Little Punk People’s YouTube channel recently featured a resurfaced interview where Metallica’s James Hetfield discusses his favorite thrash metal bands and shares a lighthearted moment about Exodus.
“Oh my God. There are tons of them. Well, Exodus for sure. We grew up with those guys in the Bay area,” Hetfield said. “Well, we stole their guitar player, too,” he added with a laugh. “But I think they are great.”
“And Testament. A lot of bands in the Bay area. A lot of thrash stuff,” he continued. “I just think even before that… Yeah, there’s thrash. But punk rock was kind of the beginning of it for me. Motörhead, kind of thrashy but rock and roll. But I loved GBH and I still do. And I love Discharge a lot. That’s kind of really cool thrash music to me.”
Rockplus on Instagram brought renewed attention to the interview clip.
Hetfield’s remarks about ‘stealing’ Kirk Hammett from Exodus marked a pivotal moment in thrash metal history. This transition created lasting impacts for both bands.
Ultimate Guitar documented Metallica’s early career challenges. The band suffered the theft of essential equipment, including Hetfield’s prized Marshall amplifier. This incident later inspired their classic song ‘Fade to Black.’
Louder Sound revealed these equipment losses and personnel changes coincided with the creation of their landmark album ‘Ride the Lightning.’ The band demonstrated remarkable resilience during this period.
Years later, Hetfield’s personal experience with equipment loss inspired a generous act. MetalSucks reported he replaced stolen equipment for a Metallica tribute band in 2017. This action showcased the band’s ongoing support for the metal community.
This display of solidarity reflects the tight-knit nature of the Bay Area thrash scene Hetfield mentioned in his interview. Bands maintained mutual support despite the genre’s competitive environment.
