METALLICA's KIRK HAMMETT: To See Your Musical Vision Turn Into Something Else, It's Amazing

METALLICA is the inspiration for new "Obey Your Master", a new art exhibition which sees pieces from a range of different artists who have interpreted various songs from the band in their own unique way.

Among the artists who are displaying pieces at Exhibit A Gallery in Los Angeles are SLIPKNOT percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE frontman Gerard Way, BLACK VEIL BRIDES singer Andy Biersack and METALLICA's own bassist Robert Trujillo with his wife Chloe.

For the exhibit, the artists have all chosen a song by the heroes of metal and executed their vision in their individual artistic mediums, based on their interpersonal relationship to METALLICA's lyrics and music. The final art pieces represent each chosen song, and were revealed this past Friday, January 20 at Exhibit A Gallery to a private reception, with all of the artists and METALLICA in attendance. The pieces are available for purchase through March 23.

"As a kid in EXODUS, I just wanted to be able to play guitar well and that's all I fucking wanted to do. And to see your musical vision turn into something else, a totally different sort of vision — it's amazing, it's astounding," METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett told Alternative Press at Friday's event. "It's incredible to see what people's vision of the music has become. It's so fucking amazing. It's really interesting to see how differently people interpret the music. I mean, I can't believe how farfetched a lot of this stuff really is! I have my concept of what the music means to me in a visual aspect. But to really see how other people interpret it and how other people are visualizing it is mind-blowing, bro. Totally, completely, mind-blowing. I'm so fucking overwhelmed right now!" Hammett said, looking around. "I am so completely overwhelmed. . . It's interesting to see where the music has taken them, where it's led them, and how they've gotten other bits of meaning out of it. I mean, it's profound. It's fucking profound!"

Check out photos from Friday's private reception at ARTISTdirect.

A list of participating artists and their bios can be found at this location.

Rock music has always inspired fans and creative types alike, empowering and influencing them personally, sonically and artistically. Some examples of the influence of METALLICA's music on artists are with Obey Giant's renowned street artist Shepard Fairey and his politically driven propaganda art. One could make the connection between Fairey's art and an album like METALLICA's "...And Justice For All". Starting in the early 1980s, iconic skateboarder Steve Caballero during skate competitions would correlate his music with his aggressive skate style and would insist to organizers to turn up the volume and blast songs off METALLICA's "Kill Em' All" album. Contemporary metal band BLACK VEIL BRIDES' 20-year-old frontman Andy Biersack grew up listening to heavy metal music. One of his most fond memories of early adolescence was sitting in his living room with his childhood friend watching METALLICA VHS tapes. They would thrash along, singing every lyric and banging their heads until their necks felt as if they had been in a car crash. He states, "As I got older and began to write my own songs, the tone and style of James' [Hetfield] lyrics and singing became a huge influence to me. The use of religious and cult metaphors and tenacity with which he sang was something I aspired to, and to this day continue to be inspired by. METALLICA to me is the quintessential heavy metal band. Equal parts darkness, intellect and vitriol."

There have been millions more who have drawn influence from metal music, specifically from METALLICA. Many of these artists are from all walks of life and they are now leaving their own indelible marks on the world and are driven in part by the intellectual rebellious lyrics of METALLICA. Most of these creative fans have never had the opportunity to do any art related to the band... until now!

For more information, visit online at www.exhibitagallery.com.