Kirk Hammett: Last News

Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett has shared a new solo single this week – listen to ‘High Plains Drifter’ below.The track is taken from his upcoming solo EP, ‘Portals’, which is released on April 23.In a press release, Hammett said the song shares inspiration with a 1973 film that has the same name as the track.“[The song] was not meant to be specifically music for that film, but…once it was written, I immediately thought it conveyed the same sentiment as the film, so the piece was christened accordingly.“The music for ‘High Plains Drifter’ initially came from a Flamenco piece I had written. It was a two-and-a-half-minute piece, and I really liked it, but it was one of those riffs that would be hard to integrate into Metallica.”He continued:, “I knew I wanted to do something with it, even though it came out spontaneously.

Metallica’s All Within My Hands Foundation has donated $500,000 (£382,000) to help feed Ukrainian refugees.The foundation set up by the metal legends announced yesterday (April 4) that it was making a donation to the World Central Kitchen, which is providing meals for those who have fled Ukraine as the result of the ongoing conflict with Russia.“The work that Chef José Andrés and the dedicated World Central Kitchen cooks do on the frontlines in a humanitarian crisis is nothing short of incredible,” drummer Lars Ulrich said of the donation.“We are inspired, humbled, and beyond proud to support their teams currently in six European countries serving the millions of Ukrainians who have been forced to leave their homes.”Ulrich continued, “WCK represents everything that Metallica and our All Within My Hands Foundation stand for by providing meals with dignity and hope worldwide.”World Central Kitchen was founded by Chef José Andrés to provide “meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises”.The band have said they’d like to raise even more money for the cause, with a goal of $1million over the next two months. To help reach the goal, Metallica are selling a new t-shirt designed by artist Andrew Cremeans.

Metallica’s Kirk Hammett is set to publish his first comic book, Nights of Lono.The comic, which will launch this year but has yet to receive a firm release date, was announced on Monday (March 1), along with the news that AMC Networks is launching a new book publishing arm, AMC Networks Publishing.For Nights of Lono, Hammett – a longtime horror enthusiast – will be teaming up with writing partner Marcel Feldmar. The comic book will be set in 1989 Hawaii, and will explore themes within the supernatural, mystery and adventure genres.Per AMC Networks Publishing’s official description, Nights of Lono will tell the tale of “a troubled female detective who is hired to find King Kamehameha’s tomb before it is discovered by an unscrupulous occultist fro the mainland”.The comic is also described as a “self-aware journey through standard detective tropes and cliches that are sharpened and given new life with fresh takes on the myths and folklore of the Hawaiian Islands”.Following the news of AMC Networks Publishing’s launch and Nights of Lono, Hammett took to social media to say: “Excited to partner with award-winning creatives & companies to further engage [AMC’s] passionate fanbases with the stories & characters they love”.A post shared by Kirk Hammett (@kirkhammett)Besides Nights of Lono, Hammett is set to provide a foreword for AMC Networks Publishing’s first title, Shudder’s Creepshow: From Script to Scream, alongside Stephen King.Nights of Lono will mark the second book that the Metallica guitarist has written, following his 2012 coffee-table book, Too Much Horror Business, which detailed his horror collection and memorabilia.

Metallica’s first-ever recording of ‘Hit The Lights’ from 1982, featuring former bandmate Dave Mustaine, is set to receive a reissue on vinyl this April.‘Hit The Lights’ will feature on Metal Blade Records’ 40th anniversary reissue of its ‘Metal Massacre’ compilation, which was available from 1982 to 1984. The reissue – set to release on April 22 – will mark the first time that the rare recording has been made available since 1984.The 1982 recording of ‘Hit The Lights’ includes a guitar solo performed by Dave Mustaine, who played in Metallica for 11 months before being kicked out of the band shortly before they recorded their 1983 debut album, ‘Kill ‘Em All’.

Metallica have announced that their annual ‘Metallica Night’ event with the San Francisco Giants baseball team will be returning for an eighth year.The event, which has previously seen Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield perform the national anthem and drummer Lars Ulrich throw out the ceremonial first pitch, has been cancelled for the past two seasons due to the coronavirus pandemic.This year’s ‘Metallica Night’ will take place on May 24 at Oracle Park – formerly AT&T Park – in San Francisco, as the Giants take on the New York Mets. Tickets are on sale here.“It’s a tradition that we’ve missed the last two seasons, so we’re really excited for the return of Metallica Night at Oracle Park with our hometown baseball team, the San Francisco Giants,” the band said in a statement.“This year marks the eighth time we’ll take the field for the National Anthem, first pitch, and a few other pre-game shenanigans, and it all takes place on Tuesday, May 24th against the New York Mets.”A post shared by Metallica (@metallica)Special packages for the event include a ticket to the game and a limited-edition Metallica/Giants T-shirt; a portion of the proceeds from every Metallica Night Special Event ticket sold will benefit the band’s All Within My Hands foundation.In 2020, Metallica‘s All Within My Hands Foundation donated $350,000 to a series of charities providing aid and care during the coronavirus crisis.“In the wake of the spread of the coronavirus, the most vulnerable people in our communities need help now more than ever,” Metallica said in a statement at the time.

RELEASESMetallica guitarist Kirk Hammett has announced that he will release his debut solo EP, ‘Portals’, on 23 Apr. “This music was created with what I describe as an audio-cinematic approach”, he says. “They’re soundtracks to the movies in your mind”.

Metallica‘s Kirk Hammett has announced details of his debut solo EP, ‘Portals’.The guitarist will release the four-song instrumental EP on April 23 via Blackened Recordings across digital platforms, CD and as a Record Store Day Exclusive Ocean Blue Vinyl EP.‘Portals’ was produced by Hammett and includes songs that were co-written with California conductor Edwin Outwater, who also contributed keyboards and led the orchestral players from the LA Philharmonic on ‘Portals’. Hammett previously collaborated with Outwater on Metallica’s ‘S&M2’ shows in 2019.Drummers Jon Theodore and Abraham Laboriel, bassist Greg Fidelman, arranger Blake Neely and Bob Rock have also contributed to ‘Portals’ – the artwork and tracklist for which you can see below.1. ‘Maiden And The Monster’2. ‘The Jinn’3. ‘High Plains Drifter’4. ‘The Incantation’‘Portals’ was recorded in multiple locations ranging from Los Angeles to Paris to Oahu, and is described as being “both the result of musical and metaphysical journeys; an invitation to inner worlds accessible only by music and the psyche it fuels”.“This music was created with what I describe as an audio-cinematic approach,” Hammett said in a statement about his record.

Metallica‘s Kirk Hammett has revealed that when he first sat down to write ‘Enter Sandman’, he wanted to make the next ‘Smoke On The Water’ by Deep Purple.Speaking in a new interview, the guitarist went into detail about the classic song’s creation and how the riff was inspired by Soundgarden.“I sat down and I said to myself, as I always do, ‘I want to write the next ‘Smoke On The Water’,’ And I just started messing around,” Hammett told Guitar World.

Metallica fan Kurt Cobain was.Speaking to Classic Rock Magazine,  Hammett looked back on the release of ‘The Black Album’ (1991) and its subsequent impact as the record nears its 30th anniversary (Nirvana released their seminal second album ‘Nevermind’ that same year).“Kurt Cobain came to one of our shows in Seattle, on the Black Album tour,” he said. “I knew Kurt kind of well, and I hung out with him quite a bit.

Metallica‘s Kirk Hammett has reflected on the bands 40th anniversary in a new interview.Along with bassist Robert Trujillo, Hammett spoke to George Kontos about the band’s four decades and their plans for the future.Via Blabbermouth, Hammett told Kontos: “Man, it’s crazy when I think about four decades. ‘Cause I swear to God, it seems like just yesterday that we were on a tour bus somewhere in the middle of America, just trying to keep up with everything…40 years passed so quickly.

Fleetwood Mac‘s seminal hit ‘Need Your Love So Bad’ has been released, featuring vocals from the late Peter Green and a newly recorded guitar track from Pink Floyd‘s David Gilmour.The new take on the 1969 hit is one of two new versions of Fleetwood Mac classics that have been recorded to celebrate the release of Peter Green – The Albatross Man, a new book in tribute to the late Fleetwood Mac guitarist which arrives in October.The second track, meanwhile, sees Metallica‘s Kirk Hammett playing guitar on a version of the 1971 classic ‘Man Of The World’, which also features Mick Fleetwood on drums.While Gilmour recorded his guitar part relatively recently, Green’s vocals have been newly unearthed and are thought to have been recorded in the

Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett has said his bandmates James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich don’t remember the first time they met him.Hammett joined the metal titans in 1983, and prior to that he played in the band Exodus.In a lengthy new interview for Gibson’s ‘Icons’ series, Hammett remembered meeting the pair for the first time when Exodus supported Metallica, an encounter his bandmates have no memory of.Hammett explained: “[Exodus] got booked on [a] show because we were friends with the headlining band, which was a band called Laaz Rockit, and the band in the middle was Metallica. And we were, like, ‘Oh, this is cool.

Metallica‘s Kirk Hammett played a 1959 Les Paul guitar which was previously played by Fleetwood Mac‘s Peter Green.Hammett delivered a rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘The Green Manalishi (With The Two Pronged Crown)’ at a tribute concert for Green which was held at The London Palladium in February – joined by an all-star cast including Mick Fleetwood.Taking place only months before Green’s passing in July 2020, the concert also saw contributions from the likes of Noel Gallagher, David Gilmour, Steven Tyler and Christine McVie.The clip of Hammett’s performance is the first taste of the concert, which will come to cinemas across the UK on 23rd / 28th March 2021, as well as being released in special boxset formats.The show will be released as a

Eddie Van Halen during its virtual ceremony last night (November 7), with a powerful performance led by Guns N’ Roses‘ Slash, Metallica‘s Kirk Hammett and Rage Against The Machine‘s Tom Morello.The legendary guitarist died last month after losing a long battle with throat cancer. His passing was confirmed by his son, Wolfgang.“Eddie Van Halen was a tremendously gifted musician,” Slash said at the ceremony.

Lady Gaga – who also happens to be a fan of heavy metal music too. The band – comprised of James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo – performed with Gaga at the 2017 Grammys, which is when they became huge fans of her as an artist. Gaga joined them to perform their track Moth Into Flame, and impressed them with her dedication to the performance. James said on The Howard Stern Show: ‘I just respect her as an artist. She was there for two hours before we even got there, working on her moves and thinking stuff up. ‘She is extremely creative and a fearless artist.’Drummer Lars also revealed that Gaga – real name Stefani Germanotta – is obsessed with a deep cut from their 1983 debut album Kill ‘Em All. He explained: ‘Lady