James Hetfield’s opinion on Jimmy Page

Metallica is the biggest active Heavy Metal band in the world today, and because of that, James Hetfield has become one of the most influential singers and guitarists in the genre over the past few decades. But before he and Lars Ulrich came together to form a band that would show the world a heavier form of Metal, the genre had to evolve significantly, starting in the late 1960s, when bands like Led Zeppelin showed that Rock and Roll could be much heavier. The band’s producer, co-songwriter, and guitarist Jimmy Page was one of the main reasons why Led Zeppelin had such an amazing and influential sound.

What is James Hetfield’s opinion on Jimmy Page

Although Black Sabbath and Tony Iommi are the British band and the guitarist who influenced him the most, James is also a big fan of Led Zeppelin and Jimmy Page. He already mentioned Led Zeppelin songs among the ones he likes the most, including “Stairway to Heaven”, which in his opinion is the best one ever written.

“There is a (best) song for every mood, every day, every action. You know, when I’m driving ‘Ace of Spades’ (Motörhead) is the best song. But the best song written… I mean, as far as songwriting goes there’s so many avenues to go down. As stupid and simple as it sounds, I think ‘Stairway to Heaven’ (Led Zeppelin) is just one of those songs that so many bands have tried to emulate. You start off light and end up heavy. (Lynyrd Skynyrd) ‘Free Bird is that (way), ‘One’ (Metallica). There’s so many songs that have emulated that,” James Hetfield said in an interview for the podcast Metallica Report in 2025 (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage).

That was one of the first songs from which he learned a few chords, as he once told Rolling Stone. “When I first got a guitar, I figured out the first couple of fingerings to this. I ran around the house saying, ‘Check it out! I can play this!’ My family was like, ‘Where’s the rest of the song?’” A couple of years later, he was already a good guitarist and covered many Zeppelin songs like “Rock and Roll” with his school band Obsession.

James Hetfield felt inadequate to be in the same stage as Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and Joe Perry

Back in 2009, when Metallica was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the legendary guitarist Jeff Beck was also honored that night, with Jimmy Page presenting his induction. By the end of the ceremony, both guitarists, Joe Perry, and Metallica took the stage for a rendition of “Train Kept a Rollin'”. Hetfield later said that he felt inadequate to share the stage with guitarists of that caliber, since he considered Metallica to be made up of average players who, together, created something special.

“I know individually we’re all really average players, but when you put us together something happens. Something really happens. Getting up and jamming with people is like a nightmare for me. I felt so inadequate. And it’s a head game for me. I’m a perfectionist. And kind of a people pleaser. Most musicians are insecure,” he told Cigar Aficionado in 2023. Curiously, according to Aerosmith’s Joe Perry, Metallica didn’t know “Train Kept A Rollin'”, so Page and Beck taught them how to play.

He said:

“When Metallica was inducted into the Hall Of Fame they had Jimmy Page and I think that Jeff Beck was being inducted too and me coming up to play with Metallica. The song is ‘Train Kept A’ Rollin’, Metallica didn’t know it. They did not know ‘Train Kept A’ Rollin’. It was like a drummer not knowing ‘Wipeout’ (By The Surfaris). Jimmy and Jeff kind of looked at each other like ‘Okay, we will have to run through for them’. They had the teleprompter and of course it was no pun intended, but it was a trainwreck after Jeff brought the ‘train’.”

“I mean, we made it through it. But it just showed that a generation in Rock and Roll can be two years. Like Alice (Cooper) said, we’ve learned from these guys. Even though they were maybe a couple years older than us, maybe even younger,” Joe Perry told A-Sides in 2015 (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage).

Jimmy Page liked Metallica’s “St. Anger”

The infamous Metallica album “St. Anger”, loved and hated by many fans, curiously is one of Jimmy Page’s favorite records by the American band, according to producer Bob Rock. “Jimmy Page – not to drop names but he’s kind of a friend. (He) was at the Sunset Marquis, eating breakfast on the other side of the pool.”

“Someone walked by and said, ‘I’m here to see Bob Rock.’ He said, ‘Oh, Bob’s here?’ And he came over and talked to me, which blew my mind, coming from Winnipeg! That Jimmy Page even knows my name, you know? He said, ‘By the way, I loved St. Anger. It’s a great album,’” Bob Rock said in an interview with Guitar World in 2023. Talking about that album over the years, Hetfield curiously compared it to Led Zeppelin III. Because it was an album not very well received but has gained appreciation over the years.

He said:

“We feel good about every record, but this one (Death Magnetic) seems to be getting extra good response. With (2003’s) ‘St. Anger’, time will tell. Not to consider us like Led Zeppelin or anything. But the third ZEP album they were talking smack about, but now it’s one of my favorites. Time will tell. It has to erase all the other stuff attached to it. Like ‘Load’ and the (album cover) photos. And ‘St. Anger’ and the whole movie about the collapse of Metallica. This one, right out the gate. Pretty amazed,” James Hetfield told Sun Media in 2008.

When asked by Rolling Stone to list the greatest singers of all time, Hetfield ranked Robert Plant at number 10. He was in front of artists such as Johnny Cash, Freddie Mercury and Steven Tyler. He finally had the chance to meet the Led Zeppelin vocalist in 2015. James has also revealed that Led Zeppelin was one of the bands he used to introduce his children to Rock music, often playing their songs while driving them to school.