Historical Figure
James Hetfield
b. 1963
American musician (born 1963)
Hear Their Voice
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"Cliff Burton and James Hetfield Final Interview 1986" — 1986
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Biography
James Alan Hetfield is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, co-founder, and a primary songwriter of heavy metal band Metallica. He is mainly known for his raspy voice and intricate rhythm playing, but occasionally performs lead guitar duties and solos both live and in studio. Hetfield co-founded Metallica in October 1981 after answering an advertisement by drummer Lars Ulrich in the Los Angeles newspaper The Recycler. Metallica has won 10 Grammy Awards and released 11 studio albums, three live albums, four extended plays, and 24 singles. Hetfield is often regarded as one of the greatest rhythm guitar players of all time.
Timeline
The story of James Hetfield, told in moments.
Founds Metallica with Danish drummer Lars Ulrich after answering a newspaper ad in the LA Recycler. They recruit Dave Mustaine on guitar and Ron McGovney on bass. The band plays its first show to a handful of people.
Master of Puppets is released. Many consider it the greatest thrash metal album ever made. Three months later, the band's tour bus flips in Sweden. Bassist Cliff Burton is thrown from his bunk and crushed. He's 24.
The Black Album drops. "Enter Sandman," "Nothing Else Matters," "The Unforgiven." It sells 16 million copies in the U.S. alone. Old fans say Metallica sold out. New fans outnumber them 10 to 1.
Enters rehab for alcoholism, putting Metallica on hold for a year. The process is documented in the film Some Kind of Monster, which also captures the band's near-breakup during therapy sessions with a $40,000-a-month performance coach.
In Their Own Words (8)
All the drinking and all the other junk that I was stuck in... It was so predictable. So boring. I wake up the next day - somewhere, in some bed, I don't know who this person is next to me... and I'm drunk, competely hung over and have a show to do. The result is the same... When life now is pretty... exciting. You don't know what's gonna happen.
Some Kind of Monster, 2003 - Talking about his addictions and big changes., 2003
Lars would talk his way into their pants. Kirk had a babyface that was appealing to the girls. And Cliff; he had a big dick. Word got around about that, I guess.
Playboy April 2001., 2001
Everybody is born good and everybody has got the same size soul. We're here to connect with that.
at St Quentin during the videoshoot for St Anger
It had to be something real bad. I think he stole music online.
Asked what the narrator in "Ride The Lightning" did to earn the death penalty
If I hadn't have had music in my life, it's quite possible I could be in here. Or nor even in here, be dead — and I'd much rather be alive.
at St Quentin, during the videoshoot for St Anger
Artifacts (15)
Biographical sketches of distinguished Jerseymen (IA biographicalsket01arno)
Arnold, Samuel George, 1806-1891, ed
Biographical sketches of distinguished Jerseymen (IA biographicalsket02arno)
Arnold, Samuel George, 1806-1891, ed
John Adams Library (IA stimpsonsbostond3132adam)
Adams, Charles Francis, 1807-1886, former owner. BRL Boston Public Library) John Adams Library BRL
California Digital Library (IA modernjurytrials00donoiala)
Donovan, Joseph Wesley, 1847-
Cornell University Library digitization (IA cu31924024523346)
Donovan, Joseph Wesley, 1847-
Official register of the United States .. (IA officialregister27united)
United States. Civil service commission. [from old catalog] United States. Bureau of the census. [from old catalog]
The city of Elizabeth, New Jersey, illustrated - showing its leading characteristics ... (IA cu31924028828809)
Thanks for message. Everything comes to him who knows how to wait. Pauli.
Frederick Reines and Clyde Cowan, two and a half years before Pauli's death. On receiving the news, he replied by telegram: "Thanks for message. Everything comes to him who knows how to wait....
only comparable to Einstein himself... perhaps even greater
chology, particularly his collaboration with C. G. Jung on synchronicity. Max Born considered Pauli "only comparable to Einstein himself... perhaps even greater". Einstein declared Pauli his...
Well, I'd say that also our friend Dirac has got a religion and the first comman...
ad kept silent, after some initial remarks. But when finally he was asked for his opinion, jokingly he said: "Well, I'd say that also our friend Dirac has got a religion and the first commandment of...
I think I like your Encyclopedia article [on relativity theory] better than I li...
as familiar with Pauli's papers and quite impressed with them. After a few minutes of conversation, Ehrenfest remarked, "I think I like your Encyclopedia article [on relativity theory] better than I...
I cannot understand why we idle discussing religion. If we are honest – and as s...
appreciated for its lucidity by Bohr, when Heisenberg reported it to him later. Among other things, Dirac said: "I cannot understand why we idle discussing religion. If we are honest – and as...
it is just as difficult to find the branch of modern physics in which the Pauli ...
ght, though ultimately the field theory was proved untenable, validating Pauli's criticisms. George Gamow wrote that "it is just as difficult to find the branch of modern physics in which the Pauli...
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