James Hetfield - Metallica

James Alan Hetfield
Born August 3, 1963 (1963-08-03),
Downey, California
Genre(s) Heavy metal,thrash metal,hard rock
Occupation(s) Musician,songwriter,producer
Instrument(s) Guitar,vocals
Years active 1978–present
Label(s) Warner Bros.,Elektra,Megaforce
Associated acts Metallica,Spastik Children
Website www.metallica.com

Bought This Hetfield Signature!!!


Early life and family
James Hetfield was born on August 3, 1963, in Downey, Los Angeles County, California to a family of English, Irish, Scottish, and German descent.

James' father, Virgil (a truck driver who later left the family) and mother, Cynthia (a light opera singer) were devout and strict adherents to Christian Science, and accordingly, much of James' young life revolved around Christian Science.[2]

In accordance with their beliefs, Hetfield's parents strongly disapproved of medicine or any medical treatment and remained loyal to their faith even as Cynthia was dying from cancer.[2]


Musical influences
Cynthia's death and James' subsequently turbulent relationship with religion have both been the focal point of many Metallica lyrics throughout the years - the songs "Mama Said", "Dyers Eve" and "The God That Failed," are about Hetfield's parents, and "Until It Sleeps" is about cancer.[3]

Hetfield was nine years old when he first began piano lessons, after which he took on his brother David's drums and finally, at the age of fourteen, James began to learn to play guitar. [4]

James identifies Aerosmith as having been his main musical influence as a child, and has said that they were the reason why he wanted to play guitar. Other bands such as Motörhead, Black Sabbath, Diamond Head, Iron Maiden, Queen, Led Zeppelin and Thin Lizzy also had a major influence on his musical tastes.[3]


Pre-Metallica Bands
Hetfield formed his first band, Obsession, when he was in his early teens. The members of Obsession were:

The Veloz brothers on bass and drums,
Jim Arnold on guitar, and
James Hetfield on lead vocals
Obsession spent much time in the Veloz brothers' garage jamming, with Ron McGovney and Dave Marrs acting as roadies. Marrs and McGovney subsequently joined the band itself when the Veloz brothers quit.

After the death of his mother, James moved to Brea, California where he attended Brea Olinda High School and met up with drummer Jim Mulligan. The two jammed during lunch breaks, scaring fellow pupils with their loud and heavy music.

Hetfield's next band Phantom Lord was born with Tanner on guitar, Mulligan on drums, and Hetfield singing and playing guitar. The group went through a few bass players until graduation, when Hetfield moved back to Downey.[1]

Once back in Downey, Hetfield moved into a house owned by McGovney's parents that was slated for demolition due to an expressway expansion.

Hetfield talked McGovney into playing bass guitar, Phantom Lord disbanded, and then the third band under Hetfield's leadership, Leather Charm, was born. Hetfield no longer played guitar, McGovney played bass guitar, while Tanner and Mulligan retained their former Phantom Lord positions.

Leather Charm was largely a hard rock combo which played a few originals along with covers of songs such as Iron Maiden's "Remember Tomorrow". Hetfield would later go on to perform "Remember Tomorrow" with Metallica in 2008.

The band performed at a few parties and recorded a demo, but then began to fall apart.

Tanner left the band, to be replaced by Troy James, then Mulligan left for a more progressive, Rush-like band.

Without a drummer, the rest of the band decided to call it quits. It was Mulligan's departure that led to Hetfield searching for a new drummer. It was through a classified ad in a local newspaper, The Recycler, that Hetfield would meet Lars Ulrich. The two would form Metallica in 1981.