Born on August 3: James Hetfield, Metallica’s controversial frontman

A libertarian and gun enthusiast, Metallica’s lead singer and guitarist is a polarizing figure. More than 40 years after his thunderous debut, he’s still just as passionate about heavy metal...

Born in 1963 in Downey, California, James Hetfield celebrates his 62nd birthday on August 3. But his already venerable age doesn’t seem to dampen his love for loud music.

Whether it’s Germany’s Scorpions with “Still Loving You,” Aerosmith and their 1980 hit “Dream On,” or Guns N’ Roses with the epic 9-minute “November Rain,” almost every heavy metal band has, at least once, indulged in the tradition of the ballad accompanied by weeping violins, often describing an unquenchable heartache—and always, at one point or another, featuring a guitar solo out of left field.

With their 1991 “Black Album,” Metallica tackled the genre rather brilliantly with “Nothing Else Matters,” an energetic ballad that would become a hallmark of their repertoire alongside thrash and speed metal—which remain, after all, their bread and butter.

In fact, like most of his long-haired peers (at least when they were young), James Hetfield achieved his greatest success with this slow song (we have to call it that), which remains a standout track in the band’s repertoire.

Following in the footsteps of Deep Purple with the London Symphony Orchestra in 1999, Metallica also teamed up with musicians more accustomed to the scores of Verdi or Wagner than to electric guitars. In the same year as the creators of “Smoke on the Water,” Metallica dared to combine beauty and the beast by teaming up with Michael Kamen, who led the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. Quite pleased with the result, Metallica repeated the experience on January 18, 2017, in Beijing with star pianist Lang Lang…

A staunch libertarian (like Elon Musk) and avid collector of vintage American cars, James Hetfield also has a number of less-than-flattering quirks, among which his penchant for the bottle is merely a minor issue. This avid hunter is a staunch defender of the NRA (National Rifle Association) and the gun lobby in general. To top it all off, he has repeatedly stated that he supports the death penalty. Nobody’s perfect…

In the summer of 2026, his band Metallica wraps up its European stadium tour, the M72 World Tour, sticking to its “No Repeat Weekend” concept—two concerts per city with two completely different setlists each night. Unlike their concerts at The Sphere in Las Vegas, their European stops were fortunately not subject to the rather unfair concept of “dynamic pricing,” where ticket prices sometimes rise exponentially based on demand. Let’s just say that James Hetfield opted for the best of both worlds (for his bank account, at least). Tickets were sold at a fixed price ranging from 90 to nearly 200€ to avoid upsetting his audience, along with a platinum option—offering no additional VIP perks—whose price increases based on demand!

In March 2026, in a “white notebook” moment, the 63-year-old singer officially proposed to his partner, Adriana Gillett (45). It was a rather unique proposal, as it took place underwater during a trip out to sea while the two lovebirds were swimming surrounded by whale sharks. Unable to find the right words while wearing a mask, a snorkel, and an oxygen tank on his back, he remained speechless and conveyed his message on a small sign he had discreetly brought along.

Photo: James Hetfield with Metallica at the Heavy Sound Festival in Poperinge (Belgium), June 10, 1984