| Kirk Hammett | |
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 Kirk Hammett performing with Metallica in Vienna in 2007. Vienna ( in Wien; see also other names) is the Capital of Austria, and is also one of the nine States of Austria.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kirk Lee Hammett |
| Born | November 18, 1962 San Francisco, CA, U.S. |
| Genre(s) | Heavy metal, thrash metal, hard rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, Songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar |
| Years active | 1979 - present |
| Label(s) | Warner Bros., Elektra, Vertigo, Megaforce |
| Associated acts | Metallica, Exodus |
| Website | Metallica Website |
| Notable instrument(s) | |
| ESP KH-2 and KH-3 Signature models | |
Kirk Lee Hammett (born on November 18, 1962) is the lead guitarist and a songwriter in the band Metallica and has been a member of the band since 1983. Events 326 - The old St Peter's Basilica is consecrated 1302 - Pope Boniface VIII issues the Papal bull Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Thrash metal (sometimes referred to simply as thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized by its fast tempo and aggression Hard rock (also referred to as heavy rock) is a variation of Rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage and Psychedelic rock A musician is a person who plays or writes Music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music An instrumentalist plays a A songwriter is someone who writes the Lyrics to songs the Musical composition (chords or Melody to songs or both A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. The guitar is a Musical instrument with ancient roots that is used in a wide variety of musical styles In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Warner Bros Records Inc is an American Record label that operates as a wholly owned Subsidiary of Warner Music Group. Elektra Records is a now-dormant American Record label owned by Warner Music Group (WMG and from 2004 on operating under WMG's Atlantic Records Vertigo Records was the name Philips Records chose in the sixties for its Record label to counter the progressive labels of its rivals EMI (with Megaforce Records has been the Record label for bands in the heavy metal genres and also rock genres including Metallica, Anthrax, Testament Metallica is an American heavy metal band that formed in 1981 in. Exodus is an American Thrash metal band formed in 1980 in San Francisco, California by guitarist Gary Holt, current Metallica The ESP Kirk Hammett (or just ESP KH) is a range of Electric guitars produced by ESP Guitars based on the custom models of Kirk Hammett. Events 326 - The old St Peter's Basilica is consecrated 1302 - Pope Boniface VIII issues the Papal bull Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Lead guitar refers to the use of a Guitar to perform Melody lines instrumental fill passages, and Guitar solos within a song structure Metallica is an American heavy metal band that formed in 1981 in. Respected among his peers for his guitar style, in 2003 he was ranked 11th in Rolling Stone's list - The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Rolling Stone is a United States -based Magazine devoted to Music, Politics, and Popular culture that is published [1]
Contents |
Biography
Early life
Born in San Francisco to a Filipino mother and an Irish Merchant Marine father, Kirk Hammett attended De Anza High School in El Sobrante, California when his family moved to the East Bay where he met Les Claypool from Primus. The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Overview The merchant marine is a civilian auxiliary of the U De Anza High School is a Secondary school located in Richmond, California, named after Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza El Sobrante is a Census-designated place (CDP in Contra Costa County, California, United States. The East Bay is a subregion of the San Francisco Bay Area, California, United States and comprises Alameda and Contra Costa Counties Leslie Edward "Les" Claypool (born September 29, 1963 in Richmond, California, U As a child and teenager, he showed great interest in his older brother Rick's extensive collection of guitars, Rickenbacker Basses and hard rock records, including material by Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Status Quo, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and UFO. The guitar is a Musical instrument with ancient roots that is used in a wide variety of musical styles For the American WWI fighter pilot see Eddie Rickenbacker. For the airport see Rickenbacker International Airport. Hard rock (also referred to as heavy rock) is a variation of Rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage and Psychedelic rock Led Zeppelin were Black Sabbath are an Status quo is a Latin term meaning the present existing state of affairs or "the state in which" James Marshall Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix) (November 27 1942 – September 18 1970 was an American Guitarist, Singer and Songwriter UFO are an English Hard rock band formed in 1969 UFO became a transitional band between early Hard rock and heavy metal and the New One of his biggest influences was Jimi Hendrix, and Hammett was quoted as saying he wanted to be Jimi. James Marshall Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix) (November 27 1942 – September 18 1970 was an American Guitarist, Singer and Songwriter He has also performed parts of Hendrix's songs during his guitar solos. He took up the guitar for the first time at the age of fifteen, beginning with a Montgomery Ward catalog special and little more than a shoebox with a four inch speaker for an amplifier. After picking up a 1978 Fender Stratocaster, Hammett attempted to customize his sound with various guitar parts, eventually falling for a 1974 Gibson Flying V. He also took a job at Burger King to raise money for a Marshall amplifier.
Pre-Metallica
Hammett's musical interests eventually drew him into the fledgling thrash metal genre. In 1980, he formed the group Exodus with vocalist Paul Baloff, guitarist Gary Holt, bassist Geoff Andrews, and drummer Tom Hunting. Exodus is an American Thrash metal band formed in 1980 in San Francisco, California by guitarist Gary Holt, current Metallica Paul Baloff ( April 25, 1960 &ndash February 2, 2002) was an American singer most notable for his time in Thrash metal band Gary Wayne Holt (born May 4, 1964 in Richmond, California) is an American guitarist from San Francisco California. Tom Hunting is an American drummer famous for his work with the band Exodus. He played on Exodus' 1982 Demo. 1982 Demo is Thrash metal band Exodus 's first demo tape It is the only band compilation to feature Kirk Hammett on guitars before he departed Exodus was a crucial early player in the Bay Area thrash movement. Bay Area thrash metal, or " Bay Area thrash," refers to a steady following of heavy metal bands in the 1980s who formed and gained international status in
Metallica
Hammett was invited to join Metallica following the dismissal of the band's original lead guitarist Dave Mustaine in 1983. Metallica is an American heavy metal band that formed in 1981 in. David Scott Mustaine (born September 13, 1961 in La Mesa, California USA) is the lead/rhythm Guitarist, Songwriter Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) This was prior to the release of Kill 'Em All. Kill 'Em All is the debut album by Metallica. It was recorded in only two weeks on a small budget At the time Hammett was taking private guitar lessons from the now-famous Joe Satriani. Joseph "Satch" Satriani (born July 15, 1956 in Westbury New York, U In 2002, he became the first inductee into Guitar World magazine's "Hall of Fame". Guitar World is a monthly Music Magazine devoted to Guitarists It contains original interviews album and gear
Though he is primarily Metallica's lead guitarist, Hammett has written and contributed riffs for Metallica songs since the mid-1980s (particularly in the 1990s during the Load(album)|Load]] era). Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) One of these riffs, used in "Enter Sandman", was written in a hotel room at 3:00 am, and became one of Metallica's most popular songs. " Enter Sandman " is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica, featured as the Opening track and lead single from their It was voted # 22 in the greatest in top 40 metal songs. It was the first track and first single on Metallica's self-titled "Black Album" and was ranked 399th on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time. Metallica (also known as The Black Album) is the self-titled 5th studio Album by the American heavy metal band Rolling Stone is a United States -based Magazine devoted to Music, Politics, and Popular culture that is published Also the riff for "Creeping Death" was originally an Exodus riff that Kirk took with him to Metallica. " Creeping Death " is a song by Metallica and is the seventh track on their 1984 album Ride the Lightning. Kirk has often been criticised for his extensive use of the wah-wah pedal in his solos, but he insists, "The wah-wah is an extension of my personality". A wah-wah pedal (or just wah pedal) is a type of Guitar Effects pedal that alters the tone of the signal to create a distinctive effect intended to mimic He also once said, "They'll have to cut off my leg if they want me to stop using the wah-wah pedal". Kirk wanted to have guitar solos on Metallica's 2003 album, St. Anger, but drummer Lars Ulrich and producer Bob Rock thought that the solos did not sound right in the songs. St Anger is the eighth studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on June 5, 2003. Lars Ulrich (born December 26 1963) is a Danish Drummer best known as the co-founder of the American heavy metal Robert Jens Rock, aka Bob Rock (born 19 April, 1954 in Winnipeg, Manitoba) is a Canadian Musician He later himself admitted, "We tried to put in solos but they sounded like an afterthought so we left them out".
Personal life
Kirk Hammett has been married twice. His first marriage to ex-wife Rebecca ended in 1990, during the recording of the Black Album, which consumed the band members' lives for almost an entire year. He now resides in San Francisco with Lani, his second wife, whom he married in 1998. On September 29th, 2006, Kirk and Lani had a son, named Angel Ray Keala Hammett. Events 522 BC - Darius I of Persia kills the Magian usurper Gaumâta securing his hold as king of the Persian Empire. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. He enjoys surfing.
Other appearances
In 2005, Hammett played guitar on the Carlos Santana track "Trinity". For the Costa Rican football player see Carlos Santana (footballer; for the Mexican academic see Carlos Santana Morales. All That I Am is the follow-up Album to Santana 's 2002 studio release Shaman.
In 2006, Hammett voiced himself on The Simpsons ("The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer"). " The Mook the Chef the Wife and Her Homer " Plot While driving Springfield Elementary School's student's to school Otto stops to meet the members He also provided various voices on the Adult Swim show Metalocalypse, including a two fingered fan ("The Curse of Dethklok"), The Queen of Denmark ("Happy Dethday"), and a Finnish barkeep ("Dethtroll"). Adult Swim, (usually stylized swim with its signature square Brackets, is an adult-oriented Television network sharing channel space with Cartoon Metalocalypse is an American Animated television series on Adult Swim created by Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha. This is a list of Danish Monarchs, that is the Kings and Queens regnant of Denmark. * He also appeared as a guest in an episode of Space Ghost: Coast to Coast titled "Jacksonville" alongside fellow Metallica member James Hetfield. Space Ghost Coast to Coast is an animated spoof talk show The main characters of the show include Space Ghost, Zorak, Moltar, and James Alan Hetfield (born August 3, 1963, in Downey California) is the main Songwriter, co-founder vocalist and Rhythm guitarist
Metallica feature in the 2006 film "The Darwin Awards"
Hammett played guitar on the track "Satan" with Orbital for The Spawn: The Album soundtrack released in July 1997. The Darwin Awards is a Comedy film based on the website of the same name.
Equipment
At Mid-January 2007, ESP Guitar Company has announced the release of a 20th anniversary Limited KH-20 Guitar, to celebrate 20 years of relationship with Kirk Hammett (based upon the KH-2 guitar with some modification). There will only be 41 guitars made and the price has been set at $9,999. [2]
In September of 2007, Randall Amplifiers announced a partnership with Hammett to design a line of signature amps, heads, combos and preamp modules. [3]
Guitars
- ESP M-II "Zorlac". located in North Hollywood California, is a manufacturer of Electric guitars and basses, originally from Japan. This was the starting line for the whole KH series. It features a vertical skull & crossbones as opposed to the horizontal ones featured on today's KH's, and an upside down Jackson Guitars style headstock which is what Kirk originally intended. Jackson is a Guitar manufacturer originally owned and operated by Grover Jackson a partner of Wayne Charvel of Charvel Guitar Repair. However, Jackson Guitars was not thrilled about this, and threatened law suits if this model ever hit stores. Jackson is a Guitar manufacturer originally owned and operated by Grover Jackson a partner of Wayne Charvel of Charvel Guitar Repair. So the headstock was changed to a typical ESP but flipped upside down. located in North Hollywood California, is a manufacturer of Electric guitars and basses, originally from Japan. [4][5]
- ESP KH-2 (Main touring guitar) Kirk's signature model guitar is based upon the modifications he made to his M-II. located in North Hollywood California, is a manufacturer of Electric guitars and basses, originally from Japan. (Nicknamed "Skully" because of the skull and crossbone inlays)[6]
- ESP KH-2 M-II - Boris Karloff Mummy I graphic (Kirk's favorite guitar. located in North Hollywood California, is a manufacturer of Electric guitars and basses, originally from Japan. Boris Karloff ( 23 November, &ndash 2 February,) was an English actor who emigrated to Canada in the 1910s Kirk owns the rights to the image on it and it will NOT be released by ESP. [7]
- ESP KH-2 M-II - Ouija. located in North Hollywood California, is a manufacturer of Electric guitars and basses, originally from Japan. This guitar contains 2 spelling errors on it. It sports the words "WILLIAM FUED TALKING BAARD SET" but it in fact should say "WILLIAM FULD TALKING BOARD SET"[8]
- ESP KH-2 M-II - Boris Karloff Mummy II graphic. located in North Hollywood California, is a manufacturer of Electric guitars and basses, originally from Japan. Same as the Mummy I but with hieroglyph inlays. [9][10]
- ESP KH-2 M-II "Fuck You" KH-4. located in North Hollywood California, is a manufacturer of Electric guitars and basses, originally from Japan. It's the same as a typical KH-2, but with a pearloid pickguard, dot inlays, a Roland midi unit (for roland vg8/vg88), and the words "FUCK YOU" written at the 12th fret. [11]
- ESP ESP MII Skully 7 String. located in North Hollywood California, is a manufacturer of Electric guitars and basses, originally from Japan. Though it belongs to Kirk, James mainly used it in the studio for St. Anger, as Kirk does not tour with it[12]
- ESP KH-3 Eclipse - Pushead Spider graphic. located in North Hollywood California, is a manufacturer of Electric guitars and basses, originally from Japan. It is taken from a classic Les Paul Jr. shape with a floyd rose vibrato and EMG pickups. The Gibson Les Paul Jr was initially released in 1954 as an affordable entry level Les Paul electric guitar [13]
- Gibson Les Paul Custom from 1968. The Gibson Les Paul is a solidbody Electric guitar originally developed in the early 1950s Kirk also uses regular Les Pauls at some performances[14]
- Jackson Randy Rhoads Model RR1T custom made specifically for Kirk. The Jackson Randy Rhoads was the Electric guitar that was originally commissioned by Guitarist Randy Rhoads, and is now produced by Jackson Guitars It is usually tuned one step down from standard tuning, and used for the song "Sad But True". " Sad but True " is a heavy metal song recorded by Metallica for their fifth studio album Metallica. [15]
- ESP KH-1 Flying V[16]
- ESP KH-2 M-II - Skull & Crossbones II
- ESP M-II Red Frankenstein graphic
- ESP M-II Skull & Crossbones I
- ESP WaveCaster Blue- Wave Machine (Only 3 in existence. located in North Hollywood California, is a manufacturer of Electric guitars and basses, originally from Japan. located in North Hollywood California, is a manufacturer of Electric guitars and basses, originally from Japan. located in North Hollywood California, is a manufacturer of Electric guitars and basses, originally from Japan. located in North Hollywood California, is a manufacturer of Electric guitars and basses, originally from Japan. located in North Hollywood California, is a manufacturer of Electric guitars and basses, originally from Japan. )[17]
- Fender Stratocaster 1998 - American black and green Stratocaster
- 1974 Gibson Flying V (Used mainly for recording the first four albums. The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as the Strat, is a model of Electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton and Freddie Tavares The Gibson Flying V is an Electric guitar model first released by Gibson in 1958. In 1989 he replaced the stock pickups with EMG 81s. Was the third guitar he ever owned. [18]
Kirk Hammett's first guitar was a Montgomery Ward brand guitar, with a shoebox and small speaker for an amplifier. [19]
Metallica's "St. Anger" DVD rehearsals features a new guitar which has "Invisible Kid" written on it, which he uses in the song "Invisible Kid".
On the 25th anniversary of Metallica's Kill 'Em All, Kirk Hammett appears on the cover of Feb. Metallica is an American heavy metal band that formed in 1981 in. Kill 'Em All is the debut album by Metallica. It was recorded in only two weeks on a small budget 2008's Guitar World sporting his new custom ESP[20]
Amplifiers
- Randall RM100KH signature model (modified version of the MTS series RM100)
- Various models of Marshall and Mesa Boogie
- Fender Twin
Cabinets
- RS412KHX
- RS412KH100
Pickups, effects and other equipment
- EMG 81 pickups at bridge and neck positions
- rack-mounted Dunlop Cry Baby with expression pedals
- Ibanez Tube Screamer TS-9
- Native Instruments Guitar Rig 3 Kontrol edition
- Line 6 MM4 modulation & DL4 delay effect stompboxes
- Lovetone Meatball pedal (used on I Disappear)
- Jim Dunlop Tortex 0. Guitar World is a monthly Music Magazine devoted to Guitarists It contains original interviews album and gear EMG 81 is a famous active Humbucker Guitar pickup manufactured by EMG. The Jim Dunlop Cry Baby (also known as the Crybaby) is a highly popular Wah-wah pedal, manufactured by Dunlop Manufacturing Inc The Ibanez Tube Screamer is an overdrive Effect pedal produced by Ibanez which is named for the fact that its light Distortion is similar to Line 6 is a manufacturer of Digital modelling Electric guitars Acoustic guitars, amplifiers and Lovetone is the name of a manufacturer of analog Effect pedals in England in the 1990s. Dunlop Manufacturing Inc, known to many as Jim Dunlop, is a popular music supplies company based in Benicia California, U 88mm custom picks (green)
- Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom (. Ernie Ball (1930 – September 9 2004) was an American Entrepreneur, musician and innovator widely acclaimed as a revolutionary in the development 10-. 52) strings
- custom Levy's strap
- Radial Tonebone Hot British distortion pedal
- Hammett also puts white masking tape around his knuckles when he plays live because he sometimes cuts his fingers while playing because of palm muting. .
Discography
Exodus
Metallica
- Kill 'Em All
- Ride the Lightning
- Master of Puppets
- ...And Justice for All
- Metallica
- Load
- ReLoad
- St. Anger
- Metallica's ninth studio album
See also
References
- ^ "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time", Rolling Stone, August 27, 2003. 1982 Demo is Thrash metal band Exodus 's first demo tape It is the only band compilation to feature Kirk Hammett on guitars before he departed The discography of Metallica a San Francisco -based Thrash metal band consists of nine Studio albums two EPs, two Live albums one Kill 'Em All is the debut album by Metallica. It was recorded in only two weeks on a small budget Ride the Lightning is the second album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on July 27 1984 by Megaforce Records Master of Puppets is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica. Metallica (also known as The Black Album) is the self-titled 5th studio Album by the American heavy metal band Load is the sixth studio Album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released June 4 1996. RELOAD is a JISC -funded project developing tools to facilitate the use of emerging Learning Technology Interoperability specifications such as those produced by ADL St Anger is the eighth studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on June 5, 2003. The ESP Kirk Hammett (or just ESP KH) is a range of Electric guitars produced by ESP Guitars based on the custom models of Kirk Hammett. Rolling Stone is a United States -based Magazine devoted to Music, Politics, and Popular culture that is published
- ^ http://www.metallica.com/ivergence/image/03mar14_pic04.jpg
- ^ Randall Amplifiers Announces Partnership With Kirk Hammett of Metallica
- ^ http://filepit.freewebs.com/montyjay/kirkguitars/zorlac/kirkzorlac.jpg
- ^ http://filepit.freewebs.com/montyjay/kirkguitars/zorlac/zorlackh2.jpg
- ^ http://filepit.freewebs.com/montyjay/kirkguitars/Skully/skully1.jpg
- ^ http://filepit.freewebs.com/montyjay/kirkguitars/mummy1/mummy.jpg
- ^ http://filepit.freewebs.com/montyjay/kirkguitars/ouija/ouija1.jpg
- ^ http://img7.photobucket.com/albums/v18/mjf1982/kirkguitars/Mummy2/2ndmummy2.jpg
- ^ http://filepit.freewebs.com/montyjay/kirkguitars/Mummy2/2ndmummy1.jpg
- ^ http://filepit.freewebs.com/montyjay/kirkguitars/Fyou/fyou1.jpg
- ^ http://filepit.freewebs.com/montyjay/metallica/james7string.jpg
- ^ http://www.guitarraonline.com.ar/set-ups/metallica/KIRKfotoD.jpg
- ^ http://dararasmi.com/Images/lp68black.jpg
- ^ http://filepit.freewebs.com/montyjay/kirkguitars/RhoadsV/kirkjacksonrhoads2.jpg
- ^ http://www.guitarraonline.com.ar/set-ups/metallica/KIRKfotoC.jpg
- ^ http://www.metallicaworld.co.uk/images/equipment/khwave.jpg
- ^ http://filepit.freewebs.com/montyjay/kirkguitars/BlackGibsonV/gibv2hum.jpg
- ^ Metallica.com
- ^ Guitar World - Covers Archive
External links
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