James Hetfield says Metallica are "really average" musicians

Metallica, 2022
(Image credit: Tim Saccenti)

Metallica frontman James Hetfield says he and his multi-platinum selling bandmates are "really average" musicians.

Speaking to Cigar Aficionado magazine, Hetfield says the band members' skills on their respective instruments may not be exceptional. But he believes they create something remarkable when they get together.

Hetfield says: “I know individually we’re all really average players, but when you put us together something happens. Something really happens…."

He adds that he is comfortable playing alongside his bandmates, but jamming with strangers would be a "nightmare".

The interview also sees Hetfield explain how he used to be crippled by stage fright in the band's early days, and he admits they can't keep the same pace that they used to.

“Early shows were really difficult— I was so shy,” he says. "I didn’t want to talk. I’d have the other guys in the band introduce the songs. Now I feel so comfortable up there, it’s so weird.

"Sitting down one-on-one with someone is a lot more anxiety ridden than standing up in front of 10,000 people, 20,000 people.

“As we get older, we would love to continue to play all the places we’ve been before but it’s near impossible to keep up the pace we’ve had, say, in the 90s. We would go out for months at a time.

"We are very self-critical and hard on ourselves and have very high standards. So we do take care of all aspects of bringing the best show visually and sonically to the people that enjoy our music and continue to come to see us live.“

Metallica's 12th studio album, 72 Seasons, will be released on April 14, 2023. It will be supported by a widespread world tour.

Metallica 2023/2024 World Tour

Apr 27, 2023: Amsterdam Johan Cruijff Arena, HOL
Apr 29, 2023: Amsterdam Johan Cruijff Arena, HOL

May 17, 2023 - Paris FR - Stade de France, FRA
May 19, 2023 - Paris FR - Stade de France, FRA

May 26, 2023: Hamburg Volksparkstadion, GER
May 28, 2023: Hamburg Volksparkstadion, GER

Jun 08, 2023: Download Festival, UK
Jun 10, 2023: Download Festival, UK

Jun 16, 2023: Gothenburg Ullevi Stadium, SWE
Jun 18 2023: Gothenburg Ullevi Stadium, SWE

Aug 04, 2023: East Rutherford, NJ MetLife Stadium, USA
Aug 06, 2023: East Rutherford NJ MetLife Stadium, NJ, USA

Aug 11, 2023: Montreal Stade Olympique, CAN
Aug 13, 2023: Montreal Stade Olympique, CAN

Aug 18, 2023: Arlington, TX AT&T Stadium, USA
Aug 20, 2023: Arlington, TX AT&T Stadium, USA

Aug 25, 2023: Inglewood, CA SoFi Stadium, USA
Aug 27, 2023: Inglewood, CA - SoFi Stadium, USA

Sep 01, 2023: Glendale, AZ - State Farm Stadium, USA
Sep 03, 2023: Glendale, AZ - State Farm Stadium, USA

Nov 03, 2023: St. Louis, MO - The Dome at America’s Center, USA
Nov 05, 2023 - St. Louis, MO - The Dome at America’s Center

Nov 10, 2023: Detroit, MI Ford Field, USA
Nov 12, 2023: Detroit, MI Ford Field, USA

May 24, 2024: Munich Olympiastadion, GER
May 26, 2024 - Munich DE - Olympiastadion, GER

Jun 7, 2024: Helsinki Olympic Stadium, FIN
Jun 9, 2024: Helsinki Olympic Stadium, FIN

Jun 14, 2024: Copenhagen Parken Stadium, DEN
Jun 16, 2024: Copenhagen Parken Stadium, DEN

Jul 05 2024: Warsaw PGE Narodowy, POL
Jul 07 2024: Warsaw PGE Narodowy, POL

Jul 12, 2024: Madrid Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano, SPA
Jul 14 2024: Madrid Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano, SPA

Aug 02, 2024: Foxborough, MA Gillette Stadium, USA
Aug 04, 2024: Foxborough, MA Gillette Stadium, USA

Aug 09, 2024: Chicago, IL Soldier Field, USA
Aug 11, 2024: Chicago, IL Soldier Field, USA

Aug 16, 2024: Minneapolis US Bank Stadium, USA
Aug 18, 2024: Minneapolis US Bank Stadium, USA

Aug 23. 2024: Edmonton Commonwealth Stadium, CAN
Aug 25, 2024: Edmonton Commonwealth Stadium, CAN

Aug 30, 2024: Seattle, WA Lumen Field, USA
Sep 01, 2024: Seattle, WA Lumen Field, USA

Sep 20, 2024: Mexico City Foro Sol, MEX
Sep 22, 2024 - Mexico City Foro Sol, MEX

Sep 27, 2024: Mexico City Foro Sol, MEX
Sep 29, 2024: Mexico City Foro Sol, MEX

Stef wrote close to 5,000 stories during his time as assistant online news editor and later as online news editor between 2014-2016. An accomplished reporter and journalist, Stef has written extensively for a number of UK newspapers and also played bass with UK rock favourites Logan. His favourite bands are Pixies and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Stef left the world of rock'n'roll news behind when he moved to his beloved Canada in 2016, but he started on his next 5000 stories in 2022.