Kirk Hammett of Metallica recently shared his worries and uncertainties regarding his bandmate, James Hetfield, in an exclusive interview with So What! magazine. The two band members have a deep connection, but Hammett still had doubts about Hetfield’s well-being at some point.
Throughout his career with Metallica, James Hetfield has battled with alcoholism, which has been well-documented in the film ‘Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster.’ His struggle with addiction inspired their song ‘Frantic,’ and his return to rehab in 2019 was concerning for the band’s fans.
During the interview, Hammett discussed his concerns about Hetfield, particularly in light of his bandmate’s return to rehab in 2019 and the subsequent COVID-19 pandemic. According to the guitarist, these events made him feel like they were back in the days of ‘Some Kind Of Monster,’ creating uncertainty about Metallica’s future.
Hammett revealed that he has always been protective of Hetfield and his well-being. He also admitted that Hetfield’s addiction had a significant impact on the band and their journey. When Hetfield went back to rehab, Hammett was naturally concerned about his friend and bandmate’s well-being. Hammett felt like he was in a dark place, not knowing what the future would hold for Metallica.
In the interview, Hammett expressed his admiration for Hetfield’s commitment to his sobriety and mental health. He acknowledged that Hetfield’s dedication to getting better has been instrumental in keeping the band together. Despite his worries, Hammett remained optimistic about the future of Metallica and the band’s music.
Kirk said:
“In all honesty, it felt like where we were at ‘Some Kind of Monster.‘ Because whenever someone experiences something that’s life-changing, life-moving, you have to just accept the fact that you don’t know what’s going to happen once the person returns.
”You don’t know how the process might change them. So, when James went off to rehab, and then COVID hit, I mean, that was a double whammy! And it looked like the future was very, very bleak.“
1 comment
Whenever a person returns to rehab they are back using in my experience and I know too much. Could James have been worried he could relapse so he preemptively returned. That’s an interesting story but the answer is relapse had to be the impetus. Metallica’s new album is great. I wasn’t always a fan. It’s great to discover music when a band has so much work to enjoy and discover.