Kirk Hammett

 

Born Kirk Lee Hammett on the 18th of November 1962, Kirk Hammett is the esteemed lead guitarist of the world famous heavy metal outfit Metallica. Among other honors, Hammett has been ranked in Rolling Stone magazine’s “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time” issue. The famous guitarist Joe Satriani taught him.

Hammett, who is half Irish and half Filipino, was asked to join the band in the year 1983 shortly after former lead guitarist Dave Mustaine was kicked out for erratic behavior and substance abuse problems. This enabled Hammett to record on the band’s debut record, Kill Em All.

Hammett is known for composing some of Metallica’s best-known riffs, including the main one used in the song “Enter Sandman,” which he allegedly wrote in a hotel room in the middle of the night. That song would go on to be named on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”

In the year 2004, Hammett was featured with the rest of the band in the documentary film Some Kind of Monster, which addressed the recording of the band’s album St. Anger. One of the embarrassing aspects of the film dealt with Hammett’s desire to have guitar solos on the album, something that the other band members and producer Bob Rock felt did not fit with the songs.

Hammett’s trademark sound includes extensive use of the wah wah pedal. He has cited Jimi Hendrix as being a major lasting influence on his work.

Hammett is currently married to his second wife, Lani, with whom he lives in San Francisco, California. The two had a son, Angel Ray Keala Hammett, who was born on the 29th of September 2006. Hammett’s brother, Richard Likong, is an esteemed photographer who has done some work with Metallica in the past.