That time I asked Metallica’s 23-year-old James Hetfield who his fave metal bands were

By Steve Newton

Back in 1986 I met James Hetfield in his hotel room in Vancouver, and we talked for a bit about heavy metal, the death of Cliff Burton, new bassist Jason Newsted, and Metallica’s latest album, Master of Puppets.

I’m not sure which day in ’86 the interview happened, but it was sometime between the September 27 death of Burton and the December 19 Metallica show at Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum.

I remember Hetfield’s room was a shambles, and he kicked pillows and assorted junk out of the way before using the length of his arm to clear clutter at the table when we sat down.

He was wearing a t-shirt that read: BEWARE THE MERCILESS ONSLAUGHT.

At one point I asked Hetfield which category of metal he thought Metallica fell into, and what his fave metal bands were.

Have a listen:

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