Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo has described his bandmates as a wonderful but different group of people.
They’re currently going “back to the drawing board” to continue work on their long-awaited follow-up to 2008’s Death Magnetic.
Asked to describe his colleagues, Trujillo tells Lucas H Gordon: “They’re all wonderful in their own way – they’re all very different and that’s what’s interesting about Metallica as a band.”
Of drummer Lars Ulrich he says: “You’re dealing with a European who’s extremely liberal and incredibly intelligent; a really different mindset from all of us because of the way he wa raised.”
He describes frontman James Hetfield as “the musical talent in the band for sure,” adding: “but at the same time he’s a pretty sensitive personality. He’s got a strong exterior and he’s extremely loyal, and powerful in that way. I learned so much from him as a person and through the music.”
Turning to guitarist Kirk Hammett, he says: “He does yoga twice a day, he surfs, he probably meditates. He doesn’t eat red meat.” He continues: “Kirk and I are avid surfers. Whenever we get the chance, wherever we are, we’ll go surfing.”
Trujillo believes the band’s varying characters are reflected in their creative output. “None of us are perfect – but we do the best we can with our music,” he says. “It is what it is. We laugh at it; sometimes it’s really cool, sometimes it’s really not cool. That’s okay. You always do the best you can.”
Metallica last week confirmed the launch of 27 live albums before the end of the year, with a fan vote to choose a handful to be released on vinyl. Yesterday they issued an update, saying: “Only four days left to cast your vinyl vote. C’mon Europe – your shows are getting slaughtered in these polls!”
