James Hetfield Quotes & Sayings

My lifestyle determines my deathstyle. — James Hetfield

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. — James Hetfield

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

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

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. — James Hetfield

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

My live sound does not work in the studio, which is a completely different animal. Every little thing is detrimental to the sound. And if someone moves a mic, you've lost it. It's pretty much a case of 'lock the door and set up a police line.' — James Hetfield

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. — James Hetfield

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

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. — James Hetfield

Music is the soundtrack to my life. — James Hetfield

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. — James Hetfield

It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye. Then it's fun and games you can't see anymore. — James Hetfield

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

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. — James Hetfield

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

We like to set off bombs. — James Hetfield

I wanted to make noise, not study theory. — James Hetfield

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

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. — James Hetfield

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

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. — James Hetfield

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. — James Hetfield

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

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. — James Hetfield

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

Rap is just to me very annoying. — James Hetfield

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

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

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

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

I was pretty quiet as a child. I kind of hung out with my family and listened to music and sh*t. I wasn't too outgoing at all. — James Hetfield

I was pretty quiet as a child. — James Hetfield

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

Live to win, dare to fail. — James Hetfield

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. — James Hetfield

I'd rather regret doing something than not doing something. — James Hetfield

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. — James Hetfield

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

I'm married to Metallica. — James Hetfield

Rehab is like college for your head. — James Hetfield

I choose to live, not just exist. — James Hetfield

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

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. — James Hetfield

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. — James Hetfield

We do this basically for ourselves. People appreciate it, which is cool, but I think they appreciate that we're doing it for ourselves. We're doing it our way, and how people like it is not up to us. We like it. — James Hetfield

Music was the voice I didn't have. — James Hetfield

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. — James Hetfield

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

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

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. — James Hetfield

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. — James Hetfield

You want to hear vocals? Go sing it. — James Hetfield

There is something powerful in Metallica, a will, a drive. — James Hetfield

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. — James Hetfield

Life is for my own to live my own way. — James Hetfield

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. — James Hetfield

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

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

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. — James Hetfield

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

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

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. — James Hetfield

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

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

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

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

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

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. — James Hetfield

I'm on this eternal quest to get the best guitar sound in the world, but my vision of what is 'the best' changes every time I go into the studio. Sometimes my goal is to make my guitar jump out, and sometimes I want it to lay back. — James Hetfield

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

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. — James Hetfield

I love playing the melodic stuff. I love adding textures and colors. — James Hetfield

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. — James Hetfield

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