Kirk Hammett: ‘Music…it saved my life’


Saturday night before Metallica took the stage Baby Huey and Chasta sat down with guitarist Kirk Hammett to pick his brain about everything from burritos to bullies.

Metallica shows have always been big and loud but Baby Huey and Chasta want to know whats changed since the last time they played Outside Lands.

“[it’s] even better!” Kirk said. “We always get better!”

This year their show featured an impressive pyrotechnic and laser show toped with an incredible firework finale.

Kirk also talked about his horror movie poster collection show starting in Salem Massachusetts and the accompaniment he wrote to supplement the gallery. He showed great excitement to have the show start as he says he’s been working on the musical piece for the gallery, “every day since April.” The show will be the first of it’s kind and feature 150 of the very best of Kirk’s collection.

Kirk’s horror movie memorabilia is so important to him he’s not even sure if he treasures his instruments more. When asked if he had to choose one thing from a burning house what would he choose, Kirk responded:

“if I had five seconds to decide I’d probably grab that Mummy three sheet that my guitar is based on.” Kirk said. ” I just love that image, I’m transfixed with that image, and the size of it feels like it could just engulf me.”

Kirk also elaborated on a story he told on the recently released Green Day punk documentary Turn it Around: the Story of East-bay Punk. People claimed his story about being bullied in high school by a specific band of hooligans in a truck did not match their recollection. Kirk asserted his memory was accurate and went into even more detail about these Gravy Boys.

Metallica has been touring with Avenged Sevenfold, Gojira, and Mix Master Mike this year and Kirk is excited to say the least. When asked aobut how “bad-ass” the tour’s been Kirk said:

“It’s more than bad-ass its been in-f**cking-credible!”

Kirk then answered the ultimate question from Almost Famous: What do you love about music?

“It makes me feel good,” Kirk said. “I know that when I play my guitar…and someone happens to be watching me I can see that they’re feeling good too. It was one of the only things that I found that could calm me down as a kid. For me music basically saved my life. I was on a pretty bad path when I discovered music and music kept me from going farther down that path as a youth.”

 

Win!

Stay connected

 

Subscribe to The Bone's weekly eblast to get the latest on contests, events and exclusives from your favorite 107.7 personalities and artists.

Headlines

49ers thoughts as calendar turns

As the calendar turns to August, a new climb is underway in Santa Clara. Up off the mat come your 2024 San Francisco 49ers. Wounds, both physical and emotional, have healed and are healing. Opening kickoff is 40 days away, a six week crawl that may only be magnified by the perpetual mediocrity of the…

Listen to Soundwaves FM #118 – 5/18/24

Celebrating the Bay Area rock scene … past, present and future! Hosted by Dennis Willis. Originally broadcast on 107.7 The Bone on May 18, 2024 MUSICIANS – SUBMIT YOUR MUSIC HERE: https://www.1077thebone.com/soundwaves/ PLAYLIST: Destroy Boys – “Plucked” Earth Quake – “Everywhere I Go” Eric Martin Band – “Sucker for a Pretty Face” Swamphammer – “Voodoo…