James Hetfield - the voice of the legendary band "Metallica". James Hetfield has been the permanent lead singer and guitarist of the legendary band since its inception. Together with the team he created, he entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and also made it to the Forbes list as the highest paid musician.
Childhood and youth
He was lucky to be born in the town of Downey (California), in the family of the so-called middle class. The family had a great house. My father first worked as a driver, but soon he was able to open a company that was engaged in cargo transportation. Mom devoted herself to raising children. In the past, she was an opera singer, but from the moment James was born, she took up his upbringing, and at the same time worked part-time as a graphic designer.
For the time being, he had a happy childhood. His outlook on life changed radically after his parents divorced. The family drama happened when the teenager was 13 years old.
In this situation, he tried to support his mother. The woman was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Fuel to the fire was also added by the fact that the father, after the divorce, simply took things away and did not even say goodbye to the guy. James has been in "standby" mode for a long time. He wanted to hear a simple “bye” from his father.
Turning point in the life of James Hetfield
In one of the interviews, the frontman of the cult band will tell that his father's act will bring him a strong emotional shock. He will live with pain for many years, and so he does not admit to his mother what emotions he experienced at the moment when he became the only man in the family. James will say that after his dad left, he felt abandoned and alone. The responsibility for his family fell on him, and most of all he was afraid of not living up to his mother's expectations.
The very topic of divorce was contrary to the Christian beliefs in which the young man was brought up. He said that from that moment on he was annoyed by the mere mention of the religion and laws of Christianity. He tried to hide his emotions carefully so as not to hurt the feelings of his mother.
The family had clear beliefs regarding religion. For example, medicine was considered unpleasing. That is why James never visited doctors, and did not go to biology classes, as well as anatomy.
This made Hatfield feel inferior. The situation was further aggravated by constant ridicule from peers. To any request, my mother reacted harshly. She did not change her beliefs regarding religion until the end of her days.
All this led to another tragedy. Strong pains began to disturb my mother, but since the woman was in no hurry to go to the doctors, she died of cancer. Thus, at the age of 16, the guy experienced another pain that left an imprint on his biography. This tragic stage of his life, James will dedicate the music of Mama Said, Dyers Eve, The God That Failed and Until it Sleeps.
Dark times
In his interviews, James said that music helped him survive the darkest times. The guy started playing the piano from the age of nine. His mother taught him to play this musical instrument. For three years she studied with her son, in the hope that he would become a virtuoso musician. It cannot be said that he was “sick” of playing the piano; rather, it was an excuse to distract himself from the outside world. Playing the instrument, he seemed to be immersed in meditation.
He spent his free time listening to tracks AC/DC, Kiss и Aerosmith. At the end of the 70s, he managed to attend the performance of his idols. The guy got to the Aerosmith concert. By that time, he already looked like a rocker - his head was decorated with long hair, and playing the piano was replaced by regular lessons on the drum set, and then the guitar.
Founding of the first group
Now he could not imagine his life without music. The guy made an attempt to "put together" his own musical project. The first team that was formed under his leadership was called Obsession. Young guys gathered in the garage to cover the top songs of the legendary Led Zeppelin and Ozzy Osbourne.
During this period of time, he meets the talented bassist Ron McGovney. It is with him that James will work in Metallica. In the meantime, he is trying to "take root" in the bands Phantom Lord and Leather Charm. Things were going badly. In groups, he encountered a number of misunderstandings. He felt out of place.
Soon luck smiled at him. He met Lars Ulrich, who came to the United States of America from Denmark. Lars has been playing drums since the age of 10 and dreamed of creating his own project. In the early 80s, the guys created a group that would later become a cult. Naturally, we are talking about the Metallica team.
The creative path of James Hetfield
Despite similar musical tastes and the founding of the band, Hatfield and Ulrich have always been polar opposites. How they managed to keep a balance over the years, working on one project, is a mystery. James and Lars are the only ones who remain loyal to Metallica for a long time.
The musicians have always held on to each other. Together they went through everything: falls, rises, the creation of new LPs and videos, endless tours and the recognition of millions of fans around the planet.
In one of his interviews, James said that he considers himself the heart and soul of the team, but Ulrich is the core that solves all organizational issues.
After the presentation of the compositions Nothing Else Matters and The Unforgiven, Hatfield showed in practice that there are no boundaries. Heavy music can also include lyrical shades of a suffering soul.
Over the entire existence of the cult band, the musicians have sold more than 100 million LPs. Several times they had to hold the prestigious Grammy award in their hands. Over the years, James completely changed his life orientation. Alcohol has almost faded into the background. True, it was not possible to completely get rid of the addiction. He changed his image, and now he does not look like a typical metalhead with long hair, but like a wise, intelligent man.
Personal life
Fans probably know that until a certain time, James was firmly on drugs and alcohol. To settle down a little in life, his wife Francesca Tomasi helped him. She gave her husband three children - Kaisi, Castor and Marcella.
Only with the birth of daughters, the celebrity finally realized that something urgently needed to change in life. In the first few years of family life together, Francesca repeatedly put the musician's belongings out of the door because of his drunken antics.
James Hetfield: The Beginning of a New Life
When Francesca kicked James out, he was terrified. He felt like the same teenager that his father had once left. The situation often reached the point of panic attacks. He was afraid of loneliness and the fact that an outsider would be engaged in raising children.
“My wife was pregnant with her third child. So there was a situation that I had to attend the birth. I even cut off the umbilical cord, and then I felt what kind of connection exists between a woman and a child. Most likely, my third daughter Marcella glued our family together…”.
During the same period of time, he will visit Russia, namely Kamchatka. The trip left behind the most pleasant memories. In an interview, James says:
“Kamchatka… it was unforgettable. We hunted bears, lived in the middle of nowhere. They settled us in some kind of wretched house, drove us on snowmobiles, we drank a lot of vodka. The most important thing is that after this trip it seemed to dawn on me. Leaving Russia, I suddenly caught myself thinking that I had become a completely different person. Me and my family liked the new changes…”.
When he returned from Russia, he went to a drug treatment clinic. In 2002, he underwent a course of treatment. James held on for a long time, but he never fully recovered from alcohol addiction. The artist walks in a circle. Months of refusal from alcohol change into months when remission sets in, and he involuntarily goes into a binge.
In 2019, when James tried again to get rid of alcohol addiction, Metallica musicians were even forced to cancel tours until 2020. He says that alcoholism is a terrible disease, and most of all he would like to get rid of this addiction.
Interesting facts about James Hetfield
- In honor of the musician in 2020, a species of African viper was named.
- Among the collectible musical instruments in James's house there was a place for a balalaika, which was made especially for him.
- The musician often broke his upper limbs during tours with Metallica. As a result, the organizers began to add the line "no skateboards" it was with the participation of such a vehicle that troubles occurred with the integrity of the hands.
- He loves to play not only the guitar, but also the drum set and piano.
- The musician has two signature guitars - ESP Iron Cross and ESP Truckster, both very powerful instruments with active EMG pickups.
- One of James' main passions is cars. The pearl of his collection is the Chevrolet Blazer model The Beast.
- James Hetfield voiced the Disney cartoon Dave the Barbarian.
- Studio recordings had to be postponed several times due to the musician's aggravation of alcoholism.
James Hetfield at present
As noted above, disappointing news awaited fans in 2019. James broke loose and ended up in a drug treatment clinic. Residents of Australia and New Zealand suffered the most from this news. It was there that the band's concerts were cancelled. James had the courage to openly tell the "fans" about his problem.
“Unfortunately, our James again ended up in the clinic. We sincerely apologize for the cancellation of concerts in Australia and New Zealand. This situation failed not only you, but also every member of the group. Let's find the courage in ourselves and wish James a speedy recovery. We will definitely come to you, ”the exculpatory press release said.
The fans were upset by this turn of events, but they did not turn away from their beloved team because of the current situation. In addition, the musicians, due to the rehabilitation of James, were forced to refuse to participate in the Sonic Temple Festival and Louder Than Life. Hatfield got in touch and reassured fans that concerts would most likely resume in 2020.
In 2020, Metallica presented their fans with a new version of Blackened, recorded while the band members are in isolation.
For those who want to feel the creative life of a musician, there is good news. The biographical book So Let It Be Written was released about the legendary singer and musician. After reading the book, "fans" can get acquainted with the true biography of James Hetfield.
