Metallica's James Hetfield At Guitar Center

James Hetfield sat down with us at Guitar Center San Francisco and talked about becoming a musician, rising to fame with Metallica and even demoed his signature ESP LTD Signature Iron Cross guitar for us. All the while, customers continued to shop in the store, having no idea that the legendary guitarist was playing in the next room.

Grab a copy of Metallica's latest album, "72 Seasons" online or at your local Guitar Center:

[mikeh]

Imagine being the dude that sold James hetfield his first guitar

[jon]

The only guy who can play Enter Sandman at Guitar Center without getting eye rolls

[abrielrobertsson]

They say never meet your heroes, but I met James and he was such a kind, humble and cool dude. One of the best of all time.

[Hale-Bopp]

Big applause to that football coach who didn't allow James to play football if he doesn't cut his long hair. His decision gave us one of of the greatest Rock/Metal band in history! 🤘🤘🤘🤘🎸🎸🎸

[davidrichter]

This James guy seems nice. Hope he and his band make it.

[jultnas]

So basically we were one haircut away from never having Metallica

[onyx.]

8 years ago, when this video was first released, I watched this and THIS inspired me to pick up a guitar. This was the moment. 8 years later, a few classes later, I have my Schecter Omen-6 sitting right next to me. To everyone involved in this video: thank you. This changed my life.

[candiceb_mat]

He's got this amazing voice not just for singing but when he speaks relaxedly, like here, you can listen to that unique vibration in his vocal cords.

[pleaseno]

Oh look another guy at guitar center playing Enter Sandman

[HaloFlutie]

James should have his own podcast. I could listen to him talk all day

[tolka]

"you don't wanna hear me solo" no James, yes I do

[milkmaneva]

He says that we don’t wanna hear him solo, but I bet he can rip a badass solo! His picking is so precise

[hugomartinez]

There's an alternative universe where James Hetfeild got that haircut and became greatest football player

[thundereagle]

Black Sabbath was his idol band, and he eventually toured with Ozzy. Talk about literal dream come true

[Bless-the-Name]

Did James just say, "You only get out of life what you put in to it."

That is what a friend once told me when I was finally making progress in playing Metallica on the guitar in the late 80s.

Talk about full circle 🦋

[LiberalsArePoop]

That was the best $200 that James' mom ever spent.

[gunscotthdgaming]

*After decades James finally listened to his football coach*

[kellicouch]

I had the pleasure of seeing Metallica in May of '86 when they opened for Ozzy, and I was blown away! I got to meet James Hetfield that night, too! Super humble guy. He loves the fans and always makes time for them. Even 37 years later..Metallica still engages with their fans. Great guys, and so well deserving of their success.

[Reiilmao]

i remember when this video came out, i’ll never forget it. i was going through my “metallica phase” and was just “enjoying playing covers” and i was getting really good; i thought i was just going to keep it a hobby, until i saw this. everything James says is so well thought out and comes straight from the heart, and it’s so inspirational and honest. THIS ALONE, made me want to be a professional guitar player. watching this as a 12 year old kid made me so excited and so inspired and so hopeful; i’d had never felt so inspired in my life by anybody before. i attended Berklee for a bit, and now i play lots of gigs, make money playing guitar, and get to do my own stuff on the side. james and GC can’t even fathom how many guitarists and musicians they’ve inspired with this. i had no friends growing up, music was all i had, and all i did growing up was sit in my room with my $50 yamaha junior size acoustic playing until my fingers were actually bleeding. this video alone did so much for me back then, and even still that holds true now. there will never be another band like metallica. and there will never be anyone like james.

[johnnyshima]

Imagine being in a gc thinking "ugh this dude keeps only playing Metallica what the hell" and walking in and it's James Hetfield