instruments. 00:17:31.619 --> 00:17:35.160 The goal is pure sonic perfection for the front 00:17:35.160 --> 00:17:37.700 of house mix, for the audience, and for any recording. 00:17:37.880 --> 00:17:40.180 Even if the actual stage volume coming from the 00:17:40.180 --> 00:17:42.759 amps is relatively low, it's all about control. 00:17:43.000 --> 00:17:45.180 Control again. Okay, now let's talk about the 00:17:45.180 --> 00:17:47.220 guitars themselves. He's had this long... very 00:17:47.220 --> 00:17:49.359 fruitful relationship with ESP guitars since 00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:52.039 the 80s, mostly defined by his Explorer -style 00:17:52.039 --> 00:17:54.759 custom models. But where did it all start for 00:17:54.759 --> 00:17:57.410 him guitar -wise? It started very humbly, actually. 00:17:57.549 --> 00:18:00.529 His first main guitar was a Japanese -made Electra 00:18:00.529 --> 00:18:04.009 Flying V copy. He bought it for just $200 back 00:18:04.009 --> 00:18:07.410 in 1980. 200 bucks. Yeah. Used it heavily on 00:18:07.410 --> 00:18:09.490 Kill Em All. He played it until the neck broke 00:18:09.490 --> 00:18:13.369 on stage in 1984. But, cool detail, it was lovingly 00:18:13.369 --> 00:18:15.410 restored back in 2008. That's great. But the 00:18:15.410 --> 00:18:17.349 functional explorer shape that really became 00:18:17.349 --> 00:18:20.069 his signature look starting around 84. Definitely. 00:18:20.250 --> 00:18:22.849 He famously nicknamed some of his early Gibsons 00:18:22.849 --> 00:18:25.109 from that era. One was just labeled, So What? 00:18:25.289 --> 00:18:27.569 and a backup had more beer written on it. Very 00:18:27.569 --> 00:18:30.390 Hetfield. Classic. And his guitars, they really 00:18:30.390 --> 00:18:32.450 tell the story of the band's history. During 00:18:32.450 --> 00:18:35.509 the Master of Puppets recording, he used a Jackson 00:18:35.509 --> 00:18:39.230 King V Custom, famously, and rather irreverently 00:18:39.230 --> 00:18:42.009 nicknamed Kill Bon Jovi. His partnership with 00:18:42.009 --> 00:18:45.789 ESP Guitars officially began in 1987. That yielded 00:18:45.789 --> 00:18:49.410 the iconic white ESP MX -220 Explorer, the one 00:18:49.410 --> 00:18:51.029 adorned with the middle finger graphic and the 00:18:51.029 --> 00:18:53.150 phrase, Eat Fuck. Right, the Eat Fuck guitar. 00:18:53.309 --> 00:18:56.930 Yeah. Iconic. represents that raw, kind of uncensored 00:18:56.930 --> 00:19:00.690 nature of the thrash era. Totally. Then, as the 00:19:00.690 --> 00:19:03.609 band evolved aesthetically in the mid -90s, so 00:19:03.609 --> 00:19:08.549 did his guitars. We see the custom 1996 ESP MX 00:19:08.549 --> 00:19:11.390 -250, the one known as Elkskull. Ah, yeah, with 00:19:11.390 --> 00:19:13.390 the painting on it. Right, painted by Dino Moradian. 00:19:13.829 --> 00:19:16.589 That was prominent during the Lode album cycle, 00:19:16.690 --> 00:19:19.440 reflecting maybe a more artistic... less purely 00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:22.119 aggressive visual style for that period. And 00:19:22.119 --> 00:19:24.640 eventually this led to actual signature models 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:27.299 with ESP. Exactly. He developed several signature 00:19:27.299 --> 00:19:30.039 models. There's the ESP truckster, which looks 00:19:30.039 --> 00:19:33.279 like a beat up Les Paul shape, and the very popular 00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:36.140 ESP iron cross, which was inspired by his original 00:19:36.140 --> 00:19:39.420 1973 Gibson Les Paul custom. The black one with 00:19:39.420 --> 00:19:41.400 the cross. That's the one. And currently his 00:19:41.400 --> 00:19:44.539 most prominent instrument is the custom ESP LTD 00:19:44.539 --> 00:19:47.759 snake bite model. It's a modified explorer shape 00:19:47.759 --> 00:19:50.210 and it comes loaded with his signature EMG JH 00:19:50.210 --> 00:19:52.470 headset pickups. Okay, the headset. Were those 00:19:52.470 --> 00:19:54.410 designed specifically for his sound? Absolutely. 00:19:54.670 --> 00:19:56.589 They were engineered to capture that perfect, 00:19:56.650 --> 00:19:59.369 tight, percussive Hetfield chug, the clarity, 00:19:59.549 --> 00:20:01.269 the attack, everything. And just to complete 00:20:01.269 --> 00:20:03.230 the picture of his tone, let's quickly touch 00:20:03.230 --> 00:20:05.589 on the accessories. The actual physics of his 00:20:05.589 --> 00:20:08.089 attack must demand specific gear, right? Totally. 00:20:08.170 --> 00:20:10.890 For strings, he uses Ernie Ball Power Slinky, 00:20:10.990 --> 00:20:15.549 and in a pretty heavy gauge, .11 to .48. 11 to 00:20:15.549 --> 00:20:17.930 48. That's quite heavy for standard tuning, or 00:20:17.930 --> 00:20:20.430 even E flat. It is, and that specific string 00:20:20.430 --> 00:20:23.430 gauge is crucial. When you tune down even just 00:20:23.430 --> 00:20:26.349 to E flat, or certainly for the dropped tunings 00:20:26.349 --> 00:20:29.019 they started using on later albums, You need 00:20:29.019 --> 00:20:31.140 that tension. To keep things from getting floppy. 00:20:31.180 --> 00:20:34.180 Exactly. He uses those heavy strings to maintain 00:20:34.180 --> 00:20:37.099 pitch stability and the required tension for 00:20:37.099 --> 00:20:39.839 his ferocious downpicking attack. Without them, 00:20:39.920 --> 00:20:42.119 his technique would literally pull the lighter 00:20:42.119 --> 00:20:44.559 strings sharp or they'd just flap around. It 00:20:44.559 --> 00:20:46.539 wouldn't work. Makes sense. What about picks? 00:20:46.799 --> 00:20:49.740 His picks are the Dunlop James Hetfield Black 00:20:49.740 --> 00:20:53.059 Fang, 1 .14 millimeter. Again, a thicker, heavy 00:20:53.059 --> 00:20:55.779 pick for maximum attack and control. Doesn't 00:20:55.779 --> 00:20:58.269 bend easily. Right. And finally for... his vocal 00:20:58.269 --> 00:21:01.670 delivery on stage. He relies on the classic kind 00:21:01.670 --> 00:21:04.410 of vintage aesthetic of the Shure Super 55 microphones, 00:21:04.750 --> 00:21:07.009 you know, the Elvis mic. Yeah, iconic look. So 00:21:07.009 --> 00:21:10.049 every single choice from how he holds the pick 00:21:10.049 --> 00:21:13.069 to the heavy strings, the amps, the ISO cabs, 00:21:13.069 --> 00:21:16.089 it's all deliberate. Every piece contributes 00:21:16.089 --> 00:21:19.950 to that distinct, engineered, unmistakable Hetfield 00:21:19.950 --> 00:21:22.829 tone. It's a system, a very controlled system. 00:21:23.440 --> 00:21:25.839 Okay, we've delved deep into the controlled machine 00:21:25.839 --> 00:21:28.220 of the musician. Now, let's look at section four. 00:21:28.700 --> 00:21:31.740 The complex man behind the music, his philosophy, 00:21:31.900 --> 00:21:35.519 and the resilience he's demonstrated in his personal 00:21:35.519 --> 00:21:37.660 life. Right, because it's a struggle with addiction. 00:21:37.700 --> 00:21:40.000 That's been a very public component of his story, 00:21:40.119 --> 00:21:43.019 hasn't it? Very public. His initial sobriety 00:21:43.019 --> 00:21:45.619 journey really began or became public when he 00:21:45.619 --> 00:21:48.019 entered rehab during the recording of the St. 00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:51.119 Anger album. back in 2001. Yeah, that was seven 00:21:51.119 --> 00:21:53.180 months in rehab, followed by another four months 00:21:53.180 --> 00:21:55.380 of recovery with his family. That's a massive 00:21:55.380 --> 00:21:57.119 commitment, a huge chunk of time. Absolutely. 00:21:57.380 --> 00:22:00.079 And the resulting documentary, Metallica, some 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:02.059 kind of monster. I mean, it provided an almost 00:22:02.059 --> 00:22:03.920 uncomfortable level of transparency sometimes. 00:22:04.039 --> 00:22:06.210 It really did. It detailed his health problems, 00:22:06.430 --> 00:22:09.589 the intense internal band conflicts, the whole 00:22:09.589 --> 00:22:12.750 fallout from Jason Newsted's departure. It allowed 00:22:12.750 --> 00:22:15.089 the audience to see the man in crisis, not just 00:22:15.089 --> 00:22:17.569 the rock star myth. And his journey to sobriety, 00:22:17.569 --> 00:22:19.529 as we know, hasn't exactly been a straight line. 00:22:19.730 --> 00:22:22.650 No. In a 2010 interview, he spoke about being 00:22:22.650 --> 00:22:26.029 a reborn straight edge, which reflected a period 00:22:26.029 --> 00:22:29.509 of really intense abstinence for him. However, 00:22:29.690 --> 00:22:33.099 the pressures of touring, the lifestyle. It eventually 00:22:33.099 --> 00:22:35.819 led to a relapse. Which is the reality of addiction 00:22:35.819 --> 00:22:38.519 for many people. It is. He returned to rehab 00:22:38.519 --> 00:22:41.900 in 2019, which, sadly, forced the band to cancel 00:22:41.900 --> 00:22:44.059 the planned Australia and New Zealand leg of 00:22:44.059 --> 00:22:46.440 their World Wired tour. It just demonstrates 00:22:46.440 --> 00:22:48.539 the constant pressure he must operate under, 00:22:48.660 --> 00:22:50.960 and maybe the vulnerability beneath that tough 00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:53.440 stage persona. Turning to his personal life, 00:22:53.599 --> 00:22:56.339 he was married to Francesca Tomasi back in 1997. 00:22:57.359 --> 00:22:59.380 They had three children together before divorcing 00:22:59.380 --> 00:23:01.859 in 2022. Right. And he's currently in a relationship 00:23:01.859 --> 00:23:03.700 with Adriana Gillett. And it's interesting to 00:23:03.700 --> 00:23:06.180 see his kids following creative paths, too. Yeah. 00:23:06.259 --> 00:23:09.180 His son, Castor, is a musician himself, plays 00:23:09.180 --> 00:23:12.700 drums for the band Bastardang. The sources also 00:23:12.700 --> 00:23:14.640 point to a deeper introspection in Hetfield, 00:23:14.839 --> 00:23:17.059 noting he was featured in a documentary called 00:23:17.059 --> 00:23:19.579 Absent. What was that about? It specifically 00:23:19.579 --> 00:23:24.099 explored the idea of the father wound. The emotional 00:23:24.099 --> 00:23:27.200 legacy left by absent or maybe emotionally distant 00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:29.940 fathers, which, when you think about it, connects 00:23:29.940 --> 00:23:32.039 his personal trauma right back to some of his 00:23:32.039 --> 00:23:34.019 lyrical themes over the years. That makes sense. 00:23:34.160 --> 00:23:36.839 And his choice of where he lives now also seems 00:23:36.839 --> 00:23:39.079 reflective of a desire for a different kind of 00:23:39.079 --> 00:23:41.569 life. Seems that way. He currently lives in Vail, 00:23:41.630 --> 00:23:44.730 Colorado. He cited the beautiful natural environment, 00:23:44.890 --> 00:23:47.769 the quiet community as big draws. But he also 00:23:47.769 --> 00:23:50.009 specifically mentioned wanting to escape what 00:23:50.009 --> 00:23:52.710 he characterized as the elitist attitudes of 00:23:52.710 --> 00:23:55.130 the Bay Area, where Metallica was based for decades. 00:23:55.450 --> 00:23:57.529 Interesting. A conscious move away. Yeah, it 00:23:57.529 --> 00:23:59.230 feels like a move seeking balance, maybe more 00:23:59.230 --> 00:24:01.009 stable environment away from the whole celebrity 00:24:01.009 --> 00:24:03.650 bubble that might have, you know, exacerbated 00:24:03.650 --> 00:24:05.670 some of his personal struggles. An intentional 00:24:05.670 --> 00:24:09.210 choice, maybe prioritizing peace over status. 00:24:09.869 --> 00:24:12.589 And just like his early life experiences shaped 00:24:12.589 --> 00:24:15.529 his lyrics, his body art seems to act as a kind 00:24:15.529 --> 00:24:18.009 of physical map of his history and philosophy. 00:24:18.470 --> 00:24:20.369 Let's talk about those tattoos. Yeah, they're 00:24:20.369 --> 00:24:22.890 significant. The most famous design is probably 00:24:22.890 --> 00:24:25.609 the flames encasing his birth year. One, nine, 00:24:25.769 --> 00:24:29.730 six, three. Often seen with the words carpe diem, 00:24:29.730 --> 00:24:32.069 seize the day. And the flames themselves have 00:24:32.069 --> 00:24:35.269 a specific meaning. They do. Crucially, those 00:24:35.269 --> 00:24:37.990 flames are a direct permanent reference to the 00:24:37.990 --> 00:24:40.990 1992 pyrotechnic accident in Montreal. It's like 00:24:40.990 --> 00:24:43.930 marking that trauma, but transforming it into 00:24:43.930 --> 00:24:46.170 a piece of his identity, owning it. He wears 00:24:46.170 --> 00:24:48.710 his history and he carries his career and personal 00:24:48.710 --> 00:24:50.630 commitments literally on his hands, too, right? 00:24:50.789 --> 00:24:53.769 Yep. He has the M for Metallica and 81 for the 00:24:53.769 --> 00:24:55.569 year they formed tattooed on his right hand. 00:24:55.890 --> 00:24:58.589 On his left hand, he had an F for his ex -wife 00:24:58.589 --> 00:25:01.650 Francesca, which after their separation, he later 00:25:01.650 --> 00:25:03.990 had transformed into the. word forgiven. Wow, 00:25:04.170 --> 00:25:06.769 forgiven. That's quite a statement. It is. And 00:25:06.769 --> 00:25:08.809 reflecting his complex relationship with belief 00:25:08.809 --> 00:25:11.009 and recovery, he also has Christian symbols crosses, 00:25:11.309 --> 00:25:13.970 Jesus combined with the straight edge X symbol 00:25:13.970 --> 00:25:17.349 tattooed on his left wrist. So a literal juxtaposition 00:25:17.349 --> 00:25:20.109 of his upbringing and his journey through sobriety 00:25:20.109 --> 00:25:22.829 right there on his skin. Exactly. It's all laid 00:25:22.829 --> 00:25:25.140 out. Now, away from the whole metal landscape, 00:25:25.559 --> 00:25:28.380 Hetfield seems surprisingly grounded, almost 00:25:28.380 --> 00:25:31.140 diverse in his pursuits. He really does. The 00:25:31.140 --> 00:25:33.700 sources list hobbies that include hunting, farming, 00:25:33.859 --> 00:25:36.880 even beekeeping. Beekeeping. Yeah. And he's also 00:25:36.880 --> 00:25:39.019 deeply passionate about customizing cars and 00:25:39.019 --> 00:25:42.299 motorcycles. A real gearhead. And this passion 00:25:42.299 --> 00:25:44.960 for cars, it isn't just a rich guy's hobby, is 00:25:44.960 --> 00:25:47.200 it? There's more to it. Right. It seems connected 00:25:47.200 --> 00:25:51.039 to giving back, too. He sold his 1968 Chevrolet 00:25:51.039 --> 00:25:53.900 Camaro, the actual car featured in the I Disappear 00:25:53.900 --> 00:25:56.819 music video, and donated the entire proceeds 00:25:56.819 --> 00:25:59.119 to a Music for Schools program. That's fantastic. 00:25:59.420 --> 00:26:01.539 And he's a series collector and designer. His 00:26:01.539 --> 00:26:05.079 1936 Auburn Boattail Speedster, which he nicknamed 00:26:05.079 --> 00:26:08.019 Slow Burn, actually won the prestigious 2010 00:26:08.019 --> 00:26:10.599 Good Guys West Coast Custom of the Year Award. 00:26:10.779 --> 00:26:13.480 So it's a serious craft for him. Very cool. He's 00:26:13.480 --> 00:26:16.200 also maybe predicted. a massive sports fan. Oh, 00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:18.740 yeah. Follows of the Las Vegas Raiders, the San 00:26:18.740 --> 00:26:21.500 Francisco Giants and the San Jose Sharks. Stays 00:26:21.500 --> 00:26:24.099 connected to his roots there somewhat. OK, now 00:26:24.099 --> 00:26:26.680 let's turn to his philosophical outlook, which, 00:26:26.779 --> 00:26:29.779 as the sources note, has sometimes led to a bit 00:26:29.779 --> 00:26:32.150 of friction or controversy. Yeah. The sources 00:26:32.150 --> 00:26:35.269 consistently report his, let's say, disdain for 00:26:35.269 --> 00:26:37.630 politics generally, and especially for celebrities 00:26:37.630 --> 00:26:41.150 who soapbox their opinions, as he puts it. It 00:26:41.150 --> 00:26:43.970 reinforces that foundational Metallica ethos. 00:26:44.049 --> 00:26:46.029 Think for yourself. And this position was pretty 00:26:46.029 --> 00:26:47.990 evident during the Live Earth concert back in 00:26:47.990 --> 00:26:50.829 2007. It was. When he was asked about climate 00:26:50.829 --> 00:26:52.630 change and political involvement, he stated, 00:26:52.789 --> 00:26:54.809 and this is a direct quote, politics drive me 00:26:54.809 --> 00:26:57.150 crazy and I don't like talking politics. Politics 00:26:57.150 --> 00:26:59.509 get in the way of getting things done. So focus 00:26:59.509 --> 00:27:02.549 on action over talk. Seems to be. He expressed 00:27:02.549 --> 00:27:05.410 a strong, almost rugged individualist kind of 00:27:05.410 --> 00:27:07.930 faith in human resilience, adding, I really believe 00:27:07.930 --> 00:27:09.930 that humans will survive. I have a lot of faith 00:27:09.930 --> 00:27:12.529 in mankind that we will overcome and adapt. Okay. 00:27:12.769 --> 00:27:15.950 However, that desire to remain apolitical, it 00:27:15.950 --> 00:27:18.569 seems to have crashed headlong into real world 00:27:18.569 --> 00:27:21.769 political controversy at times. It has. And we 00:27:21.769 --> 00:27:23.849 need to impartially report the specifics here, 00:27:23.950 --> 00:27:26.609 particularly regarding the situation in 2008 00:27:26.609 --> 00:27:29.250 when it came out that Metallica's music was being 00:27:29.250 --> 00:27:31.930 used by the U .S. military in Iraq, apparently 00:27:31.930 --> 00:27:34.509 to torture prisoners during interrogations. Right. 00:27:34.650 --> 00:27:37.029 That was a huge story. And his response at the 00:27:37.029 --> 00:27:39.599 time was... Well, it was highly controversial. 00:27:39.859 --> 00:27:42.660 It was. He appeared somewhat unoffended by it, 00:27:42.680 --> 00:27:45.160 stating, if the Iraqis aren't used to freedom, 00:27:45.339 --> 00:27:47.779 then I'm glad to be part of their exposure. That 00:27:47.779 --> 00:27:49.880 quote caused a lot of backlash. Yeah, I remember 00:27:49.880 --> 00:27:52.279 that. He then sort of reaffirmed this perspective 00:27:52.279 --> 00:27:55.799 in 2017. He argued that while he loses control 00:27:55.799 --> 00:27:58.079 over the music once it's out there, he was, quote, 00:27:58.319 --> 00:28:00.480 honored my country is using something to help 00:28:00.480 --> 00:28:03.059 us stay safe if they are. So it highlights a 00:28:03.059 --> 00:28:05.720 real tension, doesn't it? His emphasis on personal 00:28:05.720 --> 00:28:08.099 freedom and control seems to clash dramatically 00:28:08.099 --> 00:28:10.339 with the actual political applications of his 00:28:10.339 --> 00:28:13.279 art in that instance. Exactly. And that controversy 00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:15.240 was significant enough that the British band 00:28:15.240 --> 00:28:17.980 Shimbawamba actually released a protest song 00:28:17.980 --> 00:28:20.819 specifically targeting him called Torturing James 00:28:20.819 --> 00:28:24.519 Hetfield. Wow. OK, so a complex figure navigating 00:28:24.519 --> 00:28:27.420 some very complex issues there. Definitely. All 00:28:27.420 --> 00:28:29.740 right. Finally, let's wrap things up by documenting. 00:28:30.619 --> 00:28:33.500 the extended discography, and the, well, the 00:28:33.500 --> 00:28:36.220 surprising breadth of his media presence, which 00:28:36.220 --> 00:28:38.539 really stretches far beyond the typical heavy 00:28:38.539 --> 00:28:41.140 metal scope. Yeah, the core legacy, obviously, 00:28:41.140 --> 00:28:44.500 is the Metallica discography. 11 studio albums, 00:28:44.599 --> 00:28:47.140 starting with The Raw Power of Kill Em All in 00:28:47.140 --> 00:28:51.680 1983, all the way up to 72 seasons in 2023. And 00:28:51.680 --> 00:28:54.140 that output has earned the band 10 Grammy Awards 00:28:54.140 --> 00:28:57.539 over four decades. An incredible run. Phenomenal 00:28:57.539 --> 00:29:00.670 consistency. But his non -metallical work, that's 00:29:00.670 --> 00:29:02.269 where we find some really surprising connections 00:29:02.269 --> 00:29:05.039 and maybe see a different side of him. He's appeared 00:29:05.039 --> 00:29:06.900 on stage with heroes and peers demonstrating 00:29:06.900 --> 00:29:09.259 his musical range. Like what kind of performances? 00:29:09.579 --> 00:29:11.680 Well, think about the sheer breadth of it. He 00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:14.339 sang Baby Hold On at the Eddie Money Tribute 00:29:14.339 --> 00:29:17.000 Concert in 2020. Kind of unexpected. Yeah. He 00:29:17.000 --> 00:29:19.160 sang Queen's Stone Cold Crazy at the Freddie 00:29:19.160 --> 00:29:21.940 Mercury Tribute Concert back in 92. He shared 00:29:21.940 --> 00:29:23.980 the stage there with the remaining members of 00:29:23.980 --> 00:29:26.759 Queen and Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath. Wow, that's 00:29:26.759 --> 00:29:28.619 heavy metal aristocracy right there, recognizing 00:29:28.619 --> 00:29:31.119 him as one of their own. Absolutely. And tapping 00:29:31.119 --> 00:29:33.680 into those Southern rock and outlaw country influences 00:29:33.680 --> 00:29:35.960 we talked about earlier. Right. The Aerosmith 00:29:35.960 --> 00:29:38.680 connection, the Sky Nerd single. He performed 00:29:38.680 --> 00:29:41.559 Waylon Jennings' song, Don't You Think This Outlaw 00:29:41.559 --> 00:29:44.500 Bits Done Got Out of Hand, live at an Outlaws 00:29:44.500 --> 00:29:47.180 concert in 2004. He'd previously recorded it 00:29:47.180 --> 00:29:49.740 for a tribute album, too. Cool. Showing his roots. 00:29:49.920 --> 00:29:52.920 Yeah. He also stepped in twice, actually, in 00:29:52.920 --> 00:29:56.359 2006 to sing the parts of the late Layne Staley 00:29:56.359 --> 00:29:59.920 for Alice in Chains on their song, Wood. showing 00:29:59.920 --> 00:30:02.180 respect for his grunge peers. That's a nice tribute. 00:30:02.400 --> 00:30:05.079 And even earlier in a more punk rock moment, 00:30:05.200 --> 00:30:07.779 he jumped on stage with the Misfits back in 2000 00:30:07.779 --> 00:30:11.420 and sang classics like Less Caress and Die, Die 00:30:11.420 --> 00:30:13.619 My Darling. So quote diverse live appearances. 00:30:13.700 --> 00:30:16.359 What about studio work outside Metallica? Also, 00:30:16.400 --> 00:30:18.599 some unexpected collaborations there. He provided 00:30:18.599 --> 00:30:21.200 backing vocals for Corrosion of Conformity on 00:30:21.200 --> 00:30:23.960 their track Man or Ash, and he contributed way 00:30:23.960 --> 00:30:26.680 back on Danzig's debut album on tracks like Twist 00:30:26.680 --> 00:30:29.319 of Cane and Possession. Okay, Danzig makes sense. 00:30:29.420 --> 00:30:31.779 Yeah, that fits. Even more recently, he delivered 00:30:31.779 --> 00:30:33.859 guest vocals on the heart song Beautiful Broken 00:30:33.859 --> 00:30:38.099 in 2016, Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson. Art, wow, 00:30:38.319 --> 00:30:40.660 okay. Yeah, and here's a phenomenal piece of 00:30:40.660 --> 00:30:43.079 trivia from the sources. Remember the aggressive 00:30:43.079 --> 00:30:46.919 track Hell Isn't Good from the South Park? Bigger, 00:30:46.919 --> 00:30:49.900 longer, and uncut movie soundtrack. Vaguely, 00:30:49.900 --> 00:30:52.160 yeah. Who sang that? Well, for years, it was 00:30:52.160 --> 00:30:54.460 widely believed to be South Park co -creator 00:30:54.460 --> 00:30:56.839 Trey Parker doing a Hetfield impression. But 00:30:56.839 --> 00:30:59.339 Hetfield himself admitted in 2000 that he actually 00:30:59.339 --> 00:31:01.660 sang the song. No way. It was really him. It 00:31:01.660 --> 00:31:03.880 was really him. Apparently, many listeners had 00:31:03.880 --> 00:31:06.160 already figured it out thanks to his unmistakable, 00:31:06.180 --> 00:31:09.299 quote, trademark growling style. That's amazing. 00:31:09.480 --> 00:31:11.779 Okay, what about acting? He's done some of that 00:31:11.779 --> 00:31:14.789 too, right? Beyond the documentaries. Surprisingly 00:31:14.789 --> 00:31:18.430 active. Yeah. He played himself briefly in the 00:31:18.430 --> 00:31:20.910 movie The Darlin' Awards, but he took on a proper 00:31:20.910 --> 00:31:24.190 supporting dramatic role as Bob Hayward, a Utah 00:31:24.190 --> 00:31:27.250 Highway Patrol officer in that 2019 Ted Bundy 00:31:27.250 --> 00:31:30.690 film, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. 00:31:30.809 --> 00:31:33.069 I remember hearing about that. How was he? pretty 00:31:33.069 --> 00:31:35.690 solid that apparently held his own and we're 00:31:35.690 --> 00:31:37.470 also expecting to see him in a role as simon 00:31:37.470 --> 00:31:39.349 deasy in a film called the thicket supposedly 00:31:39.349 --> 00:31:42.369 coming out in 2024 or soon after interesting 00:31:42.369 --> 00:31:46.450 and his voice work that seems quite prolific 00:31:46.450 --> 00:31:49.609 it really is almost cements his status in animated 00:31:49.609 --> 00:31:52.299 pop culture He voiced a character named Chino 00:31:52.299 --> 00:31:55.240 in Dave the Barbarian, appeared as himself, naturally, 00:31:55.420 --> 00:31:57.960 in Metalocalypse and The Simpsons. He voiced 00:31:57.960 --> 00:32:00.279 the character Wolfgang in the Skylanders Academy 00:32:00.279 --> 00:32:02.680 series. Skylanders, okay. And he even played 00:32:02.680 --> 00:32:04.779 a water polo coach in an episode of American 00:32:04.779 --> 00:32:07.880 Dad. Ha ha, amazing range. He's also narrated 00:32:07.880 --> 00:32:09.980 documentaries on subjects ranging from hunting 00:32:09.980 --> 00:32:13.400 a show called The Hunt to more serious social 00:32:13.400 --> 00:32:15.599 issues like the documentary Addicted to Porn. 00:32:15.680 --> 00:32:18.180 Okay, and finally, his inclusion in video games 00:32:18.180 --> 00:32:21.319 just confirms his... Cultural ubiquity. Totally. 00:32:21.539 --> 00:32:24.079 Appeared as a playable character in Tony Hawk's 00:32:24.079 --> 00:32:27.200 Pro Skater HD, and most recently, and maybe reaching 00:32:27.200 --> 00:32:30.019 a whole new generation, as cosmetic outfit, a 00:32:30.019 --> 00:32:32.420 skin in the massive game Fortnite. Fortnite. 00:32:32.480 --> 00:32:35.460 Wow. He really spans the entirety of modern media 00:32:35.460 --> 00:32:37.779 then. Pretty much inescapable. Seems like it. 00:32:37.880 --> 00:32:40.140 So what does this extensive deep dive really 00:32:40.140 --> 00:32:42.799 reveal about James Hetfield taking it all in? 00:32:43.119 --> 00:32:45.460 We see this profound duality, don't we? I think 00:32:45.460 --> 00:32:47.880 so. The massive, aggressive, often intimidating 00:32:47.880 --> 00:32:52.289 stage presence. It seems powered by this introspective, 00:32:52.289 --> 00:32:55.130 deeply controlled man underneath. His identity 00:32:55.130 --> 00:32:57.710 was clearly forged in that early tragedy, the 00:32:57.710 --> 00:33:00.250 Christian science upbringing, and channeled directly 00:33:00.250 --> 00:33:02.930 into a relentless pursuit of technical perfection. 00:33:03.670 --> 00:33:06.970 He took that trauma and turned it into the tight, 00:33:07.009 --> 00:33:09.609 uncompromising, questioning lyrics and riffs 00:33:09.609 --> 00:33:11.829 of thrash metal. And if we connect this to the 00:33:11.829 --> 00:33:13.849 bigger picture, maybe that relentless pursuit 00:33:13.849 --> 00:33:17.250 of self -improvement, of technical mastery, you 00:33:17.250 --> 00:33:19.089 know, the ritualistic vocal lessons with the 00:33:19.089 --> 00:33:20.769 cassette tape, the unconventional down picking 00:33:20.769 --> 00:33:23.029 grip, the heavy strings, that incredibly complex, 00:33:23.150 --> 00:33:26.349 redundant gear rig. Maybe that's just as fundamental 00:33:26.349 --> 00:33:29.349 to his legacy as any specific song he wrote. 00:33:29.490 --> 00:33:31.789 Right. It's the how as much as the what. Exactly. 00:33:31.950 --> 00:33:34.670 He took a life that started with, well, significant 00:33:34.670 --> 00:33:37.750 chaos and loss, and he turned it into this surgically 00:33:37.750 --> 00:33:40.529 precise, incredibly controlled art form. So for 00:33:40.529 --> 00:33:42.769 you, the listener, maybe this shows that true 00:33:42.769 --> 00:33:45.410 understanding of an artist often comes not just 00:33:45.410 --> 00:33:47.670 from admiring the finished product, the albums, 00:33:47.690 --> 00:33:50.410 the shows, but from recognizing the constraints 00:33:50.410 --> 00:33:52.730 they operated under, the personal challenges 00:33:52.730 --> 00:33:55.390 they faced, and the specific tools, physical 00:33:55.390 --> 00:33:57.589 and mental, they utilized to overcome those things 00:33:57.589 --> 00:34:00.630 and achieve their unique vision. Yeah, well said. 00:34:00.890 --> 00:34:03.630 And we noted earlier that James Hetfield's famous 00:34:03.630 --> 00:34:06.950 first single purchase was Lynyrd Skynyrd's Sweet 00:34:06.950 --> 00:34:09.329 Home Alabama. Right, the Southern Rock connection. 00:34:09.949 --> 00:34:11.849 Think about that for just a second. Southern 00:34:11.849 --> 00:34:14.809 rock, often characterized by its sprawling feel, 00:34:15.010 --> 00:34:19.269 sometimes rebellious, maybe outlaw roots, standing 00:34:19.269 --> 00:34:22.969 in such stark contrast to the super tight, aggressive, 00:34:23.210 --> 00:34:25.349 highly structured thrash sound you would go on 00:34:25.349 --> 00:34:27.329 to pioneer. Yeah, it's almost opposite in feel. 00:34:27.510 --> 00:34:29.550 It raises a provocative final thought for you 00:34:29.550 --> 00:34:32.900 to mull over. How much did that initial appreciation 00:34:32.900 --> 00:34:36.139 for the outlaw mentality, that rebellious spirit 00:34:36.139 --> 00:34:38.679 he found in Spiner, which he even paid direct 00:34:38.679 --> 00:34:40.440 tribute to later in his career, remember the 00:34:40.440 --> 00:34:43.199 Waylon Jennings cover? How much did that fuel 00:34:43.199 --> 00:34:46.619 his decision to so decisively reject his conservative, 00:34:46.800 --> 00:34:49.699 religious, rule -bound upbringing and instead 00:34:49.699 --> 00:34:52.260 forge an entirely new path defined by personal 00:34:52.260 --> 00:34:54.780 freedom, control, and that explosive, aggressive 00:34:54.780 --> 00:34:58.420 energy? That journey from the trauma of his youth 00:34:58.420 --> 00:35:00.659 to becoming the undisputed king of the riff. 00:35:01.079 --> 00:35:03.440 It really is an epic story. It truly is. Thank 00:35:03.440 --> 00:35:05.239 you for joining us for this deep dive. We will 00:35:05.239 --> 00:35:05.920 see you next time.