ABC/Randy HolmesMetallica‘s Kirk Hammett has recorded many a guitar solo over the metal legends’ nearly four decade-long career, but which one is the most “satisfying?”
Speaking to Kerrang!, Hammett says his pick would be the solo in the Black Album song “The Unforgiven.” As the guitarist explains, it came about afetr a previously written solo was discarded.
“I remember showing up to the studio that morning, thinking I was going to play all these certain licks and then [producer] Bob Rock‘s going, ‘That’s f***ing crap,'” Hammett recalls.
“Then it was one of the very first times when I said, ‘Just f***ing hit the record button,” and s*** flowed out,” he continues.
Ever since then, Hammett’s applied that method to creating his guitar solos.
“I prefer to record my solos that way now because I like the spontaneity of it,” he says.
You can see Hammett perform those solos for yourself on Metallica’s ongoing European tour, which continues June 8 in Ireland. They’ll be back in the U.S. in September for two orchestra-accompanied shows in San Francisco.
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