Metallica lead guitarist Kirk Hammett listed his favorite singers of all time during a recent appearance on Pop! Talk with Brian Mariotti. His list attracted attention for including mainly the old-school names.
Kirk Hammett is best known for being a long-term member of Metallica, but recently he also decided to embark on a solo career. As he announced, ‘Portals,’ a four-track EP, will be released on April 23, 2022. It will mark both his first work as a solo artist and the first solo project to come from any Metallica member during their active career in the band.
Hammett will unveil an exclusive limited-edition blue vinyl version of the album on the release date, and it will also be available on CD and all streaming platforms. The album will feature keyboardist Edwin Outwater, drummers Jon Theodore, Abraham Laboriel, Greg Fidelman, and former Metallica producer Bob Rock. The fans are certainly very excited about the forthcoming release as it will be Hammett’s first solo effort.
During the interview on Pop! Talk, the guitarist was asked about his favorite lead singers of all time, and he gave a somewhat surprising answer to this question by not including his bandmate, James Hetfield. Kirk Hammett said that his list of favorite singers changes from time to time, but he likes intense vocals. He explained that he mostly enjoys listening to old-school singers like Ian Gillan, Robert Plant, Rob Halford, Ronnie James Dio, and Paul Rodgers as they can sing anything. After giving these names, Hammett revealed that The Clash’s Joe Strummer was the ‘best voice’ for him.
When asked about his all-time favorite lead singers, Kirk Hammett replied:
“It kind of changes from time to time. I like it when someone sings with real good intensity. I like old-school singers like Ian Gillan, Paul Rodgers, Robert Plant, Ronnie James Dio, Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Halford. Those kinds of singers can basically sing anything. They will be able to sing anything you throw at them. But then, on the other hand, Joe Strummer had the best voice in the world. He could sing anything and make it great. He could sing so hellaciously out of key, and you just love it.”
You can watch the entire conversation below.
