The guitarist and singer James Hetfield helped to form Metallica back in 1981 alongside his friend and drummer Lars Ulrich. Two years later the band finally had the chance to release their praised debut album and start an incredible career, making them in just a matter of a few years, the biggest Heavy Metal band in the world since the early 90s. They obviously became a huge influence to countless heavier bands that appeared ever since and Hetfield himself, is not only an inspiration as a singer but also as a guitar player.
But who influenced James? He grew up listening to a lot of American and British bands, so he was influenced by American and European guitar players. To show you a little bit more about the North American bands he loved, we selected three guitar players that the musician said have inspired him.
3 American guitarists that Metallica’s James Hetfield listed as influences
Joe Perry and Brad Whitford (Aerosmith)
The first two American guitarists who James Hetfield already said are influences were Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, both classic guitarists of Aerosmith, one of his favorite bands. Curiously, the first concert he ever went to in his life was Aerosmith with AC/DC as their opening act, at the Long Beach Arena back in July 12, 1978.
He was such a big fan of the band that he even sent letters to them when he was a kid because he wanted to know exactly what the lyrics said. However, they never sent him back the lyrics to the songs. But he wasn’t mad with them, of course, because he praised them many times over the decades. He even had the chance to honor them. This happened in 2002, when Metallica was invited by MTV Icon (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage) to an Aerosmith episode.
During his speech, James shared his love for the group and revealed his favorite song of theirs. “I would just like to close my eyes and imagine myself in my room as that teenager listening to ‘Toys In The Attic’ and ‘Rocks’. Playing them to the grooves were worn out, listening to every Brad and Joe lick toward the very end. I could sing every one of those things.”
“I would turn them up so loud to get every last note that the next song would scare the hell out at me. Especially little things like before my favorite song ‘Nobody’s Fault’. Someone walked in the studio and I heard a door, I simply thought that was so cool. ‘They didn’t take that out!’”
James Hetfield continued:
“But anyway there were plenty of posters on my wall. The one that really meant a lot to me was the one of Steven and Joe up there singing into the same microphone. My mom, God rest her soul, she was an artist. She projected my image onto the wall and painted me as Steven and as Joe, in a silhouette. It was so cool, it was in my room. I just couldn’t decide which was cooler, so I decided to sing and play guitar.”
“Also I just wanted to acknowledge how much I admire you as humans. In this music business is really tough to stay human. There is a lot of people that demand a lot of things from. All the hell that you guys have gone through and come through as stronger people are extremely inspirational. To especially myself, someone who has fallen and I love you guys, thank you,” James Hetfield said.
Joe Perry was a member of the band from 1970 to 1979, returning in 1984. Brad Whitford was with the band from 1970 to 1981, returning in 1984.
Johnny Ramone (The Ramones)
The third one is Johnny Ramone, the late legendary Ramones guitarist, who certainly inspired Hetfield in terms of speed, something crucial for Punk and Thrash Metal. In an interview with Music Radar back in 2009 he listed a few guitar players who were his “Rhythm Gods” and one of them was Johnny. “(…) The Ramones with their simplicity. It’s all downpicking! Watch some footage of Johnny Ramone and you’ll go, ‘Wow!’”
The pioneer New York Punk group was formed in 1974, when Hetfield was only 11 years-old. They were active until 1996 when they decided to end the group. Sadly they failed to have the same commercial success as bands like Metallica but are one of the most influential groups of all time.
Hetfield had the chance to pay tribute to the band when Metallica was part of the tribute Ramones album “We’re A Happy Family: A Tribute to Ramones” released in 2003. They covered the song “53rd & 3rd”. The album was produced by Johnny Ramone himself, one year before his death, with the help of Rob Zombie. Besides Metallica, that album also had bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2 and Green Day. At the time Rob Trujillo still was not a member of the band. When they performed that song live, it was their producer Bob Rock who played the bass.
Joey Ramone believed The Ramones influenced Metallica
Curiously, the late legendary Ramones vocalist Joey Ramone believed that they had influenced bands like Metallica. He recalled that in an interview with Heli Nevakare (Rockstop) back in 1991 (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage). He was asked about the evolution of Punk Rock music and used Metallica as an example. “It keeps evolving. When we started out it was the ‘Punk Revolution’. Then Thrash (Metal) came in, bands like Metallica with Lars (Ulrich).”
