Kirk’s response to criticism

[JiveTurkey]

LOL.

The one time painted fingernails is 100% okay on a guy, is when your young daughter paints them for you.

Nuno and Steve are grandfathered in exceptions to this rule. Probably literally

 

[Fireproof]

Nuno and Steve are grandfathered in exceptions to this rule. Probably literally

Totally agree!

 

[duzie]

The guy on the right doesn’t have Black nail polish .

 

[Sascha Franck]

To get that out of the way: I don't like Metallica (particularly out of historic reasons but also because of Ulrich/Hammet). They do deserve some merits in the textbook of modern music history, though. And, most of all, they can obviously just do what they think they should do.

Whatever, what I find to be quite stunning is that people are getting all up in arms about that particular "Lux Æterna" solo. Seriously, for quite some reasons, that solo a) is one of Hammet's better ones and b) works just fine within the song. And remember: I'm saying that as someone who doesn't like Metallica (and Hammet as a guitar player usually even less). So WTF?

Then, as it was linked in the OP's article, I watched this dude's take here:


For REAL? His main criticism is that Hammet's solo has a pretty clear 2-bar oriented form. What? Sure, it might not be the most lyrical way to tell a musical fairytale with your oh-so-great soloing, yet, it's absolutely a very well working structure, especially in that short amount of time. And at least it actually HAS a structure (which plenty of mindless noodlers manage to miss completely, regardless of whatever technical stunts they're able to pull off).
And as if that wasn't enough, he's coming up with his own solo. Which actually left me speechless for a moment. When he said it'd be coming I was like "ok, dude certainly is a monster player and my jaw will drop for sure". But WTF did he come up with? That's got to be *the* perfect prove of someone not understanding what Metallica is about at all. Even I - remember, a dedicated non-fan - have a vastly better understanding. Yeah, guy has chops, but that solo is just as non-fitting as it gets in a Metallica context. Woah...

Anyway, guess all I'm saying is that most people critizising Metallica just have no idea. And Hammet, as much as I generally don't like his playing, has all the rights in the world to laugh his @ss off about those folks.

 

[norminal]

Kirk’s response to criticism

I honestly expected his response to be:

 

[DrewJD82]

To get that out of the way: I don't like Metallica (particularly out of historic reasons but also because of Ulrich/Hammet). They do deserve some merits in the textbook of modern music history, though. And, most of all, they can obviously just do what they think they should do.

Whatever, what I find to be quite stunning is that people are getting all up in arms about that particular "Lux Æterna" solo. Seriously, for quite some reasons, that solo a) is one of Hammet's better ones and b) works just fine within the song. And remember: I'm saying that as someone who doesn't like Metallica (and Hammet as a guitar player usually even less). So WTF?

Then, as it was linked in the OP's article, I watched this dude's take here:


For REAL? His main criticism is that Hammet's solo has a pretty clear 2-bar oriented form. What? Sure, it might not be the most lyrical way to tell a musical fairytale with your oh-so-great soloing, yet, it's absolutely a very well working structure, especially in that short amount of time. And at least it actually HAS a structure (which plenty of mindless noodlers manage to miss completely, regardless of whatever technical stunts they're able to pull off).
And as if that wasn't enough, he's coming up with his own solo. Which actually left me speechless for a moment. When he said it'd be coming I was like "ok, dude certainly is a monster player and my jaw will drop for sure". But WTF did he come up with? That's got to be *the* perfect prove of someone not understanding what Metallica is about at all. Even I - remember, a dedicated non-fan - have a vastly better understanding. Yeah, guy has chops, but that solo is just as non-fitting as it gets in a Metallica context. Woah...

Anyway, guess all I'm saying is that most people critizising Metallica just have no idea. And Hammet, as much as I generally don't like his playing, has all the rights in the world to laugh his @ss off about those folks.

Yep, that dude’s solo was indeed EXACTLY what Kirk said he has zero interest in writing these days. It’s almost like that dude read the article first and checked off everything Kirk said he didn’t want to do as a lead player.

 

[la szum]

Metallica (including Kirk) are a Force of Nature. Full stop. Their critics mostly have Momma warming up a Lean Cuisine
in the Microwave so they can non-stop shitpost on the Interwebz.

Notice the difference? I do.

End of story.

 

[Warmart]

Y'all are making me proud with your responses. Quite refreshing from what I usually see on guitar forums.

 

[Gearzilla]

YouTube clickbait strikes again™

 

[JiveTurkey]

 

[Gearzilla]

The guy on the right doesn’t have Black nail polish .

 

[metropolis_4]

Here’s what confuses me…

We’ve been listening to Kirk play for almost 40 years now.

So why is anyone surprised when a new album comes out and Kirk Hammett sounds like… Kirk Hammett?!?!

“I know he sounded like himself on the last 12 albums, but this time I was sure he was gonna sound like Vai!”

 

[metropolis_4]

Also didn’t we move past the BS idea that technical skill equals good music back in the early 90s?

I thought Winger taught us all that lesson with their cover of Purple Haze

 

[Sascha Franck]

I thought Winger taught us all that lesson with their cover of Purple Haze

My-oh-my, didn't even know that existed. Kinda like an instructional lesson about how to get everything wrong.

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

Nuno and Steve are grandfathered in exceptions to this rule. Probably literally

I was gonna say burners like them get a pass

 

[la szum]

After listening to the new album in its entirety several times I have to say there are more
bluesy double stops on this new album from Kirk than SRV used on Texas Flood.

 

[la szum]

I do miss some of the well-thought out and pre-arranged solo pieces from say Master Of Puppets
era Kirk. He seems to be in that improvise multiple takes mode and just going for it these days.

Nothing wrong with a little structure now and then, though. Breaks up the monotony of an either/or
approach.

 

[la szum]

Bring back Modal Kirk. He was cool, too!

 

[JiveTurkey]

I do miss some of the well-thought out and pre-arranged solo pieces from say Master Of Puppets
era Kirk. He seems to be in that improvise multiple takes mode and just going for it these days.

Nothing wrong with a little structure now and then, though. Breaks up the monotony of an either/or
approach.

The orchestration and Cliff's knowledge of theory and sense of harmony are sorely missed.

 

[AlbertA]

Kirk comes across as defensive and insecure in that interview.

We all know Kirk can be lazy, Bob Rock knew it and pushed him to write some good solos


So yeah either Rasmussen or Cliff pushed him to write better solos before the Black album... or he just had that hunger - which most times just seems to die after being made for life.