Star named Hetfield

One of the founders of the legendary Metallica group, James Alan Hatfield, is today recognizable on every continent of the planet. He, according to the music magazine Rolling Stone, ranks 87th place among the greatest guitarists of all time, and also ranks 14th among the "100 most advanced guitarists of all time." In addition, James has many solid music awards. He is not only the frontman and rhythm guitar player of the renowned team, Hatfield also managed to prove himself as an actor, screenwriter and producer.

However, more than half a century ago, a young, purposeful lad lived with music and even couldn’t even imagine his future glory and recognition of millions of devoted fans around the globe.

Childhood and youth

On the third day of August in 1963, James Hetfield, the legend of the underground and thrash metal, was born in a small town in the US state of California. Hetfield's mother was an opera singer, her father drove a bus. Both parents adhered to a specific religious trend, the so-called Christian science of Mary Baker Eddy. The essence of the religious movement was that with the help of the right thoughts and attitude you can get the healing of the soul and body from all diseases, without resorting to medicine.

It was difficult to say if it was difficult to grow in a religious-minded family, because the boy did not know another life. But apparently, it was not easy when, because of the beliefs of parents, he had to skip classes in biology, when it came to medicine. Also, schoolmates soon did not fail to point out the eccentricities associated with religion, and James began to shut himself up, to some extent self-isolated from his peer society.

At 13, James was left without a father, who left the family. Three years later, his mother died, who, even in the face of a terrible diagnosis, discovered cancer in Cynthia, did not retreat from the tenets of his chosen religion, considering medicine evil.

The loss of a mother in early adolescence and the ambiguous relationship with religion in the future affected the character and life of James, and later splashed out in songs such as Dyers Eve, Mama Said or Until It Sleeps.

Search for yourself and Metallica

To the music of James, he always began learning the piano when he was 9 years old, later he switched to the drums, and soon the guitar fell into his hands.

The first group of Hatfield became Obsession. The team consisted of his friends, classmates. Practicing drums and bass guitar two brothers Veloz, Jim Arnold played the guitar. Young rockers performed popular songs Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. The Veloz garage acted as a training base, and Dave Marrs and Ron McGovney had fun as illuminators, creating lighting special effects during rehearsals. Having pomusicated for some time, the group has successfully broken up.

After moving home and school, and James moved to La Brea, a second group was created - Phantom Lord, which lasted until Brea Olinda graduated from the school and returned to Downey.

Returning, James settled in, subject to imminent demolition, the house of the parents of his friend McGovney. This house has become an ideal rehearsal base. Soon Hatfield persuaded Ron to pick up the bass guitar. The third, in a row, the group was named Leather Charm and included former members of the previous James team - Hugh Tanner and Jim Mulligan. Before the team collapsed, the musicians managed to take part in several concerts and even recorded a demo.

Failures did not stop Hatfield, he wanted to play and create, because apart from the fact that he was the vocalist in all his groups, he also wrote lyrics. So the idea to re-assemble the group did not leave him. And he who seeks will always find. So James came across the announcement of drummer Lars Ulrich that he was looking for musicians to create a musical group. This meeting with Lars gave rise to Metallica, whose name Hetfield acquired by cunning, borrowing from her friend.

Music and family

James Hetfield has been happily married since August 1997. Francesca Tomasi was chosen by him. The couple has three beautiful children: Kaylee, Castor and Marcella.

Of course, in family life it was not always all cloudless. There were periods of revelry, drugs and alcohol dependence. Once, all understanding and patient, the spouse even kicked him out of the house. But, remembering his childhood, James always wanted to be a good father and was ready for anything for the sake of his children and family. Therefore, he underwent rehabilitation in the clinic, where he was treated for his vices and now he is an exemplary family man, a caring husband and father.

In his free time from rehearsals and touring tours, he rests with his family, hunts, enjoys snowboarding and surfing, collects weapons and guitars, loves to delve into the garage and prefers Mexican cuisine. Earlier, James was not averse to skateboarding on a tour, but after some earned fractures that canceled concerts and delayed the release of the album, skateboarding was safely forgotten.

His stage, musical, family, of course, includes his colleagues and friends in the group Metallica. Indeed, despite all the differences or minor conflicts, they have long been "played" and become brothers. And on the other, probably, it is impossible. After all, when you spend a day with a colleague in a group on long tours, you go on stage, you should trust and know for sure that they will not let you down, in spite of everything. Therefore, in Metallica, as in a large and friendly family, everyone is trying to do one big creative thing, taking into account the needs, contribution and individuality of each member of the group. Otherwise they would not have lasted such a serious time on the metal scene. After all, forging metal in Metallica is obtained only together.