James Alan Hetfield (born August 3, 1963) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter

known for being the co-founder, lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and main songwriter for the
American heavy metal band Metallica. Hetfield is mainly known for his intricate rhythm playing,
but occasionally performs lead guitar duties and solos, both live and in the studio. Hetfield co-
founded Metallica in October 1981 after answering a classified advertisement by drummer Lars
Ulrich in the Los Angeles newspaper The Recycler. Metallica has won nine Grammy Awards and
released ten studio albums, three live albums, four extended plays and 24 singles.

In 2009, Hetfield was ranked at no. 8 in Joel McIver's book The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists,[1]
and ranked at no. 24 by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Metal Vocalists of All Time.
In Guitar World's poll, Hetfield was placed as the 19th greatest guitarist of all time, as well as
being placed second (along with Metallica lead guitarist Kirk Hammett) in The 100 Greatest
Metal Guitarists poll of the same magazine. Rolling Stone placed Hetfield as the 87th greatest
guitarist of all time.

Early life

Hetfield was born on August 3, 1963[2] in Downey, California, the son of Cynthia Bassett (ne
Nourse), a light opera singer, and Virgil Lee Hetfield, a truck driver.[3] He is of English, German,
Irish, and Scottish descent.[citation needed] He has two older half-brothers from his mother's first
marriage and one younger sister. His parents divorced in 1976 when Hetfield was 13. They were
very strict Christian Scientists, and in accordance with their beliefs, they strongly disapproved of
medicine or any other medical treatment and remained loyal to their faith, even as Cynthia was
dying from cancer. This upbringing became the inspiration for many of Hetfield's lyrics during
his career with Metallica, most notably in the song "The God That Failed" from their eponymous
1991 album, Metallica. Cynthia died of cancer in 1979 when Hetfield was 16 years old. After the
death of his mother, Hetfield went to live with his older half-brother David. Virgil died in late
1996, during Metallica's Load tour.[4] Hetfield attended Downey High School for his freshman
and sophomore years.[5]

Hetfield was nine years old when he first began piano lessons, after which he took on his half-
brother David's drums and finally, at the age of 14, he began to play guitar with Robert Okner.[6]
He was also in a few bands as a teenager one being Leather Charm and another, Obsession.
Hetfield identifies Aerosmith as having been his main musical influence as a child,[7] and has said
they were the reason he wanted to play guitar. He has also cited Queen, Led Zeppelin, Black
Sabbath, Misfits, AC/DC, Cheap Trick, Rush, Van Halen, Blue Oyster Cult, Alice Cooper, Kiss,
Ramones, Motrhead, Sex Pistols, Venom, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, ZZ Top, Thin Lizzy,
Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ted Nugent, Rainbow, and Deep Purple as influences.[citation needed]

Career
In the early days of the band, Metallica experimented with a few different vocals and guitar
combinations, essentially creating a setup similar to that of British metal band Diamond Head,
another major influence on Hetfield. Some of the options considered included adding another
guitar player, having John Roads play lead guitar, as well as asking John Bush from Armored
Saint (who later joined Anthrax) to sing for the band. The finalized line-up of the band became
Hetfield (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Lars Ulrich (drums), Dave Mustaine (lead guitar), and
Ron McGovney (bass) who was soon replaced by Cliff Burton. Hetfield referred to their early
sound as power metal. The term "thrash metal" was first used when Kerrang journalist Malcolm
Dome described the Anthrax song "Metal Thrashing Mad" in an issue of Kerrang in February
1984.[8]

From 1982 to 1983, Mustaine's alcoholism sparked heated altercations between himself and
Hetfield.[9] Mustaine also once poured beer onto McGovney's bass[9] nearly causing serious
damage. On April 1, 1983, the band recruited lead guitarist Kirk Hammett from the band Exodus
and 10 days later Hetfield and Ulrich officially removed Mustaine from the band due to his
alcoholic tendencies.[9][10] Mustaine was sent home on a 4-day bus journey, and went on to form
the heavy metal band Megadeth.

Until the mid-1990s, Hetfield recorded all rhythm tracks and most harmony tracks.[citation needed]
Since the recording of Load, Hammett has been recording rhythm guitars as well. Hetfield
occasionally plays guitar solos on songs such as "Nothing Else Matters", "My Friend of Misery",
"Just a Bullet Away", the outro solo on "The Outlaw Torn", the second solo on "To Live Is to
Die", the first solo on "Suicide and Redemption", the first interlude solo on "Master of Puppets",
the harmonized solo on "Orion" and the introduction for "The Day That Never Comes". He also
writes the majority of the guitar harmonies, as well as writing the lyrics, vocal melodies, and co-
arranging the songs with Ulrich.
Hetfield playing in Mexico in 2010

Hetfield has been involved in a number of onstage accidents, most notable being an incident with
pyrotechnics at Olympic Stadium in Montreal during the Guns N' Roses/Metallica Stadium Tour
on August 8, 1992. Hetfield was the victim of a severe pyrotechnics accident during the song
"Fade to Black", in which a pyrotechnic charge exploded. Hetfield's guitar protected him from
the full force of the blast; however, the fire engulfed his left side, burning his hand, arm,
eyebrows, face and hair. He suffered second and third-degree burns, but was back on stage 17
days later, although his guitar duties were delegated to former guitar tech and Metal Church
guitarist John Marshall for four weeks while he made a full recovery.[11]

Hetfield has also broken his arm a number of times while skateboarding, which prevented him
from playing guitar on stage, and subsequently caused Hetfield's management company Q Prime
to add a clause in Hetfield's contract forbidding him to ride a skateboard while Metallica was
touring.[12] During a live performance on tour for Metallica, Hetfield experienced complications
with his vocals after performing a cover of the Anti-Nowhere League song "So What?", forcing
him to take vocal lessons for the first time. He did basic warm-up exercises to piano keys with
his vocal coach who also gave him a cassette tape of the piano warm-up for future use. Hetfield
still uses the same cassette he was given in the early nineties to this day before any live
performance or any recording Metallica does. Hetfield talks about his vocal training endeavors in
the Metallica documentary film, Some Kind of Monster produced and directed by Joe Berlinger
and Bruce Sinofsky.[13]

During the recording of the band's eighth studio album St. Anger in 2001, Hetfield went into
rehab to address his alcohol addiction. He rejoined the band after seven months in rehab and four
months recovering with his family. He is now clean and sober and is determined to remain so, all
of which is featured in Some Kind of Monster.[13] Some Kind of Monster also shows the making
of the St. Anger album and documents the various conflicts and issues the band were facing at
the time including the departure of Jason Newsted, alcoholism, family commitments, and the
future of the band with many in the rock press questioning whether the band would even still be
together to see the completion of the St. Anger album.

Hetfield and Metallica addressed their need for a new bassist by recruiting Robert Trujillo,
former bass player of Ozzy Osbourne. It was more of a swap since Ozzy Osbourne surprisingly
recruited Jason Newsted shortly after Trujillo's transfer. The new line-up has continued to make
music and tour worldwide. Metallica's ninth studio album, Death Magnetic, was released on
September 12, 2008. Like St. Anger and every album of original material released by Metallica
since 1991's Metallica, Death Magnetic went to #1 on the Billboard charts in over 30 countries
during its first week of release.[14]

On April 4, 2009, Hetfield, along with remaining Metallica members Ulrich, Hammett, Trujillo,
as well as former bassist Newsted and the deceased Cliff Burton (who was represented by his
father) were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[15] In an interview after their
nomination, Hetfield commented that everyone who had appeared on an album with the band
would be inducted. This excluded original guitarist Dave Mustaine and original bassist Ron
McGovney, as both had appeared only on the band's early demo tapes. Hetfield and the rest of
Metallica, including Newsted, performed "Master of Puppets" and "Enter Sandman" to end the
ceremony.

Personal life

Hetfield backstage at the Big Day Out 2004

Hetfield married his wife, Francesca Tomasi, on August 17, 1997.[16] He currently lives in Vail,
Colorado, citing a "multitude of reasons" for moving there, including it being his wife's
childhood hometown, the natural beauty, and the quiet environment; he also has residences in
California and Maui, Hawaii.[17] Hetfield says he is often happiest spending time with his wife
and their three children.

During an interview on NPR's Fresh Air, Hetfield stated that his wife had helped him to mature
and learn to deal with his anger issues more constructively, explaining that after they met, his
destructive tendencies embarrassed both of them.[18] He is also sober and has been undergoing a
rehab program since 2002 (documented in the film Some Kind of Monster), maintaining total
abstinence from alcohol. In a 2010 interview with So What!, the official magazine of Metallica's
fan club, Hetfield stated that he is a "reborn straight edge".[19]

Hetfield enjoys a variety of activities, most notably hunting; farming and beekeeping;
customizing cars and motorcycles in his garage; watching the Oakland Raiders, the San
Francisco Giants, and the San Jose Sharks; and going to hot rod shows.[16] He put his 1968
Chevrolet Camaro up for sale on eBay, with the proceeds going to a Music for Schools program.
[20]
The car was used in the video for "I Disappear" and was given to him as a gift upon the
video's completion. Years later, Hetfield donated the car to the Hard Rock Cafe which is featured
in the movie Hard Rock Treasures. "Slowburn", his 1936 Auburn boat tail speedster, won the
2010 Goodguys West Coast Custom of the Year.

Hetfield has a number of tattoos, including one which shows flames encasing four playing cards
ace (1), 9, 6, and 3 representing the year of his birth, and the words "Carpe Diem" ("seize the
day"). The flames on the tattoo are in reference to the pyrotechnic accident which he suffered in
1992 during a concert in Montreal.[21] He has tattooed an "M" on his right hand for "Metallica",
and an "F" on his left hand for "Francesca". He also has some Christian tattoos, including crosses
and one of Jesus on his right arm. He has a tattoo of two razors forming the straight edge X
symbol on his left wrist.[19]

The first single Hetfield ever bought was "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd.[22] He was
featured in a documentary, called Absent, directed by Justin Hunt, which takes a look at the
effects of absent fathers on their children and the "father wound" that they leave behind.[23][24][25]

Hetfield has expressed his disdain for politics and celebrities who "soapbox their opinions",
stating that "for us, people are people you should all have your own opinion".[26] In 2007,
Metallica performed at London's Live Earth concert. When Hetfield was asked for his thoughts
on climate change, he responded by saying:
 I really avoided the press around the Live Earth day. I didn't quite a
faith in mankind that we will overcome and adapt whatever it is;

In 2008, he made comments which were perceived as endorsing the use of his music at
Guantnamo Bay to torture prisoners.[28][29] British band Chumbawamba subsequently released a
song called "Torturing James Hetfield", as a direct response.[30]