James Hetfield Education. Metallica line-up

James Alan Hetfield, genus. August 3, 1963, Los Angeles, California (USA) - guitarist, one of the founders and permanent leader groups Metallica.

For James Hetfield Metallica became something of a refuge. His image of a lone wolf sipping beer - a kind of hardened criminal - has always been deceptive. In fact, those who have long known James, claim that he is a very vulnerable and impressionable person who has never been immune to criticism.

Family

Father James, Virgil Virgil) is a bus driver who left his family when James it was 13.

“It was very frustrating for me as a child not to know what was going on,” he says. James about parental separation. - It was kind of hidden. This is a big defect in my character, which has remained to this day - it always seems to me that everyone is hiding something from me. Father left, and for many months we did not suspect that he was not going to return. Mom said that he was on a business trip, and in the end she told the truth. I had a fear that I remained the main man in the house, not knowing how and what to do. There was a feeling that I had not learned enough from my father, that he was not with me when I needed him, and it all piled up. Strong hatred for him. He didn't even say goodbye. I have no idea what happened between them. Maybe it was something absolutely terrible, when he was supposed to just disappear and that's it. But they were both very religious, and for me, that was contrary to all these things about divorce. To be abandoned. I had problems with this. Then, 3 years later, my mother died. I attribute it to this whole swirl of issues regarding divorce. It was very painful".

His mother, Cynthia Cyntia) (Opera singer), together with his father James was a follower of Christian Science, and according to Hatfield a significant part of his life in his youth was associated with Christianity.

“I had faith and religion imposed on me when I was still a child,” says James. - My parents raised me not believing in medicine and doctors. Every religion has its great aspects, but the child is not yet able to embrace them. ... It was one of those religions that you begin to understand with age, when you already have the experience of communicating with doctors. IN in general terms consciousness prevailed over matter.
As a child, all this religiosity annoyed me very much. After all, I could not attend physical education classes, anatomy and all these recreational activities. You know, in primary school I really want to be everywhere with my friends... They get anatomy textbooks, but for some reason you can't learn anything about the structure of a person, because "the body is just a shell of the soul." You can't go to the doctor because God will heal all your sickness. I had to get up and leave the classroom, and a whisper passed through the rows ... “Why are you leaving the lesson?” And I went into all these explanations about religion. And when you are only seven years old, you don’t want to talk about such things at all. When you play football, and at the same time you are deprived of the feeling of your own physicality ... It did not help to feel like a part of the Universe. No matter how stupid it may sound. But no".

According to their beliefs, parents Hatfield disapproved of medicine and any kind of medical intervention, and remained true to their faith even when Cynthia was dying of cancer ( James I was 16 at the time).

The death of the mother and the complex relationship to religion later became the main themes of many of the band's songs. Metallica. Songs - " Mama Said», « Dyers Eve" And " The God That Failed" about Hatfield's parents, and " Until it Sleeps- about cancer.

Musical career

play music James started playing piano at age 9, then played his brother's drums, and finally moved on to guitar.

“My mother took me to piano lessons because we lived at a friend’s house. - tells James. - I started playing the piano, and my mother thought that I would become a virtuoso [Laughs]. Three years of piano lessons at home elderly woman where it smelled awful. I figured out pretty quickly what it was. excellent tool communication. I liked being alone. I liked the opportunity to withdraw from the world. The music helped a lot. I put on my headphones and just listened to the music. Music spoke with my voice and became a link on many levels. It was very natural that I wanted to express myself in this way. Everything revolved around Kiss and Aerosmith. It was the first concert I attended - Aerosmith and AC/DC at the Long Beach Arena (July 12, 1978). I also liked Ted Nugent, Alice Cooper. Many of the more spicy hard rock, which at that time was American.

His first band was the amateur band "Obsession". The band consisted of the Veloz brothers on bass and drums, and Jim Arnold on guitar. Ron McGovney and Dave Marrs sat in the attic of the Veloz garage, fiddling with the lighting controls. The band played famous compositions bands like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. After the collapse of Obsession Marrs, hatfield and McGovney continued to play together. After moving to La Brea, James enrolled at Brea Olinda School and met drummer Jim Mulligan. Soon Hugh Tanner appeared, and with him they created Phantom Lord. With Hugh on lead guitar and Jim on drums James sang and played rhythm guitar. The band changed several bassists until the moment when James graduated from high school and moved back to Downey. Downey James moved into a house owned by Ron McGovney's parents, which had to be demolished due to expressway expansion. This house was the perfect place for James and Ron to get together and listen and play music. James persuaded Ron to play the bass guitar and even promised to teach him. Third group James, Leather Charm, was made up of former Phantom Lord members. Except James and Ron, it included Hugh Tanner and Jim Mulligan. The Leather Charm group was more successful. She played her songs and covers like Quiet Riot Slick Black Cadillac And Remember Tomorrow Iron Maiden. The band managed to play a few gigs and recorded demos, but began to fall apart. Tanner was the first to leave the band and was replaced by Troy James. Then Mulligan left for another, more progressive group. Ultimately, Leather Charm fell apart.

Metallica

The most important event in life James was a meeting with a native of Denmark, a drummer Lars Ulrich. Together, in 1981 they founded the band Metallica.

“We answered his ad in the newspaper, met him in some small warehouse somewhere, he installed his drum set, and he did not play very well, but he had motivation, knowledge. - tells James. - He had the same drive and the same aspirations as I do. Aside from the fact that his playing wasn't very good at the time, he had all sorts of smells [Laughs]. The unfortunate thing about being European is that they don't make soap there and nobody ever bathes. Visiting his house is definitely a different feeling. Very friendly, very open. My house was very elite, very closed if you were not a follower of our religion… We didn't have many guests at home. Lars' house was the exact opposite. Very hippie, come on in style. I wouldn't say he was spoiled, but being only child in the family, he had many records. I went in and couldn't believe it. I had my little set, and he had an entire bedroom wall filled with all sorts of things. He could just go to a music store and say, "I want to hear what these guys are." I couldn't afford it. But man, I would come and copy everything I could from him.”

Lars stole the name from one Ron Quintan, who was about to launch a magazine for metal music fans. Quintan had several names, but he could not stop at one, so he asked his friend Larsa help choose. After Ulrich heard the word Metallica, he quickly suggested a different title for the magazine, but here Metallica left for myself.

If Lars Ulrich took full responsibility for organizational matters, That hatfield has always been the creative heart of the team. James admits that he understood that endless business meetings were not for him: “I fell asleep on one of them. I kept waking up and saying, “Damn, what are we talking about? I already forgot." A Lars like it. This is his life - the group, its business aspect and so on. He calls managers hourly. Lars I like to mess around with all this, well, I'm interested in the sales volume and the recording process. I'm heading into it."

“We have always categorically avoided the use of metal clichés - all this sexism and satanic shit - and, as a result, all the prominent journalists appreciated it,” says Lars Ulrich.

James comes up with lyrics for the group. The pinnacle of the group's creativity has always been called " black album» 1991. James I put a lot of my personal experiences into it. "It's pretty easy to write songs like the ones on And Justice For All," says the musician. - It's very simple: you watch a news program and write about what you see. And to convey what is happening in the soul is much more difficult than writing about politics. But once you've spilled it all out, it's easy to give authority to everything, especially at concerts. There is nothing better than writing the words to a great song and taking it to the next level. This brings great satisfaction. I don’t know, probably, this pride is akin to maternal: “Look at this baby.”
I'm not one of those guys that sit and read novels or poetry, I don't compose elegant sonnets. The only way is to listen to what is inside and what would affect everyone. Need to write about own feelings and, in lesser degree about the world around. This is the correct method."

One evening James chatted on the phone and at the same time played something on the acoustic guitar. Strumming the bass strings, he caught the melody and, realizing this, immediately hung up the phone: “I did not at all intend to compose this song for Metallica. This was my own song. I didn't think they would like it. I just wrote it for myself."

The melody was called Nothing Else Matters. “It was impossible to impose any framework on this song,” says Lars Ulrich. “And when later we were offered to play it with a symphony orchestra, I did not object.” “I was a little embarrassed,” says James. - I didn't know how it's done. I didn’t even know how to record such melodies!”

Nothing Else Matters helped the group Metallica transcend all the boundaries invented by themselves, the press and the public. They proved that heavy, powerful music can be different. They brought amazing dynamics to their songs and were able to transcend the genre.

Metallica rendered big influence on the development of metal and is included (along with such bands as Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax) in "thrash metal big four". Albums Metallica have sold a total of over 100 million copies worldwide, making them the most commercially successful metal act.

The bassist delivered the opening speech at the ceremony Red bands Hot Chilli Peppers Flea. Numerous friends of the group were invited to the ceremony.

The team performed five of them - a former bassist joined the group Metallica Jason Newsted. The group performed the songs " Master of Puppets" And " Enter Sandman", and also made a jam by performing the song " Train Kept A Rollin"" with Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Joe Perry, Ronnie Wood and Flea.

One of the conditions for getting into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame- must be at least 25 years from the release of the first album. The group's first album Kill 'em all came out in 1983.

Studio albums

Kill 'em All (1983)

Ride the Lightning (1984)

Master of Puppets (1986)

...And Justice for All (1988)

Metallica (1991)

Load (1996)

Reload (1997)

St. Anger (2003)

Death Magnetic (2008)

Accidents

James Hatfield famous for the accidents that happened to him during performances Metallica. Perhaps the most famous is the case at a joint concert with Guns N "Roses in 1992 at the Montreal Olympic Stadium. During the performance of the song "Fade to Black", hatfield passed over the pyrotechnic equipment at the moment when it worked. This led to James suffered second- and third-degree burns to his left hand and face, and was forced to give up playing the guitar. Instead of a rhythm guitarist, John Marshal from Metal Church was invited for the duration of the tour. Before the next concert, the pyrotechnicians informed the band that new special effects would be used during the performance of "Fade to Black": there would be fireworks around the edges of the stage. However, the pyrotechnicians forgot to warn that the old special effects will also remain. Rest assured that history will not repeat itself James stood next to the old pyrotechnics and a 12-foot-high sheaf of flame burned him on the left side.

But Hatfield no one cares about it: “The burden that I have taken on myself is something like this: I am the leader of this group on stage and I can play a concert sober, with pure mind, I can play a gig without thinking in my head that after the final song I'll go get drunk or go to a strip club. I asked myself a lot of questions, asked myself if I could live without it. I went on stage, looked around, looked at the audience and realized that the pleasure of performing fills everything, and I just don’t need something else. But there was also something else. I used to cover goose bumps on stage from fear, when everyone smiled and had fun. I mean on stage I was really happy and expressed it in different ways, it was something! They told me: “Stop smiling and laughing, you look like a child who is on stage for the first time.” And I was a child, a real one. It's just super - to smile and show everyone how happy you are. Now I was truly free on stage. I told the crowd what I felt at the moment, even if it was terrible, like: “I felt bad all day today, but I got on stage, I’m standing here, I’m getting better.”

Rehabilitation from alcoholism

During the recording of the album St. Anger» James Hatfield decided to shorten his participation in the recording in order to go to rehab for alcoholism. Eleven months later, he returned to the studio to complete the disc. James appeared in public in 2003 when Metallica was nominated as "MTV Icon" of the year.

Some Kind of Monster (2004)

Renowned documentary filmmaker Joe Berlinger presented family portrait groups Metallica in the interior - the portrait is painfully frank, and sometimes shocking. This amazing film was shot in the most difficult period the history of the band during the recording of the album" St.Anger", which received the Grammy Award. The guitarist of the original composition also appears in the picture Dave Maystein, And Jason Newsted, who left the band in 2001, and, of course, a new bassist Robert Trujillo!

Personal life

In free time James enjoys hunting, collecting rare guitars, skateboarding, snowboarding, water skiing, garage work, watching his favorite Oakland Raiders play, and attending hot rod races.

James I like the music of such artists as Black Sabbath, Motorhead, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Thin Lizzy, Tom Waits, Nick Cave and Ted Nugent. Now he also listens to Rocket From the Crypt, Gov "t Mule, Corrosion Of Conformity.

And although James Hatfield tirelessly repeats that he is married to Metallica, in fact, he also has a real wife - Francesca Tomasi (Eng. Francesca Tomasi).

Their first daughter was born on June 13, 1998, they named her Kaley Tee Hatfield (Eng. Cali). Attention to the first child in the family Metallica from the press it was so great that the happy father retired with an equally happy wife and daughter, and then he had to act as a family press attache Lars Ulrich. May 18, 2000 Francesca gave birth to a boy - Castor Virgil (eng. castor), and on January 17, 2002 - daughter Marcella Francesca (Eng. Marcella). hatfield married Francesca on August 17, 1997.

“Every single day I tell my wife and children that I love them, but I still want to hug them, kiss them. I hope, I believe that this is love, says James. - I like to walk children to school, talk to their teachers, meet their friends, pick them up from school. I love it when they run to meet me and shout: “Daddy, we had this and that today.” But not everything is so simple, we are not always comfortable together. I'm just ashamed to think that I'm not comfortable with my family in society, but all because of my lifestyle. It's hard for me to come to terms with the fact that my wife is leaving for the weekend to relax with friends. I am left alone with the children and immediately the question is: “What should I do?” We're going somewhere far away to eat ice cream because I don't want to date anyone and waste my kids' time on strangers. I really really want to be good father I try to do everything for my children. I constantly think about what good I can do for my children and simply cannot imagine my life without them.

Somehow my wife Francesca was sick and lay at home, and I sat and looked after her and the children, and it was great. And when I'm on the road, I really miss them. For me, the time that I spend with them is very important, because I love them very much. But I still split into two parts - one of them wants to perform on stage, and the other wants to play in the garden with the children.

World Magnetic Tour

Death Magnetic is the ninth studio album by Metallica, released on September 10, 2008 in the United Kingdom by Vertigo, with a worldwide release on September 12. The album was the first of its kind in the history of the group, when each of its members participated in songwriting or created their own. Also exactly in Death Magnetic first time after ...And Justice for All, an instrumental was included.

Death Magnetic debuted at number one on the charts in multiple countries, including Australia, Canada and Mexico, as well as on the European Albums Chart. The record sold 490,000 copies in the US. Besides, Metallica became the first group to release five consecutive No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200.

A week after release, Death Magnetic held the top spot on the Billboard 200, the European album chart, and also became the fastest selling album in Australia in 2008. Even after three weeks Death Magnetic still topped the Billboard 200 chart. In 2008, only Metallica and Jack Johnson. And on the Billboard charts hard rock”, “Modern Rock/Alternative” and “Rock” album remained at number one for five consecutive weeks.

Total Death Magnetic occupied the first lines of the charts in 32 countries of the world.

Due to the success of the ninth album Metallica, MTV Europe nominated the group for their Music Award Awards in the "Rock Out" and "Headliner" categories, and MTV Latin America invited musicians to perform at their Music Awards. Metallica played the song "The Day That Never Comes".

October 21, 2008 the team went on tour World Magnetic Tour. In the lucky list: Peru, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Caracas, Puerto Rico, Norway, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Russia (April 24-25, 2010), Hungary, Croatia, Portugal, France, Poland, Switzerland and the Czech Republic.

...

“Whether I roam the devil knows where, whether I hunt - I always think about Metallica, - speaks James Hatfield. - I think even if I don't want to. And that is great. You are part of the family, and it means a lot to you, there is no getting away from it. Metallica takes a lot of time, and there is almost no time left for something personal, for some other life - it is very difficult to have your own house and somehow arrange life. And so sometimes you just get torn apart. But we are family."

James Hetfield is a musician who has become a real legend in his genre. His songs are known in all corners of our planet, and his performances invariably cause a huge sensation in every city. In a word - our today's hero is a real legend. It is for this reason that talking about his life and fate is so interesting. Where did the life and creative way James Hetfield? What stages in his work should be called the most important? We will tell about all this in detail later in our short story dedicated to the life and work of the great musician.

Early years, the childhood of musician James Hetfield

The future leader of Metallica was born in a small town called Downey (California). In this place he spent his childhood and youth. However, it is very, very difficult to call the early years in the life of a great musician a carefree time.

The thing is that James Hetfield's father - Virgil - left the family when our today's hero was only thirteen years old. From that moment on, constant problems began in the life of their small family. The musician's mother, opera singer Cynthia Hatfield, constantly disappeared at performances and rehearsals, however, despite this, there was still not enough money. Because of this, their family often moved from one house to another, but this did not always help to cope with the pressing financial difficulties.

Eventually, disillusioned with life, Cynthia Hatfield turned to religion and became a follower of Mary Baker Eddy's Christian Science movement. From that moment on, strange Christian teaching became an integral part of the life of the young musician and his family. James often attended church with his mother, and at the insistence of the local clergy, he honestly refused any medication. It is worth noting that Christian Science completely denied any medical intervention as such. That is why, when cancer was discovered in the mother of the future leader of Metallica, she fundamentally refused any treatment.

Because of this, at the age of sixteen, James Hetfield lost his mother. Subsequently, an ambiguous attitude towards religion became the basis for many of the artist's songs. As for creativity, our today's hero began to study music at the age of nine. At this age, he began to master the piano, and a few years later he also began to play the piano. drum kit his older brother.

For the first time, James began performing with a semi-amateur musical group back in adolescence. During this period, he gathered a group of like-minded people around him, with whom he formed the Obsession musical group. In this group such well-known musicians as Ron McGovney and Dave Marrs played later. However, even despite this, the first project of James Hetfield did not last long.

Funny moments with Metallica. Part 3

After the collapse of the group, our today's hero entered the Brea Olinda High School, where he studied for several years. During these years, he met several other young musicians, with whom he formed the Phantom Lord band. It is worth noting that the second Hatfield group also did not last long.

Despite this, some musicians from the former project continued to perform with James even after the project's breakup. So, some time later, in the town of Downey, the third group of our today's hero appeared - "Leather Charm". The composition of this team included some of the former members of both of the two Hatfield groups.

Together with "Leather Charm" the musician performed for several years. During this time, he managed to find many new friends, as well as gain some experience in stage performances. At some point, it even seemed to James that he had achieved everything he wanted, but this was just the beginning of his career...

Metallica and the highlights of the later career of James Hetfield

In 1981, James Hetfield's longtime friend Hugh Tanner introduced him to another talented musician- Dane Lars Ulrich. At that time, the Leather Charm group actually ceased to exist and our today's hero began to search for new members for a new team. One of those was Lars Ulrich. The talented drummer brought a lot of new things to the band's style and repertoire. James and Lars became best friends and very soon formed a band called Metallica.

Interview with James Hetfield from Fatherless.

In 1983, the group signed several lucrative contracts and successfully released their debut album Kill 'em All, which instantly became very popular. North America. And very soon, James Hetfield became one of the most popular musicians in the United States.

The group's fame was strengthened by the following albums "Ride the Lightning", "Master of Puppets", "... And Justice for All" and some others. Thus, in just a few years, Metallica has acquired the status of a cult band. The concerts of the group gathered thousands of people, the albums and collections of the group were sold in millions of copies. In the nineties, the group began performing outside the United States, literally blowing up stadiums in Canada, Australia, Great Britain and some other European countries.

It was only in the 2000s that interest in the group began to slowly fade away. Having established itself as a kind of symbol of the entire global rock industry, Metallica began to perform less often and record new compositions less often.

In 2003, the group released the album St. Anger", which became the first in six years. During the recording of the record, James was actively treated for alcoholism, and also tried to change his lifestyle somewhat. Ultimately, he succeeded. But it didn't work right away. In the mid-2000s, Metallica began to tour extensively again. During this period, the band's concerts were also held in some countries of Eastern Europe. In 2008, James Hetfield's band recorded the album "Death Magnetic", which is currently the last record of the legendary musical group.

Personal life of James Hetfield

In August 1997, our today's hero married a girl named Francesca Tomasi. IN this marriage three children were born, who received the names of Cale, Castor and Marcela.

After successfully completing a course of treatment for alcoholism, James began to actively get involved in skateboarding, water skiing, and other sports.

James Alan Hatfield was born on August 3, 1963 in California. He is the rhythm guitarist and vocalist for the thrash metal band Metallica. Hatfield was a founding member in October 1981. At the time, drummer Lars Ulrich placed an ad in a newspaper in Los Angeles looking for musicians for the band. IN musically The band's work has been influenced by such well-known metal bands as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and others. Since then, Metallica has received eight Grammy awards and released ten studio albums, three live albums, four EPs, 24 music videos and 45 singles. In 2009, Hetfield was ranked 8th in Joel McIver's book The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists.

As for his guitars and equipment, James started out with a relatively cheap copy of the Gibson Flying V he used on Metallica's debut Kill 'em All, but soon replaced it with a pair of white 1984 Gibson Explorers that served him well on the following recordings. Since the late 1980s, he has used 2-pickup-equipped EMG 81/60s very frequently, which eventually led to James' own pickups being called "Het", released in 2009. Hatfield's early guitar sound The creativity was the result of using a Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ as a preamp, driven by a 100W Marshall JCM800 for overdrive, while using a Roland JC120 for clean sound.

James Hetfield guitars

1969 Gibson SG Standard

James bought this guitar from his school friend who played with him in the school jazz band. Hatfield used this guitar to write his first songs and to play in his first bands. What happened to this instrument after the creation of Metallica is unfortunately unknown, as by that time James had already started using other guitars.

This electric guitar was purchased in 1980 for $200. Hetfield used it on Metallica's first album Kill 'em All and continued to play it until 1984 when it was damaged during a concert. At that moment, the guitar was equipped with two Seymour Duncan Invader humbuckers and a Tune-o-Matic bridge.

Shortly before recording the album "Death Magnetic" in 2008, James decided to restore this guitar. It replaced some parts, including the pickups, which were replaced by the EMG 81/60 kit.

This guitar was used by James on the Master of Puppets album in 1985 and on the tour that followed. In mid-1985, the production of this copy of the King V was completed. Initially, the instrument was equipped with a Tune-o-Matic bridge, Seymour Duncan Invader pickups and had a white color. In 1987, James removed the original pickups and replaced them with EMG 81/60s.

One of James Hetfield's acoustic guitars. Used for the studio recording of the song "Mama Said" and some live performances.

ESP's first Hatfield guitar. He bought it just before the recording of the album "... And Justice For All" and used it as the main instrument for recording.

1973 Gibson Les Paul Custom

One of James' main guitars from the St. Anger. It was used both during the recording sessions in the studio and on the tour that followed the release of the album. The Les Paul Custom was released in 1973. guitar has distinctive features in the form of an image of a Maltese cross behind the bridge and a golden stripe above the pickups.

ESP/LTD Snakebyte

Snakebyte guitar model that James uses in Lately. She plays the role of the main guitar in concerts. The body and neck of the guitar are made of mahogany, while the fretboard is made of ebony.

, Guitarist , Songwriter

James Alan Hatfield(English) James Alan Hetfield; genus. August 3, 1963), Downey, California USA) is the vocalist, rhythm guitarist and longtime leader of the American metal band Metallica. Since 2011, he has been ranked 87th in the list of the greatest guitarists of all time according to the magazine. Rolling stone. He has his own way of holding the plectrum with three fingers. He also has a strong, memorable voice and communication with the public.

James' father, Virgil Virgil, mind. in 1996), a bus driver who left the family when James was 13, and his mother, Cynthia (b. Cyntia), an opera singer, were followers of Mary Baker Eddy's Christian Science religious movement and, according to James, much of his early life was associated with Christianity.

In keeping with their beliefs, Hatfield's parents disapproved of medicine and any form of medical intervention, and did not back down from their faith even when Cynthia was dying of cancer (James was 16 at the time). As James himself said, at first there were no problems at school, but when they talked about medicine, he left such lessons. He began to move away from everyone when he noticed the negotiations behind him.

The death of his mother and the complex relationship to religion later became the main themes of many songs by Metallica ("Mama Said", "Dyers Eve" and "The God That Failed" are about Hatfield's parents, and "Until It Sleeps" is about cancer).

Musical career

James began to play music at the age of 9 on the piano, then played the drums of his brother Dave, and finally switched to the guitar. His first band was the amateur band "Obsession". The band consisted of the Veloz brothers on bass and drums, and Jim Arnold on guitar. Ron McGovney and Dave Marrs sat in the attic of the Veloz garage, fiddling with the lighting controls. The band played famous songs from such bands as Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. After Obsession broke up, Marrs, Hatfield and McGovney continued to play together.

After moving to La Brea, James enrolled at Brea Olinda School and met drummer Jim Mulligan. Soon Hugh Tanner appeared, and with him they created Phantom Lord. With Hugh on lead guitar and Jim on drums, James sang and played rhythm guitar. The band went through several bassists before James graduated from high school and moved back to Downey.

In Downey, James moved into a house owned by the parents of Ron McGovney, which had to be demolished due to the expansion of the expressway. This house was the perfect place for James and Ron to get together and listen and play music. James persuaded Ron to play the bass guitar and even promised to teach him.

James's third band, Leather Charm, consisted of former Phantom Lord members. In addition to James and Ron, it included Hugh Tanner and Jim Mulligan. The Leather Charm group was more successful. She played her songs and covers like Quiet Riot Slick Black Cadillac And Remember Tomorrow Iron Maiden. The band managed to play a few gigs and recorded demos, but began to fall apart. Tanner was the first to leave the band and was replaced by Troy James. Then Mulligan left for another, more progressive group. Ultimately, Leather Charm fell apart.

The most important event in the life of James was a meeting with a native of Denmark, drummer Lars Ulrich. Together they founded the band Metallica.

Accidents

James Hetfield is famous for his accidents. During the tour in support of the album Master Of Puppets he broke his arm while riding a skateboard. Then James was replaced for the first time, at that time accompanying the group, John Marshall. Later, in 1987, he broke his arm again, which delayed the recording of the album. …And Justice for All, and several shows on the upcoming Monsters of Rock'87 tour have been cancelled. Subsequently, the clause "No skateboards" appeared in James' contracts.

But perhaps the most famous is the case at a joint concert with Guns N' Roses in 1992 at the Montreal Olympic Stadium. During the performance of the song "Fade to Black", Hatfield walked over the pyrotechnic equipment at the moment when it went off. As a result, James received second- and third-degree burns to his left hand and face and was forced to give up playing the guitar. Instead of a rhythm guitarist, John Marshall from Metal Church was again invited for the duration of the tour. Prior to this concert, the pyrotechnicians informed the band that new special effects would be used during the performance of "Fade to Black": there would be fireworks around the edges of the stage. However, the pyrotechnicians forgot to warn that the old special effects will also remain. Being sure that there would be no previously announced special effects, James stood next to the pyrotechnic installation, and a column of flame 4 m high burned him on the left side.

Rehabilitation from alcoholism

During the recording of the album St. Anger James Hetfield decided to go to rehab for alcoholism. The musician reduced his participation in the recording process and returned to the studio to complete the disc eleven months after the course. James made his public appearance in 2003 when Metallica was nominated for MTV Icon of the Year.

After recording the album St. Anger In 2003, James suffered a serious ligament injury. Due to the lower than standard Dropped C tuning used on this album, James had to literally "spit out" the words, which caused problems with his voice. Gradually, James began to regain his voice, which can be heard comparing newer live recordings with recordings from the St. Anger. A similar situation arose in 1991 when Hatfield lost his voice while recording The Black Album. Then, at concerts, the band had to rebuild the guitars half a step lower, so that it would be easier for James to sing.

Personal life

In his free time, James enjoys hunting, collecting rare guitars, skateboarding, snowboarding, water skiing, garage work, watching his favorite Oakland Raiders play, and attending hot rod races. James enjoys music from Black Sabbath, Venom, Motorhead, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Thin Lizzy, Tom Waits, Nick Cave and Ted Nugent.

He put his 1968 Chevrolet Camaro up for sale on eBay. The proceeds went to support the school's music program. The car was used in the video for the song "I Disappear" and he got it as a gift after filming was over.

Hatfield married Francesca Tomasi. Francesca Tomasi) On August 17, 1997, three children were born in a marriage with her: Caylee (Eng. Cali) (June 13, 1998), Castor (Eng. castor) (May 18, 2000) and Marcella (Eng. Marcella) (January 17, 2002).

guitars

James Hetfield is the owner a large number guitars. His collection includes the following guitars:

electric guitars

Ken Lawrence Explorer
Ken Lawrence Custom Les Paul
Gibson Les Paul 57
Gibson Les Paul Paul Landers Style
Gibson Explorer 1984
Gibson Explorer 1976 Rusty
Gibson Flying V
Zemaitis Flying V
James Trussart Steel Deville
James Trussart SteelX Perforated
ESP Iron Cross
ESP JH-1
ESP JH-2
ESP JH-3
ESP Snakebyte White
ESP Snakebyte BLK
ESP Explorer MX220 "Fuk'em up"
ESP Explorer MX250 "Eet Fuk"
ESP Explorer MX250 Black
ESP Explorer MX250 White
ESP Explorer MX250 Man to Wolf
ESP Explorer MX250 Elk
ESP Explorer MX250 Deer Skull
ESP Explorer MX250 "Papa Het"
ESP LTD
ESP Truckster
ESP Black Truckster
Gretsch White Falcon
Fender Telecaster 1952
Fender Telecaster with B-Bender
Jackson King V Kill Bon Jovi

Acoustic guitars

Line 6 Acoustic Variax
Gibson Chet Atkins

James Hetfield photo

Metallica has been officially active since 1981. Already from its name it is clear that the main styles are heavy metal and hard rock. For more than thirty years, the team has firmly secured the title of the most successful and influential group in the world. What is the secret of such popularity and who is the lead singer of Metallica? We will try to understand these issues.

Group history

In October 1981, an announcement appeared in the American edition of The Recycler about the formation of a rock band. Its authors were musicians James Hetfield and soon the composition was formed. The only thing left is its name. At the same time, a magazine about British and American groups working in heavy metal style. Among the trial names was Metallica. That is what was borrowed by the young team.

Throughout the existence of the musical group, its composition has changed periodically. This was due to the voluntary departure of the musicians (Ron McGovney) or their death. Only the founders of the musical group remain unchanged - Metallica lead singer James Hetfield (aka rhythm guitar) and drummer Lars Ulrich. However, the leader is still the first musician. It is about him that will be discussed in this article.

Biography

One of the most frequently asked questions: “How old is the lead singer of Metallica?”. And the answer to it is sometimes simply amazing. James Hetfield was born on August 3, 1963 in the small town of Downey (USA, California). He was brought up in a Christian manner, so it was hard to imagine that such an obedient and calm boy would grow up as a reckless Metallica soloist. His biography is full of surprises and mysteries. But the root of all events, according to James himself, lies in his family.

Hatfield's father's name was Virgil. He worked as a bus driver, left the family when his son was barely 13 years old. Mother Cynthia lived after the divorce for another three years and died of cancer. The parents of the future musician belonged to the religious movement of the Christian Science of Mary Baker Eddy. Their beliefs denied any intervention of medicine in human life. Since any disease in this theory is of a spiritual nature, healing must also take place on a spiritual level. This conviction was so strong that even before her death, James's mother did not back down from it.

Under the influence of such views, young Hatfield had to leave the lessons, where they talked about medicine and its achievements. The situation has reached the point that peers began to whisper behind James's back, and he moved away from them.

Tragic events and the theme of religion later became the main themes of the musician's work. Metallica lead singer James Hetfield dedicated more than a dozen songs to them. Among them: Mama said, The God that failed, Until it sleeps.

Creation

Despite a religious childhood, James began to play music early. At the age of 9, he already played the piano and drums, which he borrowed from his brother David. And only after that did he make a conscious choice in favor of the guitar.

Metallica is the only serious project that Hatfield has been going to for more than one year. Prior to that, he created amateur bands Obsession and Phantom Lord, which covered famous hits rock bands like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. During the existence of his second group, James moved to La Brea and studied at Brea Ollinda School. After finishing it, he returned to his native Downey, and the group broke up.

IN hometown the musician settled in the house of a friend of Ron McGovney, who was then demolished. It was perfect for a creative studio. There, the guys rehearsed diligently, honing their guitar playing skills. Later they were joined by musicians from the previous band, in which the future Metallica soloist played. Photos in his youth, unfortunately, did not retain the memory of this period. However, the group was formed and named Leather Charm. She turned out to be more successful. The guys wrote own songs and even performed at several concerts. However, constant departures and replacements of musicians eventually ruined the group.

Perhaps the most important and turning point in James' life was his acquaintance with drummer Lars Ulrich.

The success of their duet is understandable for many. Both musicians are devoted to music to the depths of their souls and from the very beginning they understood the seriousness and responsibility of the project they were taking on. In addition, the guys are really talented. The lead singer of Metallica has a strong and catchy vocals. And journalists note his special manner of interacting with the public and the peculiarity of holding his mediator with three fingers.

Personal life

James Hetfield can be called an exemplary family man. In 1997, he married the charming Francesca Tomasi, with whom he has been together ever since. The couple have three children: daughters Caylee and Marcella and son Castor.

James has been religious since childhood, so he did not set himself the task of raising children in a Christian or other manner. His goal has always been to raise worthy people. Although he was not a bright positive example, his children received a good education. It is known that Castor and Kylie try their hand at the movies.

In honor of his family, Hatfield got a tattoo of a glowing cross and hands folded in prayer. The tattoos are complemented by the impaled names of his children.

Voice problems

In 1991 and 2003, Hatfield had problems with his vocal cords. Both cases were related to the peculiarities of the compositions during recording. For the first time, the lead singer of Metallica lost his voice when he was recording the next album (The Black Album). Due to the injury, fellow musicians at concerts had to rebuild their guitars literally half a step lower. However, the songs did not lose their original sound from this.

In 2003, Hatfield faced the challenge of recording the St. Anger on low setting (Dropped C). In this case, it was necessary to literally “spit out” the words. As a result of such a musical experiment, the lead singer of Metallica was seriously injured vocal cords. Of course, gradually the voice returned to the musician. This is especially noticeable when comparing new live recordings with audio from the time.

Alcoholism

In modern society, there is a stereotype that all rock stars are addicted to alcohol or drugs. This is partly true. "Heavy" music, crazy, full of drive concerts and tireless creative search, experiments take a lot of energy, keep you in suspense. Therefore, musicians begin to look for a source for relaxation and recharging. The history of world music knows many such examples.

Problems alcohol addiction Metallica lead singer James Hetfield did not escape. True, in his case everything went well. During the intense recording of the same St. Anger in 2003, the musician voluntarily went to rehab for alcoholism. The course lasted 11 months. At this time, James managed to combine treatment with recording an album. After finishing rehab, he immediately stepped onto the red carpet to receive the MTV Icon of the Year award.

Accidents

In addition to the music that the lead singer of the Metallica group creates and performs, his name has also become famous for frequent accidents. So, for example, during the tour to promote the Master of Puppets album, James Hetfield broke his arm while riding a skateboard. Fortunately for the group, John Marshall was able to replace the soloist at the concerts. At the time, he was Metallica's tour guide.

In 1987, the skateboard incident was repeated. Then, for this reason, the band had to cancel the recording of the next album and several shows on the upcoming Monsters of Rock'87 tour. Of course, such accidents seriously hit the pockets of the entire Metallica team, so a special clause was entered into Hatfield's contract: "No skateboards."

However, the most serious and famous accident experienced by the Metallica lead singer (photo saved in the musician's archive) was burns from pyrotechnics during a concert in 1992. Then the group performed with Guns'n'Roses at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal. During the performance of another composition, James Hetfield went to the pyrotechnic equipment. A high column of fire (about four meters high) touched the left side of the musician's body. As it turned out later, before the concert, a team of pyrotechnicians prepared new special effects - fireworks on the sides of the stage. However, I forgot to warn about the work of old special effects in the central part of the edge of the stage. That is why Hatfield so confidently went in that direction, closer to the public. As a result, the musician seriously burned left hand and face. He had to give up performing and playing the guitar for a while. Rhythm guitarist John Marshall from the band Metal Church was again invited to take his place.

Guitar collection

What is the name of the lead singer of Metallica, today it is known, perhaps, to very many. However, hardly anyone knows that James Hetfield is the owner big collection rare guitars. Many of them were donated to the musician.

Undoubtedly, the vast majority of them are electronic instruments, namely 31 guitars of famous music brands: "Gibson Les Paul", ESP, "Gretch". A real rarity in the collection is the "Fander Telecaster" 1952. According to Hatfield himself, his favorite is the gift King V "marked Kill Bon Jovi.

There are only two acoustic models in the collection.

Achievements

The name of the lead singer of Metallica has been steadily occupying leading positions in all music ratings for three decades. The group suddenly burst into world music and literally from the first notes won the hearts of millions of listeners. Of course, such a dizzying success could not remain aloof from the assessment of experienced critics and experts. Today, in the collection of Metallica (since 1990) there are about two dozen awards. These are awards for the best metal performances, and marks for successful albums and compositions, and awards for the best metal video. So, for example, in 1996, the musical group was awarded the title of the most beloved in the style of metal / hard rock, and frontman James Hetfield, respectively, was named best performer. Also in 2009, Metallica was officially inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Despite the reputation of a loose guy and a noisy party-goer, the lead singer of Metallica is a very versatile person.

This is evidenced by a number of interesting facts:

P.S.

What is the name of the lead singer of Metallica? This question has not caused difficulties for fans of "heavy" music and not only for a long time. A cult band with a cult frontman simply could not remain without public attention. as you can see, is a multifaceted person with an unusual fate and outlook. Perhaps it is these individuals who change and move this world forward. And perhaps, without such a leader, there would be no musical legend called Metallica, which still continues to live and amaze.