“It reminds me of the smell of your own burning flesh,” says James Hetfield, discussing the pain of his 1992 pyrotechnics mishap and how his blackened ESP affected Metallica for years to come.
The leader of Metallica shares an exclusive excerpt from his new book in which he talks about being burned by fireworks while playing guitar and provides a closer look at the damage done to his ESP double-neck during the band’s ill-fated 1992 Montreal show.
James Hetfield is a legend of the electric guitar and a pioneer of thrash metal with one of the best right hands in six-string history. Over the years, he has accumulated a sizable collection of instruments.
A remarkable amount of guitars, each with a story, belong to the frontman of Metallica. From his first Electra Flying V copy, the guitar that transformed his life, to his ESP trademark guitars, breathtaking Ken Lawrence bespoke masterpieces, and outstanding vintage models.
In his recently published book, Messengers: The Guitars of James Hetfield, Hetfield narrates these tales, tracing his development as a musician and a person with each new instrument.
Not many, however, can compare to the emotional impact of his ESP Horizon double-neck, the electric guitar he was playing when a pyrotechnic charge struck his left side at a 1992 performance at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium. Hetfield was protected from the worst of the fire by the guitar, and the scarred neck of the instrument is a memory of the horrific event that prevented him from being able to play the instrument.
In this exclusive extract, Hetfield recounts his memories of the moment the flames struck, and how he came to terms with the accident that very nearly derailed his career.
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