Horror aficionado Kirk Hammett reveals even he gets scared watching films alone

Kirk Hammett (Image credit: Javier Bragado/Redferns - Getty)

Kirk Hammett is well known for his love of all things horror-related.

The Metallica guitarist has a large collection of memorabilia including posters, toys, artwork and books, which he previously said have all combined to influence his career (opens in new tab).

But in a new interview with the Toronto Sun (opens in new tab), Kirk admits that even he gets a little apprehensive watching some horror classics on his own because of his “active imagination.”

Asked what scares him, Hammett tells the website: “When I see a situation that I live in from day to day and it’s put into a horror situation, I get a little nervous.

“And I’ll admit it’s hard for me sometimes to watch a horror movie when I’m alone at night in my hotel room because I have an active imagination – and sometimes I like the safety of watching horror movies when I’m travelling during the day on a plane. Or just watching horror movies during the day.”

He adds: “I can freak myself out. And, I think that in itself is part of the appeal of all of this: I get myself wound up. And in a weird, sick sort of way it’s exhilarating for me as a jolt of adrenaline.”

Hammett was speaking with the website to promote his It’s Alive! Classic Horror And Sci-Fi Art Exhibition, which will open its doors in Toronto on July 13 at the city’s Royal Ontario Museum.

Hammett has also written an instrumental piece of music especially for the exhibition and will attend a special event at the museum on July 23 and at the Cosmopolitan Music Hall at Cosmo Music in Richmond Hill on July 26.

He’ll be joined by his Metallica bandmate Robert Trujillo, along with Ugly Kid Joe frontman Whitfield Cane and drummer Joey Castillo in their cover group The Wedding Band.

Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent more than 30 years in newspapers and magazines as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. After initially joining our news desk in the summer of 2014, he moved to the e-commerce team full-time in 2020. He maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, scouts out the best deals for music fans and reviews headphones, speakers, books and more. He's written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog and has previous written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to video games, travel and whisky. Scott grew up listening to rock and prog, cutting his teeth on bands such as Marillion and Magnum before his focus shifted to alternative and post-punk in the late 80s. His favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Ned's Atomic Dustbin and Drab Majesty, but he also still has a deep love of Rush.