METALLICA's JAMES HETFIELD: 'We've All Discovered There Is Freedom Through Structure'

September 17, 2008

RollingStone.com recently conducted an interview with METALLICA guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield. An excerpt from the chat follows below.

RollingStone.com: You have been in METALLICA for your entire adult life. Have you ever felt restricted?

James: I made myself feel restricted: "I'm tired of arguing. I'm not gonna argue for another five hours about something little and stupid. You win. This is Lars' band. When I'm able to be me, it'll be the side project, the solo thing." Which is just ridiculous. Every band that I've known that has done side projects or things like that — I don't respect them anymore.

RollingStone.com: There are very strict parameters to life in METALLICA. It's like joining the Army.

James: The metal militia, dude! We've all discovered there is freedom through structure. There has to be some structure in my life, at least. I think Lars has discovered that a lot. You could look at Jason [Newsted] as the sacrificial lamb. I didn't want him doing 12 side projects: "You're in METALLICA." But it was so unconnected when he left [in 2001], so compartmentalized. But now, METALLICA is the four of us. This is our solo project. This is the best way to get our emotions and feelings out and touch people.

RollingStone.com: Was there a clear leader in the beginning? You or Lars?

James: There were leaders in different ways. There's no doubt Lars was the spearhead of wanting to get a band together. But I was the same, and we joined forces. Lars had the name. I had the logo. He was more the business guy, the thinker. I'm much less of a thinker. And there was his personality, the only child growing up in a pretty well-off family.

RollingStone.com: A well-off bohemian family.

James: Yeah, getting to do what he wants, anytime, anywhere. The negative side of that, somewhat obvious — spoiledness. But the positive side of that is he can get it done. He has the faith he can get it done. There are times when I think all of us follow his energy. There's fear at times. I can see it in him, when he feels like he's not getting his way. We always revert to our teenage years [laughs].

Read the entire interview from RollingStone.com.

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