James Hetfield says he can related to fans who say Metallica’s music has made a deep connection with them.
The band recently joined Boise radio station 100.3 The X Rocks' host Big J, who, in March, set himself the challenge of trying to lose 100lbs by November 28 – the date of Metallica’s show in the city – and if successful, would try and interview the band.
And Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Lars Ulrich and Robert Trujillo were happy to accept his invite and appeared on the show, where they were asked what it was like when a fan approached them to say that their music had saved their life.
Hetfield responds: “I know what they mean, because it saved my life. So, yeah, join the club.”
Guitarist Hammett then puts up his hand and says, “Yeah, me too.”
Hetfield continues: “That is the ultimate connection – something I've felt: Some fear, some anxiety, whatever it may be. My viewpoint of the world is totally off kilter, it's defective, and then when someone comes up to you and says, ‘What you've written down or what you've created has helped me' that's more of a connection.
“You haven't spoken any words – you've just felt what that person is feeling, even though it might be different. Everyone loves it when someone tells their story. Someone's saying, ‘That guy is singing to me’ or 'That song is about me.’”
Bassist Robert Trujillo says that music is the “ultimate conduit” and adds: “With music, and the magic of music, you're making people happy.
“I used to run in the mountains to Metallica music back on the Ride The Lightning album, so there's always a place for it, and it's almost always positive for most people.
“Music is like magic in my mind, it's really special.”
Watch the full video interview below.
Metallica will head back out on the road from December 12 when they’ll play at the Spokane Arena.
Metallica 2018/2019 tour dates
Dec 12: Spokane Arena, WA
Dec 05: Portland Moda Center, OR
Dec 07: Sacramento Golden 1 Center, CA
Dec 09: Fresno Save Mart Center, CA
Jan 20: Little Rock Verizon Arena, AR
Jan 22: Birmingham Legacy Arena At The BJCC, AL
Jan 24: Nashville Bridgestone Arena, TN
Jan 28: Raleigh PNC Arena, NC
Jan 30: Cincinnati US Bank Arena, OH
Feb 01: Cleveland Quicken Loans Arena, OH
Feb 28: El Paso Don Haskins Center, TX
Mar 02: Lubbock United Supermarkets Arena, TX
Mar 04: Wichita Intrust Bank Arena, KS
Mar 06: Kansas City Sprint Center, MO
Mar 09: Louisville KFC Yum Center, KY
Mar 11: Indianapolis Bankers Life Fieldshouse, IN
Mar 13: Grand Rapids Van Andel Arena, MI
May 01: Lisbon Estádio do Restelo, Portugal
May 03: Madrid Valdebebas, Spain
May 05: Barcelona Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Spain
May 08: Milan San Siro Hippodrome, Italy
May 10: Zürich Letzigrund, Switzerland
May 12: Paris Stade De France, France
Jun 08: Dublin Slane Castle, Ireland
Jun 11: Amsterdam Johan Cruijff Arena, Netherlands
Jun 13: Cologne RheinEnergieStadion, Germany
Jun 16: Brussels Koning Boudewijnstadion, Belgium
Jun 18: Manchester Etihad Stadium, UK
Jun 20: London Twickenham Stadium, UK
Jul 06: Berlin Olympiastadion, Germany
Jul 09: Gothenburg Ullevi, Sweden
Jul 11: Copenhagen Telia Parken, Denmark
Jul 13: Trondheim Granåsen, Norway
Jul 16: Hameenlinna Kantolan Tapahtumapuisto, Finland
Jul 18: Tartu, Raadi Airport, Estonia
Jul 21: Moscow Luzhniki Stadium, Russia
Aug 14: Bucharestv Arena Națională, Romania
Aug 16: Vienna Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Austria
Aug 18: Prague Airport Letnany, Czech Republic
Aug 21: Warsaw PGE Narodowy, Poland
Aug 23: Munich Olympiastadion, Germany
Aug 25: Mannheim Maimarktgelande, Germany
