I recently interviewed Kirk Hammett, lead guitarist of Metallica. This is the fifth time we’ve talked, and he is always full of insight and joyful spirit. I first interviewed Hammett, along with all the other members of Metallica, while writing my 33 1/3 book on the Black Album. We had a fascinating and freewheeling conversation about the composition, recording, and seemingly endless life of the record – a conversation that also touched on Hammett’s acceptance of Buddhist philosophy, how the Civil Rights and anti-war movements influenced him at an early age, and his broader thoughts on music.
Since then, we’ve talked about Lemmy Kilmister, and the collaboration album with Lou Reed, Lulu. The release of the Black Album boxset, and the debut of the Black Album episode on the 33 1/3 Spotify podcast, presented the perfect opportunity to have another discussion.
On October 1st, I interviewed Kirk Hammett about the Black Album, his philosophy of creativity, and the often misunderstood identity of Metallica. 333 Sound, the website for the outstanding 33 1/3 book series, has published our discussion.
Read our wide ranging conversation about Metallica, the Black Album, creativity, intellectual curiosity, and Woodstock ’99.
David Masciotra 