Kirk Hammett recently looked back at Metallica’s beginnings in a chat with KSHE 95’S A.D. Rowntree. He opened up about how, back then, it was ‘delusional to think’ that Metallica would reach the level of success it has today.
Recalling the members’ efforts for success at the time, Hammett said:
“We made a lot of personal sacrifices. I mean, we went so far and then more to make sure that we were serving the music and we were playing for the people. And our thing was, ‘Maybe it will come back to us, all this hard work will come back to us.’ And for years, it didn’t ever feel like that; it would feel like we were just gonna play 250 shows every year or whatever we were gonna do.”
He went on to talk about how things changed, especially after ‘Master Of Puppets’ got popularity in 1986:
“But then it started coming back to us, and we started seeing real success. And that’s when I started thinking, ‘Oh, maybe we will make a difference in the world of music and in culture and whatnot. Maybe we will.’ It’s hard to figure it out when you’re first starting; it’s hard to see that. You almost have to be delusional to think that way.”
Decades Later, Still On Air
Right now, Metallica’s on the road with their M72 World Tour, promoting its latest album, ’72 Seasons.’ The tour’s been successful, with most of the 2023 shows getting sold out, urging Lars Ulrich to comment on still ‘filling stadiums’ after decades in the industry during an interview with the Los Angeles Times.
In last month’s chat, the drummer shared:
“It’s all mind-boggling. A couple of us in the band just turned 60, and two of us are knocking on the door. As you get older, you open your eyes, you take it in, you’re appreciative. But I’m kind of in disbelief that this is still connecting at the level that it’s connecting.”
Keeping The Band Together Despite Struggles
Metallica has faced its share of internal challenges over these years. 2004 documentary ‘Some Kind Of Monster’ touched upon some of the band’s struggles, revealing the tensions between Ulrich and Hetfield in the early years.
With reference to that, the drummer talked about keeping Metallica together alongside the vocalist in the Los Angeles Times interview by saying:
“We love each other, and we love being in Metallica more than anything else. Other than my dad and a few family members in Denmark, James is the longest relationship I’ve ever had. So when I look over at him, I get very emotional about the fact that we’re still out here playing and doing this with Kirk and Rob [Trujillo].”
Metallica’s not stopping anytime soon. The band’s next set of dates for the M72 World Tour will kick off in Germany in May 2024 and last until September.
