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
It’s all fun and games ’till someone loses an eye, then it’s just fun you can’t see. – 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
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’ve discovered that sheer quantity doesn’t necessarily make for a heavier sound; if anything, overdubs make guitars sound mushier. – 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
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
Authority pisses me off. I think everyone should be able to drink and get loud whenever they want. – 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
Dying, dying, someone told me just recently, dying is easy. Living is hard. for everyone. – 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
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
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
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
