Metallica’s Kirk Hammett on Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain: I Knew Him Well

2012-10-13

Story by Cat Badra

Metallica guitarist recalls friendship with late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain

Metallica and Nirvana have very little in common from a musical standpoint. Metallica is a straight-up metal titan, while Nirvana is grunge-pop at its finest. But, it appears the two bands have more in common than is on the surface, at least according to Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett.

Speaking with NME.com, Kirk Hammett chatted about his friendship with late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. In fact, when asked if Cobain’s all-time favorite song was “Whiplash,” Hammett replied: “Absolutely,” Hammett said. “He told me that himself. He came to one of our shows in Seattle, on the ‘Black Album’ tour.

“I remember at one point, we were playing ‘Whiplash,’ and he looked at me and kept punching the air with his fist, and gave me a big thumbs-up sign. I was like, ‘Cool. Kurt, I know you love this song. This one’s for you!’”

Hammett also said that he and Cobain spent a good deal of time together. “I knew Kurt kind of well, and I hung out with him quite a bit,” Hammett said. “He was a pretty big Metallica fan – I was surprised at how much of a Metallica fan he was. He loved ‘Ride the Lightning. He loved that album.”