Kirk Hammett
Kirk unboxing the upcoming '...And Justice For All' box set

Metallica’s Kirk Hammett: “I wouldn’t be surprised if all of us did” solo albums

Metallica are about to resume touring with U.S. shows this fall (acoustic charity show in San Francisco included), followed by a European tour with Ghost in 2019. The run with Ghost will mark their third consecutive year of touring behind 2016’s Hardwired… To Self-Destruct. While there’s no real word on a follow-up LP (but the band did say they don’t want as long a gap as they had between that album and Death Magnetic), there is now some tentative word on solo albums. Metal Hammer asked guitarist Kirk Hammett about the possibility of him doing one, and he said “I wouldn’t be surprised if all of us did some solo, independent, autonomous sort of thing.” Here’s the full quote:

“I have so much material sitting around that’s obviously not Metallica stuff, and that pile gets bigger and bigger. One of these days when it feels right…” Kirk muses. “I still feel I have so much to give Metallica. When that feels more complete, maybe I’ll think about doing that other stuff.” Warming to his theme, Kirk mulls over what we should expect from a Hammett LP. “It would not look like a metal album at all,” he affirms. “It’ll be something so weird and far-ranging in styles, but cohesive at the same time. I wouldn’t be surprised if all of us did some solo, independent, autonomous sort of thing. I think it’s healthy, and if anything, when you come back to the band you’d come back with more enthusiasm. It’d feel like going on a little camping trip, and it’s always good to come back home to a nice warm bed!”

Doesn’t sound like we should be holding our breaths, but the prospect of hearing solo material from Kirk sounds promising.

Metal Hammer also couldn’t resist asking Kirk about his infamous lack of guitar solos on Metallica’s much-hated St. Anger:

“I guess it was appropriate for the time, but looking back, it doesn’t seem so appropriate to me now!” Kirk drawls. “I will always object to that, but I think the message was driven home after that album, that solos are needed in Metallica! People look forward to hearing them. So for me there was a weird vindication.”

In other Kirk Hammet news, Metallica are releasing a deluxe reissue of 1988’s …And Justice for All with tons of bonus material on November 2 for its 30th anniversary (more info), and there’s a video of Kirk unboxing it: