“We certainly don’t want to be a legacy band”: James Hetfield on why Metallica won’t just play the hits
Metallica will never be a band who’ll only play their greatest hits, according to vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield.
Since April 2023, when their latest record 72 Seasons landed, the thrash metal band has been touring the globe for their mighty M72 World Tour. The colossal stint kicks off once again in 2025 for shows across the US and Canada.
READ MORE: “When you guys played Whiplash, Kurt went insane”: Kirk Hammett recalls the time Kurt Cobain was in the mosh pit for a Metallica show
In a new episode of The Metallica Report podcast, Hetfield is asked what he’ll be bringing from the experiences of touring so far for their 2025 run.
“I think the confidence, the fact that the 72 Seasons album is well-received and some of the songs that we’re playing live work and they fit seamlessly in with all the catalogue and all the albums we have. We’re not afraid of it but we’re not over indulging in it,” he begins.
“We know that people wanna hear the best stuff, and you gotta challenge them to listen to the new stuff as well because we certainly don’t wanna be a legacy band that just plays the greatest hits and then that’s it, you know? It’s all part of it.”
Also speaking on their tour, Hetfield opened up about how they’re embracing any mishaps that happen live. If they need to start a song over, they do so with comfort: “There’s a freedom up there that the fans allow, there’s a grace that they allow us to be human, so there’s a confidence that you can’t go wrong… You show up and you do your best,” he states.
Check out the podcast episode below:
Back in August, guitarist Kirk Hammett revealed that the band plan to continue playing shows for as long as they can, referencing The Rolling Stones as an example of what they hope to achieve. “The Stones are setting another precedent playing into their 80s,” he said in an interview with Star Tribune. “That’s inspiring to us, man. That’s our goal.”
Metallica will perform at Sick New World festival in April next year, before continuing their M72 tour. Tickets are still available.
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