kirk hammet?

Maynehead

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

If I could ever be half the guitarist that Kirk is I will have achieved all my guitarist dreams. You don't become a part of the most successful heavy metal band in history by being a "shit guitarist".

If it wasn't for Kirk, Metallica wouldn't be what they are today, and they're not exactly in a bad place right now...

chrispy108

octatonic said:

Wow! Thats not impressive is it...

joeyowen

I've never understood the lazy comments 

Do Angus or Joe perry do much different album after album? 

IvanMC

Philly_Q said:

IvanMC said:

Hasn't Kirk ever released a solo album?

He hasn't.  Do you think he should?

lol well... he just might... and we all might end up surprised... pleasantly surprised... and then suddenly wake up! 
Teasing aside, he's good for Metallica. We already know he'll never be Malmsteen or Vai or Petrucci or Andy James. However, he's been there from day one, playing a major role. Properly. Would Metallica get hold of Broderick or Kiko Loureiro if Kirk stepped down? In all seriousness, though, could they keep playing as Metallica without Kirk?

Philly_Q

IvanMC said:

Would Metallica get hold of Broderick or Kiko Loureiro if Kirk stepped down? 

I bloody well hope not!  Marty Friedman, on the other hand...

But seriously, I agree, Kirk is very much part of Metallica and it wouldn't be the same without him.  At this stage of their career I'd like to think they'd call it a day if any of the three "original" members left.

octatonic

joeyowen said:

I've never understood the lazy comments 

Do Angus or Joe perry do much different album after album? 

Different sort of music- much simpler, less athletic (although Angus shredded on the early AC/DC material).
Also I'm not criticising Kirk for not progressing- it isn't about doing something different each album, it is about being able to play their own songs live.

Just have a listen to this and tell me it isn't woefully out of tune: (have a listen at 4:00 in)

Teetonetal

He's done some decent solos and the band has been in decline since 1991. I guess he get's the blame?

gubble

I'm not a fan of the band however.............

He's a multi millionaire who gets to play the guitar for a living, travel the world and (regardless of anyone's opinions) sells a lot of records.

He's clearly very good at something and makes lots of fans very happy.

Good on him - he's living the dream we'd all love to.

bingefeller

octatonic said:

joeyowen said:

I've never understood the lazy comments 

Do Angus or Joe perry do much different album after album? 

Different sort of music- much simpler, less athletic (although Angus shredded on the early AC/DC material).
Also I'm not criticising Kirk for not progressing- it isn't about doing something different each album, it is about being able to play their own songs live.

Just have a listen to this and tell me it isn't woefully out of tune: (have a listen at 4:00 in)

that is pretty bad.  If someone not famous played the same thing and uploaded it to Youtube he would get slayed.

impmann

He plays music that is "not my thing" in any way shape or form.
He plays with a tone that I can't stand... personal opinion.

However, I think he gets a hard time from a lot of armchair guitar players who wouldn't know the first thing about creating something memorable to fit into those songs... after all, if they were all so good, why are they sitting behind a keyboard bemoaning how "bad" he is... they'd be out there playing it and too busy to be a keyboard warrior.

Bucket

IMO Kirk's only truly great, hair-raising solo is on this track, at 2:40. No idea where that came from...

bobliefeld

Kirk was great when Metallica were great.  In the wonderful film "Some Kind of Monster" Newstead basically says he left because the rest of them aren't particularly bothered about music anymore (+ they treated him like shit).  They have families, live great lifestyles that fame & fortune have provided and once in a while shit out an album when it's been a while.  It's fair enough really.  

DiscoStu

I like Kirk. The Frayed Ends Of Sanity solo is pretty killer.

Kirk's solos for the first 5 albums had an energy and melody which seemed to fit the riffs underneath them, but as the band have grown tired musically it feels more like each track nowadays has an 'insert solo here' moment where he shreds and wahs for the sake of shredding and wahing.

I'd love to be half as good as he is though! I still can't play most of his early solos after 25 years of trying.

cruxiform

Bucket said:

IMO Kirk's only truly great, hair-raising solo is on this track, at 2:40. No idea where that came from...

That's my favourite solo from KH. He could pull some off some great stuff at times, like the intro to The Prince. I was a massive fan of Metallica but don't listen much these days but that's not KH's fault, more that my musical tastes have broadened somewhat. 

Maynehead

DiscoStu said:

I like Kirk. The Frayed Ends Of Sanity solo is pretty killer.

Kirk's solos for the first 5 albums had an energy and melody which seemed to fit the riffs underneath them, but as the band have grown tired musically it feels more like each track nowadays has an 'insert solo here' moment where he shreds and wahs for the sake of shredding and wahing.

I'd love to be half as good as he is though! I still can't play most of his early solos after 25 years of trying.

IMO it's James' epic rhythm playing underneath which makes that solo! It's almost a rhythm solo if there is such a thing!

Reverend

All of Metallica were great in their heyday. 

Lars is the key to the band's success. Slag his drumming now (the problem is apparently code name William) but it perfectly fitted the music in the 80s. He is the driving force in all ways, so perhaps it would be good for him to dig out his old 7"s and stop listening to Oasis. 

DiscoStu

Maynehead said:

DiscoStu said:

I like Kirk. The Frayed Ends Of Sanity solo is pretty killer.

Kirk's solos for the first 5 albums had an energy and melody which seemed to fit the riffs underneath them, but as the band have grown tired musically it feels more like each track nowadays has an 'insert solo here' moment where he shreds and wahs for the sake of shredding and wahing.

I'd love to be half as good as he is though! I still can't play most of his early solos after 25 years of trying.

IMO it's James' epic rhythm playing underneath which makes that solo! It's almost a rhythm solo if there is such a thing!

Aye, Jaymz is a monster! He was my main influence when I was learning to play, I taught myself guitar by playing Hetfield rhythm.

mikeyrob73

@DiscoStu you have  a Wisdom for that. Hetfield is an absolute monster, his downpicking is just epic. 

i think Hammet became slightly stuck in his wah infested ways, i dont think he is a bad guitarist at all 

joeyowen

any excuse to repost this:

Sassafras

And who can forgive him for burning down that orphanage?
I know I can't.