Episode 135: Anatomy of A Song with Kirk Hammett on Fuel and Creeping Death

This week on The Metallica Report… Steff and Renée chat with former tour manager Tony Smith, who shares tales of his time with the band during the halcyon days of the late ’80s to the late ’90s. Tony talks about how he got involved with the band, early signs they were getting big, fax machines, and a legendary story titled “The Bet” involving Mr. Smith and a Porsche.  The Metallica Report – your official, weekly guide for all things Metallica, straight from the source. New episode every Wednesday. Become A Fifth Member: metallica.com/register  Music from The Metallica Report: metallica.lnk.to/TMR-music  Upcoming Tour Dates: metallica.com/tour  Wanna be featured in a future fan debate? metallica.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Metallica Report… Steffan and Renée discuss Metallica’s forthcoming residency at Sphere in Las Vegas: Life Burns Faster. Joining them in the anticipation and excitement are Kirk Hammett and Lars Ulrich, with Lars having recently taken part in the inaugural ’Tallica Talk phone-in show on SiriusXM’s Maximum Metallica.  The Metallica Report – your official, weekly guide for all things Metallica, straight from the source. New episode every Wednesday. Sphere - Life Burns Faster: metallica.lnk.to/MetallicaSphere Maximum Metallica: metallica.lnk.to/MaximumMetallica  Become A Fifth Member: metallica.com/register  Music from The Metallica Report: metallica.lnk.to/TMR-music  Upcoming Tour Dates: metallica.com/tour Wanna be featured in a future fan debate? metallica.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Metallica Report… Kirk Hammett checks in from the tropics to bring us through two songs he had a major hand in, “Fuel” and “Creeping Death.” In each case, he looks back at the influences that helped the ideas grow, as well as the guitars used to create them, and offers further insight into how the creative Kirk mind works. The Metallica Report – your official, weekly guide for all things Metallica, straight from the source. New episode every Wednesday. The Kirk Hammett Collection: kvhcollection.com Become A Fifth Member: metallica.com/register  Music from The Metallica Report: metallica.lnk.to/TMR-music  Upcoming Tour Dates: metallica.com/tour  Wanna be featured in a future fan debate? metallica.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Metallica Report… Steffan and Renée host another round of Hardwired To Disagree, where two Metallica Family members go head-to-head answering a series of ’Tallica-themed questions. This week’s passionate opinions are brought to us by Victoria Anderson and Brian Sharma, who—between flutes, barbecues, 30th anniversary shows, and Lulu—came prepared to entertain!  The Metallica Report – your official, weekly guide for all things Metallica, straight from the source. New episode every Wednesday. Become A Fifth Member: metallica.com/register  Music from The Metallica Report: metallica.lnk.to/TMR-music  Upcoming Tour Dates: metallica.com/tour  Wanna be featured in a future fan debate? metallica.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Metallica Report… February 10 would have been Cliff Burton’s 64th birthday. In honor of our bell-bottomed titan of the bass, Robert Trujillo treats us to an in-depth conversation about “The Call of Ktulu” and “Orion.” He discusses the joys and challenges of learning the songs and bringing them to life, sharing the responsibility he feels to honor the tracks' DNA while infusing his own unique flavors into the recipes. And he muses on how the two instrumentals have become core heartbeats of Metallica’s live performances. The Metallica Report – your official, weekly guide for all things Metallica, straight from the source. New episode every Wednesday. “The Call of Ktulu” (Chicago, IL - August 11, 2024 ): metallica.lnk.to/ktulu-chicago-2024  “Orion” (Philadelphia, PA - May 23, 2025): metallica.lnk.to/orion-philadelphia-2025  Metallica Museum - Orion: A Tribute To Cliff Burton: metallica.lnk.to/orion-exhibit  Become A Fifth Member: metallica.com/register  Music from The Metallica Report: metallica.lnk.to/TMR-music  Upcoming Tour Dates: metallica.com/tour  Wanna be featured in a future fan debate? metallica.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Metallica Report… Steffan and Renée speak with the real Metallica fans cast to model the band’s collaboration with cultural footwear icons Dr. Martens. From their relationship with Metallica to answering the casting call to seeing themselves in this global promotional campaign, we hear all about this whirlwind experience from father-daughter duo Rob and Ruby, and from footwear and Metallica fanatic Kesh. The Metallica Report – your official, weekly guide for all things Metallica, straight from the source. New episode every Wednesday. The Dr. Martens x Metallica Collection: metallica.com/store/dr-martens  Become A Fifth Member: metallica.com/register  Music from The Metallica Report: metallica.lnk.to/TMR-music  Upcoming Tour Dates: metallica.com/tour  Wanna be featured in a future fan debate? metallica.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Metallica Report… Steffan and Renée listen to Robert Trujillo break down one of 72 Season's deeper cuts, “You Must Burn!” Rob reveals why it is such a favorite of his, discusses how the song was written and what Metallica’s songwriting process is, and shares his “equipment secrets,” namely, which specific bass wins out in the studio and on stage. The Metallica Report – your official, weekly guide for all things Metallica, straight from the source. New episode every Wednesday. “You Must Burn!” (Official Music Video): youtu.be/YBq9Kfdp6O4  Become A Fifth Member: metallica.com/register  Music from The Metallica Report: metallica.lnk.to/TMR-music  Upcoming Tour Dates: metallica.com/tour  Wanna be featured in a future fan debate? metallica.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Metallica Report… Steffan and Renée pose Metalli-questions to members of Virginia Fuel, one of the band’s local fan club chapters, in the return of Hardwired to Disagree. This latest debate keeps things all in the family for a classic battle of the sexes… will you side with the men or the women? The Metallica Report – your official, weekly guide for all things Metallica, straight from the source. New episode every Wednesday. Become A Fifth Member: metallica.com/register  Music from The Metallica Report: metallica.lnk.to/TMR-music  Upcoming Tour Dates: metallica.com/tour  Wanna be featured in a future fan debate? metallica.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Metallica Report… It’s an early 2026 check-in with James Hetfield! From the big picture to day-to-day, he shares what three years of the M72 World Tour have taught him and what TV shows have been keeping him entertained lately. Meanwhile, Steff and Renée look back on "The Maximum Countdown," which closed out 2025 on SiriusXM’s Maximum Metallica, featuring the top 72 Metallica songs as voted on by fans. The Metallica Report – your official, weekly guide for all things Metallica, straight from the source. New episode every Wednesday.   Listen to Maximum Metallica: metallica.lnk.to/MaximumMetallica  Become A Fifth Member: metallica.com/register  Music from The Metallica Report: metallica.lnk.to/TMR-music  Upcoming Tour Dates: metallica.com/tour  Wanna be featured in a future fan debate? metallica.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Metallica Report… It’s another installment of our favorite fan debate segment, Hardwired to Disagree, where Steff and Renée pitch ’Talli-questions and scenarios to die-hard members of the Metallica Family. Chris Cantz, Chris Clark, and Daniel Guthormsen engage in a lively and passionate discussion; will they find common ground? Or are they Hardwired to Disagree? The Metallica Report – your official, weekly guide for all things Metallica, straight from the source. New episode every Wednesday.   Become A Fifth Member: metallica.com/register  Music from The Metallica Report: metallica.lnk.to/TMR-music  Upcoming Tour Dates: metallica.com/tour  Wanna be featured in a future fan debate? metallica.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices