Metallica's Kirk Hammett calls Guns N' Roses a 'nostalgia act'

A picture of Guns N' Roses performing live
Nostalgia act?: The reunited Guns' Roses onstage (Image credit: Getty)

Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett has described the reunited Guns N’ Roses as a “nostalgia act.”

As Metallica gear up to release their 10th album Hardwired… To Self-Destruct on November 18, Hammett commented on Guns N’ Roses – who are on the road with Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan from their classic lineup for the first time since 1993.

And the fact that GNR have not recorded any new music and have been playing only their classic hits is “sad” to the Metallica guitarist.

Hammett tells the Los Angeles Times: “Unfortunately, they’ve turned into somewhat of a nostalgia act, which to me is kind of sad.”

Frontman James Hetfield says releasing new music makes Metallica “feel relevant.”

He adds: “I don’t want to think we’re trying to stay young by writing new stuff, but it makes us feel relevant. It makes us feel like we’re still progressing.”

Metallica are the cover stars of the new issue of Metal Hammer magazine. In an exclusive interview in the new issue, Hammett explained how he felt excluded from the writing sessions for Hardwired… To Self-Destruct.

He said: “For me, being in this band, I always want to contribute. I always have a lot of musical concepts and ideas to bring to the table. Obviously, that was not meant to be this time, and I had to accept that fact.”

Metallica will celebrate the launch of the forthcoming record with an intimate show in London’s House Of Vans on November 18.

Metallica Hardwired… To Self Destruct tracklist

Disc 1

  1. Hardwired
  2. Atlas, Rise!
  3. Now That We’re Dead
  4. Moth Into Flame
  5. Dream No More
  6. Halo On Fire

Disc 2

  1. Confusion
  2. ManUNkind
  3. Here Comes Revenge
  4. Am I Savage?
  5. Murder One
  6. Spit Out the Bone

Metallica tour dates 2017 so far

Jan 11: Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome, South Korea
Jan 20: Hong Kong AsiaWorld-Expo, China
Jan 22: Singapore Indoor Stadium, Singapore
Feb 03: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
Feb 05: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
Feb 07: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
Feb 09: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
Mar 25-26: Sao Paulo Interlagos Racetrack, Brazil
Mar 31,-Apr 01: Buenos Aires Hippodrome San Isidro, Argentina
Apr 01-02: Santiago Parque O’Higgins, Chile

Guns N Roses Not In This Lifetime tour 2016⁄2017

South America

Nov 12: Sao Paulo Allianz Parque, Brazil
Nov 15: Rio de Janeiro TBC, Brazil
Nov 17: Curitiba Pedreira Paulo Leminski, Brazil
Nov 20: Brasilia Estadio Nacional, Brazil
Nov 23: Medellin Estadio Atanasio Girardot, Colombia
Nov 26: San Jose Estadio Nacional, Costa Rica

Japan

Jan 21: Osaka Kyocera Dome,
Jan 28: Tokyo Saitama Super Arena
Jan 29: Tokyo Saitama Super Arena

Australia

Feb 07: Brisbane QSAC Stadium
Feb 10: Sydney ANZ Stadium
Feb 14: Melbourne Cricket Ground
Feb 18: Adelaide Oval
Feb 21: Perth Domain Stadium

Stef wrote close to 5,000 stories during his time as assistant online news editor and later as online news editor between 2014-2016. An accomplished reporter and journalist, Stef has written extensively for a number of UK newspapers and also played bass with UK rock favourites Logan. His favourite bands are Pixies and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Stef left the world of rock'n'roll news behind when he moved to his beloved Canada in 2016, but he started on his next 5000 stories in 2022.