You don't have to shred like Yngwie or drum like Meshuggah's Tomas Haake to be in a great band, and Metallica's James Hetfield knows this. In a new interview with Cigar Aficionado, Hetfield claims the members of Metallica are "really average players," but have relied on their collective chemistry to create their success.
"I know individually we're all really average players, but when you put us together something happens," Hetfield told the magazine, as transcribed by Far Out Magazine. "Something really happens…. Getting up and jamming with people is like a nightmare for me."
Obviously, there're millions of fans out there who wouldn't dream of describing Metallica's players as "average," but apparently that's how Hetfield feels about he and his bandmate's abilities. Elsewhere in the interview, Hetfield opened up about the chronic stage fright he felt when the band were just starting out in the early 80s.
"Early shows were really difficult, I was so shy," the thrash pioneer said. "[I] didn't want to talk. I'd have the other guys in the band introduce the songs. [Now] I feel so comfortable up there, it's so weird. Sitting down one-on-one with someone is a lot more anxiety ridden than standing up in front of 10,000 people, 20,000 people."
Metallica's M72 World Tour is set to kick off on April 27th at Amsterdam's Johan Cruijff Arena. Their new album, 72 Seasons, is due out April 14th and available for pre-order on vinyl at Revolver's shop.
