Metallica guitarist and singer James Hetfield inspired many musicians over the last decades since the Thrash Metal was formed in Los Angeles, California in the early 80s. During their entire career, Metallica always paid tribute to bands that influenced them. In an interview with Colombian radio station Radioacktiva back in 2016 James Hetfield listed 4 bands that were some of his favorites of all time.
James Hetfield was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame as a member of Metallica back in 2009 by Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea.
4 bands that Metallica’s James Hetfield listed as some of his favorites
UFO
One of the reasons why James Hetfield wanted to play a Flying V guitar model was because he loved guitarist Michael Schenker (Scorpions, UFO) as he revealed in an interview with Guitar World back in 2018: “I got my white V in 1980. It was the second guitar I ever owned. And I probably bought it for $200. So I knew it was a copy. But we treated it as a real Gibson. I wanted a white one because Michael Schenker of UFO had one. So I needed one too.”
Formed in London back in 1968, UFO released 22 studio albums. Some of their classic are “Doctor, Doctor”, “Rock Bottom”, “Mother Mary”, “Too Hot To Handle” and “Only You Can Rock Me”. The famous Beatles producer George Martin worked with the group on their eight studio album “No Place To Run”
Aerosmith
Metallica was invited by MTV Icon (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage) back in 2002 to honor Aerosmith on the show and James Hetfield was one of the members of the Thrash Metal group that shared his love for the Hard Rock band from Boston and revealed his favorite song, saying: “So 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 and I could sing every one of those things.”
“So 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’. But anyway there were plenty of posters on my wall. However, the one that really meant a lot to me was the one of Steven and Joe up there singing into the same microphone.”
In an interview with Guitar World in 2009, Hetfield revealed that the first concert he went to was Aerosmith and AC/DC at the Long Beach Arena in July 12, 1978. He was only 15
Aerosmith was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame back in 2001 by Kid Rock.
Thin Lizzy
As all Metallica members, including the late Cliff Burton, James Hetfield also loves Thin Lizzy and even lamented the death of the legendary bassist and singer of the band, Phil Lynott, in an interview with Hot Press back in 2011: “It was one of those moments that was so sad. You just wondered, ‘Why did God take such a creative person?’.”
“But I think there was a purpose to it all. Because the struggles that he wrote about: with drugs, drink, ethnicity. So all of those things, they almost speak louder now he has passed. For me, going through the struggle with alchohol and addiction in general, just going back and listening to his lyrics it’s like, ‘Wow, I know what he’s talking about now’. I love that.”
Phil Lynott died back in January 4, 1986 at the age of 36 after collapsing following a drink and drug binge, then developing septicaemia and pneumonia.
Metallica covered Thin Lizzy’s version for the famous traditional Irish song “Whiskey In The Jar” on their 1998 covers album “Garage Inc.”
Iron Maiden
“Early Iron Maiden albums. I love the new wave of the British Heavy Metal. That makes me feel good, it reminds me of youth,” James Hetfield told Colombian radio station Radioacktiva.
Rolling Stone magazine listed the 100 best singers of all time back in 2008 with the help of many famous musicians who voted for their favorite artists. Metallica singer and guitarist James Hetfield was one of the voters who listed the 20 best singers of all time in his opinion at the time.
Hetfield listed ex-Iron Maiden singer Paul Di’Anno in the position number 8. He was Maiden’s voice on their two first studio albums “Iron Maiden” (1980) and “Killers” (1981).