Episode 123: James Hetfield & Kirk Hammett on Music, Surfing, and Humor

This week on The Metallica Report… Steffan and Renée settle in as official TMR Roving Reporter Robert Trujillo takes the reins. Robert chimes in on the band’s recent stint in Qatar, Bahrain, and Abu Dhabi as Metallica helped celebrate the thrilling finale of the Formula 1 season. He offers views and vibes from the stage, brings us into the F1 pits with the cars themselves, and manages to find great waves in Dubai! 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… Kirk Hammett speaks with Steffan and Renée about the importance of surfing whenever possible on tour. Meanwhile, James Hetfield discusses how he finds new music in 2025, plus he shares what’s keeping him smiling these days. The Metallica Report – your official, weekly guide for all things Metallica, straight from the source. New episode every Wednesday.   AWMH on CBS Sunday Morning: metallica.lnk.to/awmh-cbs 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… James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett join Steffan Chirazi to discuss what Thanksgiving means to them and share their holiday plans. But first, we enjoy a good old-fashioned roundtable conversation with Chapter Heads Dainen Pearce (Australian Anesthesia), Justin Powell (Melbourne Militia), and Rod Williams (Acting Like A Tasmaniac) to put a bow on a spectacular run of shows through Australia and New Zealand.  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 joins the band Down Under and gets the chance to sit down with James and Robert to hear a bit about the on- and off-stage shenanigans the guys have gotten up to in Australia. Surrounded by old friends and family, this leg of the M72 World Tour has proven to be a memorable one! Renée connects with Lise Sperling, a representative from Women's Community Shelters, one of Metallica and All Within My Hands’ donation recipients in Sydney. The Metallica Report – your official, weekly guide for all things Metallica, straight from the source. New episode every Wednesday.   #MetallicaGivesBack in Sydney: Metallica.lnk.to/TGT-Sydney  Women’s Community Shelters: womenscommunityshelters.org.au  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   Become A Fifth Member: metallica.com/register Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Metallica Report… Steffan and Renée check in with Robert Trujillo as the band commences their tour Down Under in Perth. They also hear from Dainen Pearce, Chapter Head for Australian Anesthesia, about his Perth experience, and Rod Williams, Chapter Head for Acting Like A Tasmaniac, on his thoughts about the Adelaide gig. Both chapter heads also discuss the global Metallica community that has come to visit the party. The Metallica Report – your official, weekly guide for all things Metallica, straight from the source. New episode every Wednesday.   Wanna be featured in a future debate? metallica.com/podcast   Become A Fifth Member: metallica.com/register  Fan Club Homepage: metallica.com/fans    Music from The Metallica Report: metallica.lnk.to/TMR-music  Upcoming Tour Dates: metallica.com/tour Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Metallica Report… Steffan and Renée pick back up with part two of The Fan Debate, featuring super fans Don & Carla Hammond and Tricia & Andrew Dowis. This week, it’s all about the music as the couples go back and forth naming which Metallica song they would crown as the most underrated, the best for date night, the best cover song, and which holds the best Hetfield lyrics. The Metallica Report – your official, weekly guide for all things Metallica, straight from the source. New episode every Wednesday.   Wanna be featured in a future debate? metallica.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Metallica Report… Steffan and Renée sit down with two Metallica super-fan couples, Don & Carla Hammond and Tricia & Andrew Dowis, in this TMR debut of The Fan Debate. From ultimate band dinner guest to best live show, the quartet shares entertaining, provocative, and thoughtful opinions as they react and respond to our hosts’ questions.   Become A Fifth Member: metallica.com/register  Fan Club Homepage: metallica.com/fans   Music from The Metallica Report: metallica.lnk.to/TMR-music  Upcoming Tour Dates: metallica.com/tour Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Metallica Report… Steff sits down to talk about various aspects of collecting with Kirk Hammett, who, aside from being a guitar legend, is also a legendary collector of various items such as horror memorabilia and, of course, guitars. Kirk discusses a few of his favorite horror pieces, tales of rare acquisitions, collecting challenges, his personal collecting philosophy, and why he will always be a collector. Kirk Hammett: https://linktr.ee/KirkHammett  The KVH Collection: https://kvhcollection.com  The Metallica Black Box: metallica.com/museum  Music from The Metallica Report: metallica.lnk.to/TMR-music  Upcoming Tour Dates: metallica.com/tour Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Metallica Report… We wrap up our final 2025 visit to Iveniem, home to the real-life Metallica Black Box. Dan Nykolayko (Metallica’s in-house curator) and Ally Bace (Inveniem archivist) join Steffan to sift through boxes, bags, and tapes to uncover more rich Metalli-gold. The excitement during this last mad rummage is palpable as the trio uncovers vintage Polaroids, ancient demos, and two hidden gems that left Dan’s gloved hands scrambling to pick his jaw up off the floor. The Metallica Black Box: metallica.com/museum  Music from The Metallica Report: metallica.lnk.to/TMR-music   Upcoming Tour Dates: metallica.com/tour Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Metallica Report… Steffan and Renée deep dive into the #GetTheLoadOut Fan Cover Song Contest currently running across Metallica’s social channels, where fans are invited to offer their interpretations of each track on Load. Renée also sits down with musician, content creator, and influencer Josh Rezz—who will be guest judging a couple of the forthcoming submissions—to discuss what makes a compelling cover version.   The Metallica Report – your official, weekly guide for all things Metallica, straight from the source. New episode every Wednesday. #GetTheLoadOut: instagram.com/p/DOOw2vQFD5Y  OverLoad in The Metallica Black Box: metallica.com/museum  Josh Rezz: linktr.ee/joshrezz  Music from The Metallica Report: metallica.lnk.to/TMR-music  Upcoming Tour Dates: metallica.com/tour  Wanna be featured on a future episode? Submit your questions or comments: metallica.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices