Kirk Hammett

Kirk Hammett
Kirk Hammett performing live
Background information
Birth name	Kirk Lee Hammett
Born	November 18, 1962 (1962-11-18) (age 46) San Francisco, California, USA
Genres	Thrash metal, speed metal, heavy metal, hard rock
Occupations	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Guitar, bass, sitar
Years active	1979 - present
Labels	Warner Bros., Elektra, Vertigo, Megaforce
Associated acts	Metallica, Exodus, Spastik Children
Website	Metallica Website
Notable instruments
ESP KH-2 and KH-3 Signature models Gibson Les Paul

Kirk Lee Hammett (born November 18, 1962) is the lead guitarist and a songwriter in the band Metallica and has been a member of the band since 1983. Before joining Metallica he formed and named the band Exodus. In 2003 Hammett was ranked 11th in Rolling Stone's list - The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.^[1]

Biography

Early life (1962-1980)

Born on November 18, 1962 in San Francisco to a Filipina mother (Chefela) and an Irish Merchant Marine father.^[2] Kirk Hammett attended De Anza High School in Richmond, California.

After picking up a 1978 Fender Stratocaster copy, Hammett attempted to customize his sound with various guitar parts, eventually falling for a 1974 Gibson Flying V. Hammett also took a job at Burger King as a youth before quitting once he saved enough money for his Marshall amplifier.

Exodus (1980-1983)

Hammett's musical interests eventually drew him into the fledgling thrash metal genre. In 1980, he formed the group Exodus with vocalist Paul Baloff, guitarist Gary Holt, bassist Geoff Andrews, and drummer Tom Hunting. He played on Exodus' 1982 Demo. Exodus was a crucial early player in the Bay Area thrash movement.

Metallica (1983-Present)

Hammett was invited to join Metallica following the dismissal of the band's original lead guitarist Dave Mustaine in 1983. This was prior to the recording of Kill 'Em All. At the time Hammett was taking private guitar lessons from the now-famous Joe Satriani.

Hammett has written and contributed riffs for Metallica songs since the mid-1980s (particularly in the 1990s during the Load era). One of these riffs, used in "Enter Sandman" became one of Metallica's most popular songs. It was the first track and first single on Metallica's self-titled "Black Album" and was ranked 399th on Rolling Stone's list of the greatest songs of all time.^[3]

The bridge for "Creeping Death" was originally an Exodus riff that Hammett took with him to Metallica.

Hammett is also known for always having his picking hand taped up. During the course of a full tour, due to constantly palm muting and fast picking, the back of his hand takes sizable abuse.^[4]

Hammett's playing style is noted for his extensive use of the wah-wah pedal in his solos. Hammett says "The wah-wah is an extension of my personality." Hammett's use of the wah-pedal hadn't been featured in recent Metallica solos, but has seen a resurgence in his solos on the newest album, Death Magnetic.

Hammett initially wanted to have guitar solos on Metallica's 2003 album, St. Anger, but drummer Lars Ulrich and producer Bob Rock thought that the solos did not sound right in the songs. He later admitted himself, "We tried to put in solos but they sounded like an afterthought so we left them out".

On April 4, 2009, Kirk, along with remaining Metallica members Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield, Robert Trujillo, and former bassist Jason Newsted, was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Former bassist Cliff Burton, who died in a bus accident during the Master Of Puppets tour in 1986, was posthumously inducted as well. In 2009 Hammett supplied the foreword to British author Joel McIver's book To Live Is To Die: The Life And Death Of Metallica's Cliff Burton.^[5]

Personal life

Hammett has been married twice. His first marriage to ex-wife Rebecca lasted 3 years, having ended in 1990, during the recording of the Black Album, which consumed the band members' lives for almost an entire year.

Between the end of touring promoting the Black Album and the start of touring in promotion of Load, Hammett studied at San Francisco State University, focusing on Film and Asian Arts.^[6]

Hammett now resides in San Francisco with Lani, his second wife, whom he married in 1998. They have two sons, Angel Ray Keala Hammett (September 29, 2006) and Vincenzo Kainalu Hammett (June 28, 2008).

Hammett's interests include surfing, cooking, horses, archeology, cars, science fiction magazines, collecting skulls of animals such as cats and dogs as seen in Metallica's movie Some Kind of Monster, and collecting horror film memorabilia.

Kirk also commented recently on the T3 gadget website^[7] in their audio interview that he was previously addicted to video games, stating that the addiction resulted in the loss of eating, social interaction and guitar practice.

Other appearances

In 2005, Hammett played guitar on the Carlos Santana track "Trinity".

In 2006, Hammett voiced himself on The Simpsons ("The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer"). He also provided various voices on the Adult Swim show Metalocalypse, including a two fingered fan ("The Curse of Dethklok"), The Queen of Denmark ("Happy Dethday"), and a Finnish barkeep ("Dethtroll"). * He also appeared as a guest in an episode of Space Ghost: Coast to Coast titled "Jacksonville" alongside fellow Metallica member James Hetfield.

Hammett played guitar on the track "Satan" with Orbital for The Spawn: The Album soundtrack released in July 1997.

After performing a set with Metallica at Bonnaroo in June 2008, Hammett played one song with My Morning Jacket and a couple songs with the annual Superjam collaboration, which also included Les Claypool and members of Gogol Bordello playing primarily Tom Waits songs.

He also appeared on the "Kichigai" E.P. by punk band Septic Death. He played additional lead guitar on the title track.

He appeared as a guest guitarist on K'Naan's "If Rap Gets Jealous" off of the Troubadour album. [1]

He is one of the main characters in Guitar Hero: Metallica along with the rest of the current lineup of Metallica.

He appeared as a guest guitarist on Exodus's "Hell's Breath" off of the Let There Be Blood album.

Equipment

Guitars

Hammett, along with rhythm guitarist James Hetfield, have been major endorsers of ESP Guitars since the 1980s. Hammett was only the second person to have a signature guitar with the company. He is best known for playing his signature model guitars, with EMG pickups and Ernie Ball strings.

In 2007, ESP Guitar Company announced the release of a 20th Anniversary Limited KH-20 Guitar to celebrate 20 years of relationship with Kirk Hammett (based upon the KH-2 guitar with some modification). Only 41 guitars were in production, with the price at $9,999.USD a piece.

In January 2009, ESP also announced the rare release of Hammett's famous "ouija" guitar, which was very limited and for 2009 only. [2]

Hammett's love of horror movies is reflected in several of his guitars.

Kirk Hammett's current tour guitars:

• ESP M-II "Zorlac" - This was the starting line for the whole KH series. It features a vertical skull & crossbones as opposed to the horizontal ones featured on today's KH's, and an upside down Jackson Guitars style headstock which is what Hammett originally intended. However, Jackson Guitars threatened law suits if this model was ever sold. As a result, the headstock was changed to the typical ESP style, but flipped upside down. ^[8][9]
• ESP M-II Standard - EMG and Seymour Duncan, Kirk used this a lot in the studio and live.

ESP MII 'Bride of Frankenstein' graphics ESP MII Standard with chrome pickguard and hardware ESP MII NT with 'Occult themed' graphics ESP KH2 Ouija white

• ESP KH-2 "Skully" - Hammett's main touring guitar. This signature model is based upon the modifications he made to his M-II. ^[10]
• ESP KH-2 M-II "Boris Karloff Mummy" #I - This has been Hammett's favourite guitar for many years. It features the Boris Karloff Mummy I graphic of which Hammett owns the rights to. It will not be released by ESP. Hammett has 2 of these guitars, one with Eye of Horus inlays and the other with hieroglyphics inlays. ^[11]
• ESP KH-2 M-II "Ouija" - This guitar contains 2 spelling errors. It sports the words "WILLIAM FUED TALKING BAARD SET" but it in fact should say "WILLIAM FULD TALKING BOARD SET". Hammett also now plays a White Version of this guitar on tour. ^[12]
• ESP KH-3 Eclipse - Pushead Spider graphic. It is taken from a classic Les Paul Jr. shape with a Floyd Rose vibrato and EMG pickups. ^[13]
• ESP Flying V copy - Cherry Red with white pickguard and gold hardware. Kirk uses this live mostly for the song Seek & Destroy. ^[14]
• ESP Michael Schenker Flying V ^[15]
• Gibson 1968 Les Paul Custom - Mostly on ballads such as "Fade to Black" and "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)". ^[16]
• Gibson Les Paul Standard - Used on songs from St. Anger. ^[17]
• Ibanez RG - Used during the Wherever We May Roam American and European tour. It was used as a stunt guitar and for Deep Purple covers.
• Jackson Randy Rhoads Model RR1T - Custom-Made specifically for Hammett. It is usually tuned one step down from standard tuning, and used for songs like Harvester of Sorrow, One and Sad but True".^[18]
• Teuffel Birdfish - Designed and produced by German guitar designer/builder, Ulrich Teuffel. The model is limited (500 made) and is made to amplify sound using various pickups. This guitar is used live for "The Judas Kiss".^[19]

On the 25th anniversary of Metallica's Kill 'Em All, Kirk Hammett appears on the cover of Feb. 2008's Guitar World sporting his new custom ESP. This model is the KH20, the 20th anniversary model from ESP.^[20]

In the video for "One", Kirk Hammett is seen using what is most likely an ESP Vintage Plus. It appears however to be modified; it has a Floyd Rose tremolo, which could have been Hammett's own work or a custom model. ^[21]

Amplifiers & Cabinets

Throughout Metallica's career, Hammett has used a range of different amplifiers. For the first two albums, he used Marshall amplifiers and cabinets, with occasional effects. For the recording of 1986's Master of Puppets, he and James Hetfield bought a Mesa/Boogie MarkIIC+ amplifier, and used Mesa/Boogies until he made his move to Randall Amplifiers in 2007.

In September 2007, Randall Amplifiers announced a partnership with Hammett to design a line of signature amps, heads, combos and preamp modules. ^[22]

Hammett has also been seen using a wide range of different amplifiers in the studio and during live performances.

Effects

To avoid problems with pedals being damaged during live performances, Hammett keeps his effect pedals in a rack along with his amplifiers and his tech controls them through a pedalboard sidestage. The pedal controller allows him to change between different effect pedals and amplifiers.

In 2008, Jim Dunlop started working in partnership with Hammett to create a signature Wah-wah pedal, the KH95. It is now available to buy in stores.

Accessories

Discography

Exodus

• 1982 Demo

Metallica

• Kill 'Em All
• Ride the Lightning
• Master of Puppets
• ...And Justice for All
• Metallica
• Live Shit: Binge & Purge
• Load
• ReLoad
• Garage, Inc.
• S&M
• St. Anger
• Death Magnetic

See also

• ESP Kirk Hammett

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kirk Hammett

• Metallica's Gear
• Encyclopedia Metallica
• USA Today article on the documentary Some Kind of Monster
• Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame: Metallica FuseTV