Ex-DANZIG Guitarist JOHN CHRIST Wanted KIRK HAMMETT's Job In METALLICA

Guitarist John Christ (born John Knoll),who left DANZIG in July 1995 after four albums and one EP, reflected on his exit from the band in a new interview with Guitar World magazine. Asked what led to his decision to move on from DANZIG, John said: "The band — Eerie Von, Chuck Biscuits and I — were in horrible contract negotiations. Actually, there were no negotiations. Glenn [Danzig] wanted it all and was slowly squeezing us out. He had all of the support from the label and management. We had no-one backing us. Glenn could afford to outspend us until we cried uncle. Royalties, publishing, advances, everything. He signed his own deal without us ever knowing about it. Welcome to the entertainment business."

Regarding whether he had a plan when he quit DANZIG, Christ said: "What I really wanted was to join METALLICA. I wanted Kirk Hammett's job so badly that I could taste it. It's funny; years later, after I sobered up, I occasionally thought about how I would take Kirk Hammett out and get his job. [Laughs]. The only other gig I really wanted was playing with Ozzy Osbourne. But I ended up forming JUICE 13, a band with guys that could literally talk a nun out of her panties, but that didn't work out. I immediately moved to record a solo album, but at that time, I was in a very physically intense relationship with a woman that I met at the gym, which was addicting, and that clouded things for me."

Christ released his first and only solo album, "Flesh Caffeine", in 1999.

In 2004, John was involved in a traffic accident which left him unable to play guitar for several years. John returned to the stage in 2009 when he performed live in Essex, Maryland for the first time in nearly a decade.

Image credit: Rock N Roll Experience