Biography
In the planting season of 1983, Hammett received a telephone call from the children in Metallica — including singer/guitarist James Hetfield, drummer Lars Ulrich, and bassist Cliff Burton — asking if he’d be thinking about checking out for the band (their original guitarist, Dave Mustaine, was going to be booted because of erratic behavior). The group organized for Hammett to take a flight out with their brand-new home bottom of NY, where he transferred the test following a one run-through of the early traditional anthem, “Look for & Destroy,” with Burton evaluating Hammett’s playing to such Euro-metal guitarists as Michael Schenker and Ritchie Blackmore — two of the band’s fav players. The brand new lineup instantly started focus on their debut record, Eliminate ‘Em All, released the same calendar year — since Hammett became a member of just a brief while previous, he didn’t possess an opportunity to place his very own stamp over the materials, opting rather to adhere to the riffs and strategy that Mustaine acquired currently laid down. This might change over the band’s following two produces, 1984’s Trip the Lightning and 1986’s Get better at of Puppets, as Hammett created his own design on what many consider to become among metal’s all-time great albums. Metallica was fast getting among metal’s premier rings, however Burton’s tragic loss of life mid-tour in Sept of 1986 nearly finished the group. With previous Flotsam & Jetsam bassist Jason Newsted acquiring Burton’s place, Metallica soldiered on, issuing two mega-hit albums, 1988’s And Justice for many and 1991’s self-titled launch, and creating themselves as you of rock’s biggest works. Further sold-out trips and hit produces continued through the entire ’90s — 1996’s Fill, 1997’s Reload, 1998’s Garage area Inc, and 1999’s S&M — because the group reinvented their previous picture from long-haired weighty metallists to snappily-dressed, short-haired GQ males (Hammett specifically even used eyeliner and toenail polish for this time, a thing that could have warranted automated termination through the band ten years earlier!). Through the entire ’90s, Kirk’s acoustic guitar playing also shifted concentrate from his early metallic roots to a far more earthy (nearly bluesy) Jimi Hendrix-esque design, as Hammett’s personal “personal series” type of six-strings had been manufactured with the ESP guitar business.
Quick Facts
Full Name Kirk Hammett
Height 1.72 m
Profession Author, Songwriter, Pianist, Bassist
Education San Francisco State University, De Anza High School
Nationality American
Spouse Lani Hammett, Rebecca Hammett
Children Angel Ray Keala Hammett, Vincenzo Kainalu Hammett
Parents Dennis L. Hammett, Teofila "Chefela" Oyao
Siblings Tracy Hammett, Rick Hammett
Awards Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance, Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance, MTV Video Music Award for Best Rock Video, Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance, Kerrang! Award for Best Album, Kerrang! Award for Best International Band, American Music Award for Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Artist, Kerrang! Hall of Fame Award, NME Award for Best International Band, Kerrang! Inspiration Award, Billboard Music Award for Catalog Album of the Year, Billboard Music Award for Catalog Artist of the Year, Echo Award for Best International Rock/Pop Group, Billboard Music Award for Top Rock Album, Porin Award for Best Foreign Video Programme, iHeartRadio Music Award for Rock Album of the Year
Music Groups Metallica, Exodus, Nanowar of Steel, Devilhead
Music Songs Nothing Else Matters, Enter Sandman, The Unforgiven, One, Whiskey in the Jar, Master of Puppets, Fade to Black, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Sad but True, Moth into Flame, Hardwired, Turn the Page, Wherever I May Roam, Atlas, Rise!, Orion, Blackened, Spit out the Bone, The Unforgiven II, Now That We’re Dead, Halo On Fire, Fuel, Creeping Death, Mama Said, The Day That Never Comes, St. Anger, Until It Sleeps, The Memory Remains, I Disappear, Fight Fire With Fire, Hero of the Day, Harvester of Sorrow, Whiplash
Albums Hardwired... to Self-Destruct, Kill 'Em All, Ride the Lightning, Metallica, ...And Justice for All, Master of Puppets, Load, Lulu, S&M, Death Magnetic, St. Anger, Reload, Live Shit: Binge & Purge, Quebec Magnetic, Orgullo, Pasión, y Gloria: Tres Noches en la Ciudad de México, Limited-Edition Vinyl Box Set, Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité, Metallica!, Metallica: Through the Never, Acoustic metal, A Knight At the Opera, The Good, the Bad & the Live, Megaforce demo, Into Gay Pride Ride, Fan Can #1, Garage Inc., Beyond Magnetic, The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited, The Metallica Collection, Mandatory, The 30th Anniversary Celebration, Six Feet Down Under, Live at Grimey's, Some Kind of Monster, Winnipeg 1986, Ultra Rare Trax, Legendary FM Broadcasts - Market Square Arena, Indianapolis IN 24th November 1988
Movies Metallica Through the Never, Some Kind of Monster, The Darwin Awards, Lemmy, American Movie, Metallica: Master of Puppets, Metallica: Dark Souls, Metallica: Phantom Puppets, Metallica: Reflections
- Facts
- Filmography
- Awards
- Salaries
- Quotes
- Trademarks
- Pictures
# | Fact |
---|
1 |
Lives in San Francisco, California. |
2 |
His father had Irish, English, Scottish, and German ancestry. His mother's family is Filipino. |
3 |
Son, Vincenzo Kainalu was born on June 28, 2008. |
4 |
Officially endorsed by ESP Guitars (a Japanese company). He has several signature ESP guitar models (mostly identified by "KH" letters) and he has worked with the company since the late 80s. |
5 |
Son Angel Ray Keala, born October 6, 2006. |
6 |
In November 6, 1998 he suffered from appendicitis when Metallica was on tour in England. He went to a London hospital, recovered, and couple of weeks later flew back to San Francisco. |
7 |
Replaced Dave Mustaine as permanent guitarist for Metallica in 1983. |
8 |
His musical influences are Led Zeppelin, UFO and Jimi Hendrix. |
9 |
Previous band before Metallica was the trash metal band Exodus. |
10 |
In a 1998 issue of Guitar Legends: The Top 100 Guitar solos, Kirk is credited with 3 songs: "One" (No. 7), "Fade To Black (No. 24), and "Master of Puppets" (No. 51). |
11 |
Known for his custom made guitars with horror film graphics |
12 |
Has one dog, Darla |
13 |
Collects horror film memorabilia |
14 |
Avid surfer |
15 |
Vegetarian |
16 |
Has his birth date and place tattooed on his stomach |
17 |
Took guitar lessons from Joe Satriani. |
Soundtrack
Soundtrack
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|
The Big Short |
2015 |
writer: "Master of Puppets", "Eye of the Beholder" |
|
Mike & Mike |
2013-2015 |
TV Series writer - 2 episodes |
|
Brows Held High |
2014 |
TV Series writer - 1 episode |
|
Metallica: Amped for IMAX |
2013 |
Short writer: "Fixxxer", "Damage, Inc" |
|
Metallica Through the Never |
2013 |
writer: "...And Justice for All", "Fuel", "Enter Sandman" - as Hetfield'/Urich/Hammett / writer: "Creeping Death", "Master Of Puppets" - as Hetfield'/Urich/Burton/Hammett / writer: "Cyanide" |
|
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno |
2011 |
TV Series writer - 2 episodes |
|
Late Show with David Letterman |
2010-2011 |
TV Series writer - 3 episodes |
|
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory |
2011 |
Documentary writer: "Welcome Home Sanitarium", "Fade to Black", "The Day That Never Comes" |
|
Ruisrock - 40 vuotta rockia ja rakkautta |
2011 |
TV Movie documentary writer: "Master of Puppets", "Enter Sandman" |
|
Cry Baby: The Pedal that Rocks the World |
2011 |
Video documentary writer: "Enter Sandman" |
|
Trauma |
2010 |
TV Series writer - 1 episode |
|
Super Bowl XLIV |
2010 |
TV Special writer: "Cyanide" - uncredited |
|
Casino Jack and the United States of Money |
2010 |
Documentary writer: "ENTER SANDMAN" |
|
House M.D. |
2009 |
TV Series writer - 1 episode |
|
WWE Raw |
2009 |
TV Series writer - 1 episode |
|
California's Gold |
2009 |
TV Series documentary writer - 1 episode |
|
Guitar Hero: Metallica |
2009 |
Video Game writer: "All Nightmare Long", "Broken Beat & Scarred", "Creeping Death", "Cyanide", "Disposable Heroes", "Dyers Eve", "Enter Sandman", "Fade To Black", "Frantic", "Fuel", "King Nothing", "Master of Puppets", "My Apocalypse", "The Memory Remains", "The Thing That Should Not Be", "The Unforgiven", "Welcome Home Sanitarium" |
|
A Cross the Universe |
2008 |
Video documentary writer: "Final" - as Hammet |
|
Guitar Hero World Tour |
2008 |
Video Game writer: "Trapped Under Ice" |
|
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock |
2007 |
Video Game writer: "One" |
|
Heavy Metal in Baghdad |
2007 |
Documentary writer: "Fade to Black" |
|
Rock Band |
2007 |
Video Game "Enter Sandman" |
|
Metal: A Headbanger's Journey |
2005 |
Documentary writer: "Master of Puppets" - as Hammett |
|
The Work of Director Anton Corbijn |
2005 |
Video documentary writer: "Hero Of the Day" |
|
The Devil and Daniel Johnston |
2005 |
Documentary writer: "Master of Puppets" |
|
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster |
2004 |
Documentary writer: "Frantic", "Some Kind of Monster", "Dirty Window", "My World", "Shoot Me Again", "Enter Sandman", "Purify", "Master of Puppets", "The Unnamed Feeling", "Sweet Amber", "All Within My Hands", "Damage, Inc.", "St. Anger", "Invisible Kid" - as Hammett |
|
Old School |
2003 |
writer: "Master Of Puppets" |
|
Biker Boyz |
2003 |
writer: "We Did It Again" |
|
The Forsaken |
2001 |
writer: "Enter Sandman" - as Kirk L. Hammett |
|
The Sopranos |
2000 |
TV Series writer - 1 episode |
|
Metallica: Cunning Stunts |
1998 |
Video documentary writer: "Creeping Death", "Hero of the Day", "King Nothing", "Fuel", "Until It Sleeps", "Fade to Black", "Master of Puppets", "Enter Sandman" |
|
Your Friends & Neighbors |
1998 |
writer: "Enter Sandman", "Welcome Home Sanitarium" |
|
Spawn |
1997 |
performer: "Satan" |
|
Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills |
1996 |
Documentary writer: "Welcome Home Sanitarium", "Orion" |
|
ECW Hardcore Heaven 1994 |
1994 |
Video writer: "Enter Sandman" - uncredited |
|
MTV Video Music Awards 1991 |
1991 |
TV Special writer: "Enter Sandman" |
|
Metallica: Enter Sandman |
1991 |
Video short writer: "Enter Sandman" |
|
Metallica: Cliff 'Em All! |
1987 |
Video documentary writer: "Creeping Death", "Damage, Inc.", "Master of Puppets", "Fade To Black", "Welcome Home Sanitarium" |
|
Actor
Actor
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|
Billions |
2016 |
TV Series |
Metallica |
Tallica Parking Lot |
2013 |
Short voice |
|
Howard Stern on Demand |
2013 |
TV Series |
|
Metalocalypse |
2006-2010 |
TV Series |
Barkeep / Queen of Denmark / Smoked Fingers fan |
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Live: Whole Lotta Shakin' |
2009 |
Video |
|
The Simpsons |
2006 |
TV Series |
Kirk Hammett |
Metallica: Enter Sandman |
1991 |
Video short |
Kirk Hammett (uncredited) |
Producer
Producer
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|
Metallica Through the Never |
2013 |
executive producer |
|
Too Much Horror Business: The Kirk Hammett Collection |
2012 |
Short executive producer |
|
Writer
Writer
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|
Metallica Through the Never |
2013 |
screenplay by |
|
Thanks
Thanks
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory |
2011 |
Documentary special thanks: Metallica |
|
Self
Self
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|
Metallica: Cliff 'Em All! |
1987 |
Video documentary |
Himself (Guitarist) (as Metallica) |
Turn It Around: The Story of East Bay Punk |
2017 |
Documentary completed |
Himself |
Smokestack Lightning: The Legendary Howlin' Wolf |
2016 |
Documentary post-production |
|
Pop Wrapped TV |
2015 |
TV Series documentary |
|
Lennon or McCartney |
2014 |
Documentary short |
Himself |
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson |
2014 |
TV Series |
Himself - Guest |
Metallica Live at Blizzcon |
2014 |
TV Movie |
Himself |
Metallica: This Monster Lives |
2014 |
Documentary short |
Himself |
Hit the Lights: The Making of Metallica Through the Never |
2014 |
Video |
Himself |
The 56th Annual Grammy Awards |
2014 |
TV Special |
Himself - Performer (uncredited) |
Le grand journal de Canal+ |
2013 |
TV Series documentary |
Himself |
Sidewalks Entertainment |
2013 |
TV Series |
Himself - Guest |
Metallica: Amped for IMAX |
2013 |
Short |
Himself |
Metallica Through the Never |
2013 |
|
Himself |
Too Much Horror Business: The Kirk Hammett Collection |
2012 |
Short |
Himself - Host |
Metallica: Quebec Magnetic |
2012 |
Video |
Himself |
Music Nuggets |
2012 |
TV Series |
Himself |
Metal Evolution |
2011-2012 |
TV Series documentary |
Himself |
MSN Exclusives |
2012 |
TV Series |
Himself (2013) |
Rock in Rio |
2011 |
TV Series |
Himself |
That Metal Show |
2011 |
TV Series |
Himself - Guest |
Cry Baby: The Pedal that Rocks the World |
2011 |
Video documentary |
Himself |
X-Play |
2010 |
TV Series |
Himself |
Metallica/Slayer/Megadeth/Anthrax: The Big 4 - Live from Sofia, Bulgaria |
2010 |
Documentary |
Himself |
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage |
2010 |
Documentary |
Himself |
Lemmy |
2010 |
Documentary |
Himself |
Metallica: Orgullo pasión y gloria. Tres noches en la ciudad de México. |
2009 |
Video |
Himself |
Metallica - Français pour une nuit |
2009 |
Video |
Himself - guitar |
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Live: Message of Love |
2009 |
Video |
Himself |
Metallica: In Their Own Words |
2009 |
TV Movie documentary |
Himself |
Guitar Hero: Metallica |
2009 |
Video Game |
Himself |
Lars Ulrich - En metalrod vender hjem |
2008 |
TV Movie documentary |
Himself |
Metallica: The Videos 1989-2004 |
2006 |
Video |
Himself |
Get Thrashed: The Story of Thrash Metal |
2006 |
Documentary |
Himself |
The Darwin Awards |
2006 |
|
Himself |
The Work of Director Anton Corbijn |
2005 |
Video documentary |
Himself (segments "Hero of the Day" and "Mama Said") (as Metallica) |
When Metallica Ruled the World |
2005 |
TV Movie documentary |
Himself |
Late Night with Conan O'Brien |
2005 |
TV Series |
Himself |
Rage |
2004 |
TV Series |
Himself |
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster |
2004 |
Documentary |
Himself |
MTV Backstage Pass: Summer Sanitarium Tailgate Party |
2003 |
TV Short |
Himself |
MTV Video Music Awards 2003 |
2003 |
TV Special |
Himself - Performer (as Metallica) |
Slayer: War at the Warfield |
2003 |
Video documentary |
Himself (In Special Feature) (DVD) |
Boogie |
2003 |
TV Series |
Himself |
Metallica: Dark Souls |
2003 |
Video documentary |
Himself |
Metallica: St. Anger Rehearsals |
2003 |
Video documentary |
Himself (Guitarist) (as Metallica) |
Headbangers Ball |
2003 |
TV Series |
Himself |
MTV Icon: Metallica |
2003 |
TV Special documentary |
Himself (Guitarist) (as Metallica) |
End of the Century |
2003 |
Documentary |
Himself, Metallica |
Classic Albums: Metallica - The Black Album |
2001 |
Video documentary |
Himself (Guitarist) (as Metallica) |
MTV Video Music Awards 2000 |
2000 |
TV Special |
Himself (Guitarist) (as Metallica) |
100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock |
2000 |
TV Mini-Series documentary |
Himself - Member, Metallica |
S&M Documentary |
2000 |
Video short |
Himself (uncredited) |
FanClub |
2000 |
TV Series |
Himself |
Making the Video |
2000 |
TV Series documentary |
Himself |
MADtv |
2000 |
TV Series |
Himself |
Metallica: S&M |
2000 |
TV Special documentary |
Himself (Guitarist) (as Metallica) |
MTV Video Music Awards 1999 |
1999 |
TV Special |
Himself - Performer (as Metallica) |
Woodstock '99 |
1999 |
TV Special |
Himself (Guitarist) (as Metallica) |
Hero of the Day |
1998 |
Video |
Himself (Guitarist) (as Metallica) |
Metallica: Cunning Stunts |
1998 |
Video documentary |
Himself (Guitarist) (as Metallica) |
Metallica: Live Covers |
1998 |
TV Movie |
Himself (Guitarist) (as Metallica) |
Metallica TV |
1998 |
TV Special |
Himself |
Behind the Music |
1998 |
TV Series documentary |
Himself |
Metallica: Reload/Rehearse/Request |
1998 |
TV Movie documentary |
Himself - Guitarist |
Metallimania |
1997 |
Documentary |
Himself |
The 24th Annual American Music Awards |
1997 |
TV Special |
Himself (Guitarist) (as Metallica) |
In a Metal Mood |
1996 |
Documentary |
Himself |
Space Ghost Coast to Coast |
1996 |
TV Series |
Himself |
Woodstock '94 |
1995 |
Video documentary |
Himself (Guitarist) (as Metallica) |
Headbangers Ball |
1995 |
TV Series |
Himself |
Metallica: Live Shit - Binge & Purge, San Diego |
1993 |
Video documentary |
Himself (Guitarist) (as Metallica) |
Metallica: Live Shit - Binge & Purge, Seattle |
1993 |
Video |
Himself |
For Those About to Rock: Monsters in Moscow |
1992 |
Documentary |
Himself (as Metallica) |
MTV Video Music Awards 1992 |
1992 |
TV Special |
Himself - Metallica Guitarist |
A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica |
1992 |
Video documentary |
Himself - Guitarist |
Metallica: Live Tushino Airfield, Moscow 28 Sept 1991 - Monsters of Rock Festival |
1991 |
Video |
Himself (as Metallica) |
Metallica: 2 of One |
1989 |
Video |
Himself (Guitarist) (as Metallica) |
Archive Footage
Archive Footage
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# | Quote |
---|
1 |
I think it's morally wrong to keep someone away from what keeps him happy. |
2 |
There was a lot of anguish after Cliff died, and basically Jason was the punching bag. We vented so much on him, and it wasn't really fair. [on how Metallica coped with the transition from bassist Cliff Burton to Jason Newsted] |
3 |
We were very, very frightened. I had to sit down and take stock of my life and see if I had a life outside the band, because I was questioning if there was even a future for Metallica. That was a scary thought; when you've been in a band for as long as we have, you take for granted that it's always going to be there. [recalling the uncertainty of Metallica's future, after Jason Newsted left the band and James Hetfield entered rehab] |
4 |
A life lived unexplored is a life not worth living. |
# | Trademark |
---|
1 |
ESP Kirk Hammett guitar |
2 |
Curly hair |
3 |
Heavy guitar solos |