With all members over 60 years old, guitarist commented on the possibility of the band coming to an end soon
Article published on March 23, 2025 at Rolling Stone. To read the original in English, click here.
The members of the Metallic They are all in their 60s, and their music is much more physically demanding than anything their classic rock predecessors have faced on stage – but the guitarist Kirk Hammett He says retirement is not close.
“As long as we have physical and mental health, I think we can keep playing,” he says in an interview with the podcast Rolling Stone Music Now To talk about the career, the next solo and the newly released album The Collection: Kirk Hammettbook that shows its immense collection of vintage guitars.
Sometimes I forget my age, because I don’t feel like I’m 62. I feel like I’m still in the thirties. I surf, ride a bike, run, path, make all kinds of physically insane things. And I can still do it all. I do yoga every day, measure every day. ”
The drummer Lars Ulrichmember with the most exhaustive work, “is also in great form,” continues Hammett.
As long as we are healthy, I think we can continue. Rob Trujillo No gray hair! I don’t know what it is – maybe playing this song, maybe just being in this band – is a source of youth to us. I have no plans to give up anything. This is my life. ”
In the full interview, Hammett explained how Black Album (1991) ended up fitting so well with the grunge explosion around its release: he discovered the scene early, and the riff of “ENTER SANDMAN” was directly inspired by Soundgarden of the early years.
“I remember receiving the first singles of the label Sub pop around 1987. I still have all those single records of the month – Nirvana, Mudhoney, Tad, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Green River. James [Hetfield, vocalista do Metallica] I also heard a lot of it. I knew something was happening. A few years later, I began to see guys with hairstyles that reminded me of the look of the guys of the sub pop in these singles. So all these albums started to leave, and then we were totally in the grunge era. ”
Kurt Cobainin particular, I loved the Metallic – When he watched a show, staying next to the stage, he asked the Hammett If they would play “Whiplash “ 1983. “Kurt He also told me that he loved ‘Ride the lightning’“, it says.
The authorship of the riff of “Enter Sandman” put Hammett It was clear, but fans have difficulty finding out who wrote what in many of the band’s other songs – Hammett It says online lists that indicate which riffs are of them are “always wrong.” “It’s literally a crowd of riffs and people trying to guess which one I wrote,” he adds. The album Death Magnetic (2008) is “crowded” Hammetthe says, while also declares the middle riff “The Thing That Should Not Be” As its favorite composition: “To this day, I still think it is one of the heaviest things we have ever done. And I’ve been trying to achieve this intensity ever since, trying to write a riff that has the same impact.”
Unlike the seemingly relentless world of the horror movie poster collection, Hammett He found a certain code of honor among guitar collectors over the years in which he set up the highlighted collection in his new book. He prefers to exchange guitars instead of buying them directly: “When you exchange, everyone is happy, man. When it involves money, there’s something empty in that,” he says.
A supercaller colleague, the virtuous of blues Joe Bonamassaeven warned Hammett about a black 1959 Les Paul Standard that the guitarist of the Metallic It pursued a decade ago. “I have to thank the Joe For this opportunity, for not bought, because he already has one, and just because he is really cool and call me first, ”says. As a gesture of thanks, Hammett Submitted Bonamassa a replica of your more valuable guitar, Greeny – Another Les Paul Standard of 1959, previously belonging to the original guitarist of the Fleetwood Mac, Peter Green.
Rolling Stone Music Now It is a weekly podcast of Rolling Stone presented by Brian Hiatt. You can check out interviews with names like Robert Plant, Liam Gallagher, Eddie van Halen and Snoop Dogg in the main podcast aggregators.
+++ Read more: Kirk Hammett prepares solo album and has 767 riffs ready for the next Metallica disc
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Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
