James Hetfield Quotes:

I choose to live, not just exist.

source: - "Metallica's James Hetfield Calls Rehab Challenging, Gratifying" by Jon Wiederhorn, www.mtv.com. February 21, 2002.

Topics: Life

People always complain about something. If you face yourself and stand up strong, you're OK. You can't go wrong.

Topics: Strong, People, Complaining

Everybody is born good and everybody has got the same size soul. We're here to connect with that.

Topics: Soul, Size, Born

Don't look back, because that's the sign of failure.

source: - "METALLICA's JAMES HETFIELD: 'People Always Complain About Something'". Interview with Fish Griwkowsky, www.blabbermouth.net. December 8, 2008.

Topics: Looks

Rap is just to me very annoying.

source: - "Metallica: 'War has its purpose' - a classic interview from the vaults". Interview with Steven Wells, www.theguardian.com. June 6, 2012.

Topics: Rap, Annoying

No secret that I enjoy motor sports and cars in particular, building cars, building custom cars. Part of that scene. I love the flow of the cars and I love the art part of them. I love the sleekness and the uniqueness of each car that you can dream up.

Topics: Sports, Dream, Art

When people start copying your style, you know that something must be happening.

Topics: People, Style, Copying

When you're an actor and you walk into a theatre where your movie is playing, you're kinda proud. "Look at my skill!"

Topics: Skills, Theatre, Looks

I'd much rather talk about guitar playing. I hate it when people ask me about my lyrics. I always feel like telling them to just go and read them.

Topics: Hate, Guitar, People, Guitar Playing

One time we saw some hookers but when we got closer we realized it was Motley Crue.

Topics: Saws, Rock N Roll, Motley Crue

I like playing music because it's a good living and I get satisfaction from it. But I can't feed my family with satisfaction.

source: - Playboy Magazine, April 2001.

Topics: Playing Music, Satisfaction, My Family, Good Living, Heavy Music

Just like the poles of a magnet, some people are drawn to death and others are repulsed by it, but we all have to deal with it.

Topics: People, Magnet, Deals

Every breath I take becomes deeper, and I become more confident of myself without my crutches. The lies I've filled my body and soul with aren't needed anymore. They're not welcome. I choose to live, not just exist.

source: - "Metallica's James Hetfield Calls Rehab Challenging, Gratifying" by Jon Wiederhorn, www.mtv.com. February 21, 2002.

Topics: Lying, Soul, Body

There is one Metallica. We have many styles, it's called Metallica.

Topics: Style, Metallica

Sleep my friend, and you will see that dream is my reality.

Topics: Dream, Sleep, Reality

I'd rather regret doing something than not doing something.

Topics: Regret

I like a women who's got some balls, some strength. As long as I can beat her at arm wrestling, that's fine.

Topics: Wrestling, Hands, Long

Dying, dying, someone told me just recently, dying is easy. Living is hard. for everyone.

Topics: Dying, Easy, Easy Living

Authority pisses me off. I think everyone should be able to drink and get loud whenever they want.

Topics: Thinking, Want, Able

I'd like to have a beer-holder on my guitar like they have on boats.

Topics: Beer, Guitar, Boat

When a man lies he murders some part of the world These are the pale deaths which men miscall their lives All this i cannot bear to witness any longer Cannot the kingdom of salvation take me home

Topics: Lying, Home, Men

There is something powerful in Metallica, a will, a drive.

Topics: Powerful, Metallica

Metallica is the world to me - it always has been, and that's not going to change. I'm married to Metallica.

Topics: World, Married, Metallica

I've discovered that sheer quantity doesn't necessarily make for a heavier sound; if anything, overdubs make guitars sound mushier.

Topics: Guitar, Sound, Quantity, Guitar Sound

It's a good feeling, that you can put your heart out there, no matter how black it is, and people can understand it.

Topics: Heart, People, Feelings

We'd record a song that people liked and wanted to hear on the radio, and the radio wouldn't play it because it was too long. Or they wanted to edit it, which we wouldn't allow.

Topics: Song, Play, Long

I wanted to make noise, not study theory.

Topics: Noise, Study, Theory

I'm always feeling like I don't belong, no matter where I am. So I'm just searching for a family nonstop, and sometimes I find it in the mosh pit, sometimes I find it when I'm doing some French TV show with the president's wife.

source: - "The Hot Seat: James Hetfield". Interview with Hank Shteamer, www.timeout.com. June 18, 2012.

Topics: Tv Shows, Wife, Feelings

A lot of modern amps and preamps sound great when you're jamming by yourself, but don't hold up in a band situation. The sound isn't dense enough, and the lows and highs tend to get soaked up by the bass and cymbals.

Topics: Cymbals, Sound, Band

Most of my guitars have been instruments that look cool. I'm not picky. I never think, 'Oh, this neck isn't made of ebony,' or, 'These strings don't feel correct.' It doesn't matter too much.

Topics: Thinking, Guitar, Too Much, Picky

If everyone was the same, it would be boring as sh*t

Topics: Would Be, Boring

Every time I'd go out drinking I was looking for something new. But it was the same every time. I'd wake up in some bed with some person, I had a hangover and a show to do. And the truth is, it was the same every time. But now life is... pretty interesting without the alcohol.

Topics: Drinking, Hangover, Interesting

Metallica is a wonderful key to have on my key ring. I can go anywhere - it's great.

Topics: Keys, Wonderful, Metallica

I was pretty quiet as a child.

Topics: Children, Quiet

As far as artists and musicians, they don't retire. They might tour less.

Topics: Artist, Musician, Might

It's all fun and games 'till someone loses an eye, then it's just fun you can't see.

Topics: Fun, Eye, Games

If I hadn't of had music in my life, it's quite possible I'd be dead and I'd much rather be alive.

Topics: Alive

I'm married to Metallica.

Topics: Married, Metallica

Nothing can duplicate the sheer power and feeling you get from standing in front of your amp and bashing on your guitar.

Topics: Guitar, Feelings, Standing, Duplicate

My lifestyle determines my deathstyle.

source: - "Song: Frantic (Album: St. Anger)". 2003.

Topics: Lifestyle, Determine

If you're into what you're playing, that's the most important thing.

Topics: Funny, Inspiring, Important

Music was the voice I didn't have.

Topics: Voice

Nothing's really a prized possession except my family, you know?

Topics: My Family, Prized Possessions, Possession

The band? No way! There ain't no band. The band is not 'the band' right now. It's just three guys.

Topics: Guy, Three, Band

Live win, dare fail.

source: - "Song: 'Carpe Diem Baby'". 1997.

Topics: Winning, Failing, Dare

All that is, was, and will be. Universe much too big to see. Time and space never ending, disturbing thoughts, questions pending. Limitations of human understanding. Too quick to criticize, obligation to survive, we hunger to be alive. All that is, ever, ever was, will be ever twisting, turning, Through The Never. In the dark, see past our eyes. Pursuit of truth, no matter where it lies. Gazing up to the breeze of the heavens, on a quest, meaning, reason. Come to be, how it begun. All alone in the family of the sun, curiosity teasing everyone. On our home, third stone from the sun.

Topics: Lying, Eye, Home, Pending

Music is the soundtrack to my life.

source: - Source: www.artistdirect.com

Topics: Soundtracks, Music Is

Life is for my own to live my own way.

source: - "Song: 'Escape'". 1984.

Topics: Way, Life Is, Metallica

I associate times with certain music. It still is that for me. It's telling the story of our lives.

source: - Source: www.artistdirect.com

Topics: Stories, Certain, Stills

I have the best job in the world. I'm able to express myself, and people attach themselves to it if they identify with it. Music certainly is a driving force in my life. There's not a moment where I'm not in it.

source: - Source: www.artistdirect.com

Topics: Jobs, Best Job, People

Every band that I've known that has done side projects or things like that - I don't respect them anymore.

source: - "Q&A: Metallica's James Hetfield". Interview with David Fricke, www.rollingstone.com. August 28, 2012.

Topics: Band, Done, Sides

You want to hear vocals? Go sing it.

Topics: Want, Vocal

A lot of times, I'll have a goal, I'll start writing, and I'll end up in some far off place, which is good. It's nice to have a focus, but letting the lyrics write themselves where they need to go is important.

source: - Source: www.artistdirect.com

Topics: Nice, Writing, Goal

Deceit, Deceive, Decide just what you believe... I see faith in your eyes, Never you hear the discouraging lies. I hear faith in your cries... Broken is the promise, Betrayal... The healing hand held back by the deepened nail... Follow the god that failed.

Topics: Betrayal, Lying, Believe

No one but me can save myself though its too late, death greets me warm, now i will just say goodbye.

Topics: Goodbye, Too Late, Warm

The fans like the idea we do what we want. It's not an act. Screw the record company and the beaten path. Without MTV or radio, we still have a huge underground following.

Topics: Mtv, Ideas, Fans, Record Companies, Beaten Path

There was so much good and different music back then and you'd just keep moving through it and discovering more new stuff. I went through my Black Sabbath phase before I even started playing guitar.

source: - Source: alanpaul.net

Topics: Moving, Guitar, Black, Different Music, Black Sabbath

I'm not generally a big solo guy, because I'm not into showing off that way.

source: - "Metallica Meets Gov’t Mule". Guitar World Magazine Interview, alanpaul.net. February 24, 2016.

Topics: Guy, Way, Solo

Send me money, send me green, and Heaven you will meet. Make your contribution and you'll get a better seat.

Topics: Heaven, Green, Contribution

I love playing the melodic stuff. I love adding textures and colors.

source: - "Metallica Meets Gov't Mule". Interview with Alan Paul, alanpaul.net. February 24, 2016.

Topics: Color, Texture, Stuff

My vocals are bad, I can't sing, hey man, I wouldn't ask you to do a drum roll if your arm was falling off.

Topics: Fall, Men, Hey, Falling Off

We like to set off bombs.

Topics: Bombs

My whole life was duality: Here's my life at home, here's my life on the road.

source: - "Q&A: Metallica’s James Hetfield". Interview with David Fricke, www.rollingstone.com. August 28, 2012.

Topics: Home, Duality, Whole Life

Any time somebody is into your band that's a good thing. And if they're in a really cool, really popular band, that's a better thing.

source: - "Metallica Meets Gov’t Mule". Guitar World Magazine Interview, alanpaul.net. February 24, 2016.

Topics: Band, Really Cool, Good Things, Really Popular

It's good to listen to lots of different stuff, just whatever you like. The first two records I ever bought were Alice Cooper, Killer and Jethro Tull, Aqualung. That's two weird records to begin with, but I think they hold up well.

source: - Source: alanpaul.net

Topics: Thinking, Two, Different

Aqualung is one that my brother turned me onto. It wasn't that hard-rocking, but Martin Barre had a really good sound. He knew what he was doing.

source: - "Metallica Meets Gov’t Mule". Interview with Alan Paul, alanpaul.net. February 24, 2016.

Topics: Brother, Sound, My Brother

Rehab is like college for your head.

Topics: College, Rehab

Trios aren't really geared for slide unless you're gonna play chords, or play that simple George Thorogood style. It gets pretty thin when you play single note lines.

source: - "Metallica Meets Gov’t Mule". Interview with Alan Paul, alanpaul.net. February 24, 2016.

Topics: Simple, Play, Style, Trios

We discovered how much money influences certain things work in United States. How things might seem okay on the outside, but internally, they're corrupt.

Topics: United States, Might, Influence

I don't remember doing anything else; I don't remember not living in the studio. I'm itching for people to hear this album because I'm sick of hearing it myself.

Topics: People, Sick, Albums

I think it's very cool for the drummer to be set free from having to worry about holding down the beat every once in a while, though it's a little constricting.

source: - Source: alanpaul.net

Topics: Thinking, Worry, Littles, Very Cool