- Born
- Birth nameJames Alan Hetfield
- Nicknames
- Het
- Jaymz
- The Het
- Papa Het
- Mighty Het
- Height6′ 1¼″ (1.86 m)
- His parents were divorced, and at a young age, he lost his mother to cancer. He grew up hunting, playing guitar, and was an ordinary quiet kid. Lars Ulrich put out an ad in 1981 in a newspaper asking somebody to jam out and listen to rock music with him and he replied. Lars Ulrich and James hooked up, and started the band, Metallica.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Steve
- SpouseFrancesca Hetfield(August 17, 1997 - present) (filed for divorce, 3 children)
- ESP guitars
- Baritone voice
- Frequently sings "Yeah!" in his songs
- Known for his down-pick style of playing
- Metallica's hit 1991 song "Enter Sandman" was inspired by fears and nightmares Hetfield had as a child.
- Metallica's 1991 song "The God That Failed" was based on the death of Hetfield's mother, because as a Christian Scientist she believed that her faith in God alone would be able to save her from cancer.
- He originally wrote the 1991 hit "Nothing Else Matters" as a personal song, not intended to be played in front of anyone else, but Metallica drummer and band mate Lars Ulrich convinced him to use it for a Metallica song, which he did.
- In 1992 Hetfield was badly burned at the infamous Guns N' Roses / Metallica Stadium Tour in Montreal, Canada, when he accidentally stepped into a pyrotechnic blast. After 17 days he was able to continue vocals with Metallica, but was forced to temporarily give up his guitar duties to a band technician until he was able to make a full recovery.
- He has English, and some Scots-Irish, ancestry. While most of his family has lived in the United States for many generations, his maternal grandmother was English (born in London, England).
- [at the end of concerts] Thank you, friends!
- There is one Metallica. We have many styles, it's called Metallica.
- There is something powerful in Metallica, a will, a drive.
- If I hadn't had music in my life, it's quite possible I'd be dead and I'd much rather be alive.
- [Why Metallica survived after the death of Cliff Burton] Knowing Cliff's attitude, he'd kick our butts if we quit.
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