Metallica’s Kirk Hammett Speaks to Revolver
REVOLVER executive editor Brandon Geist has posted Part 2 in “the Best of the Rest” of his recent METALLICA interviews for REVOLVER‘S current cover story on band and their highly anticipated new album, Death Magnetic.
In this installment (the follow-up to last week’s interview with bassist Rob Trujillo), Brandon talks to lead guitarist Kirk Hammett about soloing on record again, becoming a dad, and why METALLICA are still the biggest metal band in the world. Below is an excerpt from the chat. Read the complete interview.
Are you guys shocked that you’re still the biggest metal band in the world?
I’m pretty shocked, yeah. I think about it a lot. I think, Will there ever be a band like us to follow in our footsteps? But then I think about it and I thought, Was there a band to follow in the footsteps of the Rolling Stones? Was there a band to follow in the footsteps of Led Zeppelin? So, maybe I’m just thinking the impossible. But there still needs to be a new modern band that has the impact, and they haven’t showed up yet. Or maybe they’re out there and I just haven’t heard them yet.
It seems like there’s been bands that seem like they have the potential-you know, Pantera, Lamb of God…
…Slipknot, Korn, yeah. But it just doesn’t happen for whatever reason. My brother-in-law came up to me and was like, “Are there any bands who are in their 20s that you guys are intimidated by?” And I thought about it long and hard and I’m like, “No.” I wish there was, you know. I wish there was because it would give us a nice challenge and motivate us to maybe step up to their plate, whatever their plate might be. It just hasn’t happened yet.
(+100 rating, 35 votes)
wow Hammett’s a dick. the answer to the last question is hilarious…especially when the reviewer says LoG and Pantera and Kirk’s reply is Korn and slipknot. lmao, what joke.
WOW what a fucking asshole –
I’m pretty shocked, yeah. I think about it a lot. I think, Will there ever be a band like us to follow in our footsteps? But then I think about it and I thought, Was there a band to follow in the footsteps of the Rolling Stones? Was there a band to follow in the footsteps of Led Zeppelin? So, maybe I’m just thinking the impossible.
Yeah, Kirk obviously hasn’t heard a lot of bands from the post nu-metal era.
I didn’t think it was possible but I just lost even more respect for Metallica.
I don’t think he has heard Every Time I Die.
Limp Bizkit’s chacalate starfish is still one of the best albums of all time.
I personally prefer Pyromania
Yeeeaaaaaaaa…….Every Time I Die is SSSSSOOOOOO huge.
At first I thought he was being cocky, but then I remembered he was in METALLICA, the biggest heavy metal band EVER.
Its not a perfect indicator, but heres some numbers. On last.fm:
Metallica: 1,048,042 Listeners
Pantera: 407,110 Listeners
Lamb of God: 213,850 Listeners
Oh shit, Metallica’s got em both beat. What dicks. :)
I thought to look up this one too:
Metallica: 1,048,042 Listeners
Black Sabbath: 605,162 Listeners
Recall, Black Sabbath invented heavy metal.
Led Zeppelin – 1,074,089 Listeners
BAM!
oh wait… we’re talking about current bands, aren’t we? oh well.
There are very few bands that have come out since 2000 that are even in the same league. If so you tell me who?
Black Sabbath=605,163 Listeners. I did not see my name on the list.
lol very few bands who have come out since 200 who are in the same league? i hope you mean how much money and fame, because talent-wise and musical integrity-wise there are probably a 100 bands that have emerged in the uprising of extreme music of the past decade who shit on metallica
meshuggah>metallica
anything>metallica
my dick>anything
“lol very few bands who have come out since 200 who are in the same league? i hope you mean how much money and fame, because talent-wise and musical integrity-wise there are probably a 100 bands that have emerged in the uprising of extreme music of the past decade who shit on metallica”
With all that you still didn’t name 1 band ?I agree ok not as famous and as much money, but change metal and innovate it like Metallica did in the early to mid 80’s?Masodon? LOG? Talented but cookie monster vocals suck. Look at all the iconic metal bands Priest, Maiden, Sabbath, Metallica, even Slayer at least had a distinct sound I agree Load, Reload, St. Anger crap, but what they did with the early albums was new and different. Every band today is trying to sound the same as the next. Which ones will be remembered in 20 years? Every Time I Die? Please!
Blind Guardian – and they were already around when Metallica still played metal
Heard the new Metallica tune on the radio last night, hammet has nothing to be cocky about, he couldnt wipe dime bags ass…. the new song is not good, lars is drumming like he doesnt give a sh*t and just wants his pay check, and the song is a mix of hero of the day, and something puddle of mud would put out. I was very dissapointed, but not really surprised.
Fuck Metallica and fuck you all who comment before me.
When will people stop listing popularity numbers to support talent arguments? YOU PEOPLE I’m talking to you. If you believe your own freaggin’ arguments, then you must also accept that:
- Black album is the “best” Metallica album (sold most units)
- All of the following albums are “better” than any Metallica album:
Whitney Houston The Bodyguard Soundtrack 1992
Bee Gees Saturday Night Fever 1977
Backstreet Boys Millennium 1999
Celine Dion Falling into You 1996
Mariah Carey Music Box 1993
Dirty Dancing Soundtrack 1987
Celine Dion Let’s Talk About Love 1997
Alanis Morissette Jagged Little Pill 1995
Bee Gees Spirits Having Flown 1979
Titanic Soundtrack 1997
Backstreet Boys Backstreet Boys 1997
Spice Girls Spice 1996
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_albums_worldwide)
Does anyone in their right mind think that, just because the Spice Girls album moved more units than any Metallica album, then that album is BETTER than any Metallica album?
… having gotten that out of the way …
Let’s respond to the “name one album” challenge. Here are several albums that – yes, sold fewer units than Metallica – but are far more relevant to extreme music today. Meaning, they “matter more” as piece of art than anything Metallica has put out *at least* since the Black album:
Pantera Vulgar Display Of Power
Dream Theater Images And Words
Neurosis (many albums)
Primus Pork Soda
Tool (many albums)
Carcass Heartwork
Kyuss Welcome To Sky Valley
Fear Factory Demanufacture
Sepultura Roots
In Flames Colony
My Dying Bride The Light At The End Of The World
Lamb of God New American Gospel
Converge Jane Doe
Opeth Blackwater Park
Isis Oceanic
Emperor Prometheus The Discipline Of Fire
Virgin Black Elegant and Dying
Mastodon Leviathan
Nevermore Godless Endeavor
Agalloch Ashes Against The Grain
fuck metallica
LOG owns them now.
Metallica=has beens
the new record sucks!
wondering how many tears trivium will cry when they realize kirk hammett doesnt think theyre gonna be the next big band haha
Does everybody here not understand that it was probably taken out of context like every liberal media fucking retarded interview?
why was there no mention of Megadeth? just wondering… I mean Mustaine still puts out some of the wickedest riffs, better then Metallica has put out for years!
1M listeners on last.fm? How many of those are listening to the new album, vs how many are listening to the first 3 albums? Didn’t think so either.
Personally, last metallica album I bought was Justice, everything they came up with from there on was just mediocre at best. Ok maybe 2 kickass songs per album, if that, rest is just there to fill out the CD.
They were young, angry, hungry and gave it their best, and they rocked.
Then they became old, content, rich and lazy, and couldn’t give rats ass anymore. It’s their right to do that, but its also my right to ignore any post-justice album they made.