Kerry King to Perform with Megadeth Tonight

Slayer axeman Kerry King is scheduled to perform alongside Megadeth on stage tonight (October 21) at the Gibson Amphitheater in Universal City, California. They will collectively perform the Megadeth classic, "Rattlehead." Tonight's performance marks the second time King has performed the song with Megadeth. The first performance was 26 years ago, in February 1984, during which time King played as the band's second guitarist.

Tonight's performance is part of the final show for the Jägermeister Music Tour, which features 1991's original Clash of the Titans lineup: Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax.

During an interview with Decibel magazine in 2006, both Slayer guitarists - King and Jeff Hanneman - discussed King's decision to play with Megadeth over 20 years ago:

Hanneman: "I thought [Kerry] was an ass for doing that. [laughs] I remember talking to Tom [Araya] about it, like, 'I guess we're gonna get a new guitar player.' I thought he was kissing Dave's [Mustaine] ass or something, and I thought it was kinda fucked up. I think he was gonna join. Kerry will probably tell you something different, but why do that if you're not thinking about joining? I'm a loyalist, you know, and I thought Slayer was the best thing going. Why go hang out with somebody else? If Dave would've asked me to do it, I would've told him to fuck off."

King: "I did it because I admired Mustaine — I'd seen him play with Metallica. He'd be up there drunk off his ass, just ripping, not even looking at his fingers. Me and Jeff didn't know how to do that yet. [laughs] When he got kicked out and was sniffing around for a guitarist, I figured I'd do it because I thought I would learn something. The other guys in Slayer were probably unhappy, but we weren't really known back then, and the way I looked at it was that if people saw me playing in Dave's band, it'd be more publicity for Slayer. Now you look back and you think 'supergroup,' but back then, absolutely not. I played their first five shows, and then I was like, 'Man, this is taking too much of my time.' I can't speak for Dave, but I don't think he would've been unhappy if I stuck around."

Below is a video featuring former Megadeth bassist Dave Ellefson discussing King's time with Megadeth. Also below is footage from the 1984 performance of "Rattlehead." An image from Megadeth's official Twitter feed is included as well.

Kirk Hammett Talks Guitars, Technique, and More in Recent Interview

On September 15, Ultimate-Guitar.com's Joe Matera interviewed Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett. Below is an excerpt from the chat:

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UG: Have you started in any manner the songwriting process for the next Metallica studio album?

Hammett: No, but we do have riffs here and there, but there are no complete songs as yet. But we all have tons of music that is just lying around; in fact all of us do. That is the great thing about Metallica; there is never any shortage of ideas.

UG: You just performed a series of Big Four shows [Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax]. What was the experience like?

Hammett: The shows were really great and it was a vibe, man. It was like the eighties all over again, which was very, very cool. We all kind of realized that we are all in this together and that we all had the same sort of objectives and goals. It's just that we had different ways of getting them. At the end of the day, it became more of a celebration of the fact that we are all still around and all standing and still functioning as bands, and that was a very cool thing. And it was a chance for us to kind of reflect and look back at all the times we had together and all the battles we had fought. It was good to know that all of us are still here and still doing it.

UG: When it comes soloing, what do you think are the important elements that each guitar player should consider when constructing a solo?

Hammett: Ideally, a solo should be like a good meal. Start off with a bang then have a good meaty middle section and then have a sweet finish. For me when it comes to the solo part, the first couple of licks really need to set the tone of the solo. And it should really just jump out and grab you.

UG: So is there anything that you specifically pay attention to when coming up with your own solos?

Hammett: What I have always tried to do is to come up with catchy things - you know, hooky parts in the guitar solo that will grab the listener's attention. I will try to put melodic parts into that. But, you know, sometimes I just want to make a bunch of noise.

UG: How do you think you have evolved as a player over the course of your career?

Hammett: That is a hard question to answer, man, because I am so close to my own playing. But I say that I intend to work on my jazz playing more now. You know, I think as a metal guitar player, I am decent. I am no Eddie Van Halen, but I am still learning, am still learning stuff day to day and still feel like I am growing. I also still think that my music writing is still getting better. I'm still on the up and up and I don't feel like I have reached a plateau. I still think there is a lot more for me to do and learn. And I am still very motivated to do that.

UG: Do you have any ambitions to some day to venture out and do a solo album?

Hammett: Yeah, eventually, but right now I have to say that Metallica is my home and I have no intentions of running away from that home. But I am going to put a book though. I am working on it and that in itself feels like I am making a solo album because it is so much goddamn fuckin' work! It is all myself. I don't have a band I can rely on or seek support. So I think once I do this book thing, maybe I may start considering doing a solo album, but I don't know.

UG: Looking back on the St. Anger album and its lack of guitar solos, what do you think of that album today?

Hammett: I still love it, man. I think "Frantic", "Dirty Window", the title track, and "All Within My Hands", those are just great fuckin' songs and some of my favorite. Frankly, I'm quite shocked that people have such an attitude and issues with it, because for me, it is just another Metallica album.

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This interview can be found in its entirety at Ultimate-Guitar.com.

Metallica Comments on Rumors of Cancelled Christchurch Tour Date

After rumors that Metallica would no longer be performing their scheduled show in Christchurch, New Zealand, the band issued the following statement:

"We're in route to Melbourne and we're psyched about getting out there and getting amongst it again. We kinda make it a policy here to not respond to rumors and speculation, however the recent magnitude 7.2 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand is certainly a unique situation and we are aware that there have been various reports that we would not make it there." (Read More)

Infernaeon Comments On New Album

Florida metallers Infernaeon have just released a new album. Titled Genesis to Nemesis, it is now available for purchase. The album was produced by Brian Elliott at Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida and features a cover of Metallica's Ride the Lightening staple track, "Creeping Death" (with Gwar's Oderus Urungus appearing as guest vocalist).

Infernaeon vocalist Brian Werner recently commented on Genesis to Nemesis, saying, "This was really a true test of our will. We had a million road blocks and people standing in our way on this, and we demolished the barriers, slit the throats and pissed on the graves of all who stood in our way." (Read More)

Kirk Hammett Interviewed at Joey Ramone Tribute Event

Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett was among the special guests at this year's sixth annual Joey Ramone tribute. The event was held on July 25 at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles, California. Hammett introduced Ramone's favourite film: James Whale's 1935 horror classic, Bride of Frankenstein - a film which is currently celebrating its 75th anniversary. Hammett reflected on his friendship with Ramone and his love of the timeless cinematic masterpiece.

Eric Blair (of The Blairing Out With Eric Blair Show) had the chance to interview Hammett whilst at the tribute event. The interview can be streamed via Blabbermouth.net. (Read More)

Metallica Announces Final World Magnetic Tour Dates

Metallica recently released a statement concerning the addition of a second show in Christchurch, New Zealand as well as the final dates for the World Magnetic Tour:

"The end of the line... Dear Friends: we are so psyched to add a second show in Christchurch, New Zealand at CBS Canterbury Arena on September 21. Thanks again for demanding that we visit you there! Now to the real reason we're here taking up space on this site, we also want to announce that all of our play dates have now filled up with the addition of this show. That's right boys and girls, this will be the last date added to the World Magnetic Tour! So if you're waiting for us to come to the Polar Ice Caps, your undiscovered planet or even your basement, sorry, this is as good at it gets.” (Read More)

Big Four Sonisphere Festival Tour Opens in Poland

The historic Big Four tour has finally come together, but the process has been a slow one. However, despite a number of setbacks, the tour has finally kick-started and on June 16 100,000 fans at Bemowo Airport in Warsaw, Poland witnessed history in the making as Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax took to the same stage. (Read More)

Skolnick Says Hetfield is "An Unsung Virtuoso"

On November 17, Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick posted some thoughts concerning Metallica guitarist/frontman James Hetfield on his official blog:

"Recently a writer from The Quietus, Mark Eglinton, asked for my thoughts on Metallica's James Hetfield.

"While it's no secret that the fans, myself included, haven't always agreed with every decision Metallica has made as a band, I've chosen to look at a subject which seems to have gotten lost in the chaos of Metallica's superstardom: James, the musician.

"James Hetfield is a an unsung virtuoso. His guitar and vocal sound, along with his song ideas, has enabled Metallica to go from being classified alongside Motörhead and Venom to being aligned with Bruce Springsteen and U2. Much of hard music today has been changed by his guitar tone, rhythm playing and vocal technique, making him arguably the most influential musician of his generation.

"James has had more of an influence than most 'lead' guitarists and is a great lead guitarist himself. His occasional solos are among Metallica's most memorable, proving that speed and chops are secondary to melody. He is also a terrific acoustic guitarist, playing intricate parts with a lot of depth, consistency and dynamics.

"I'm convinced that had he chosen to play drums, bass or lead guitar in his band, James Hetfield would have been just as influential and virtuosic."

Future Tour for the Big Four?

Metallica's official website has released footage from the band's September 17 concert at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (See below for clip.)

The following tunes made up the set list for the event:

01. That Was Just Your Life
02. The End of the Line
03. Ride the Lightning
04. Wherever I May Roam
05. One
06. Broken, Beat & Scarred
07. Cyanide
08. Sad but True
09. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
10. All Nightmare Long
11. The Day that Never Comes
12. Master of Puppets
13. Damage, Inc.
14. Nothing Else Matters
15. Enter Sandman

Encore:
16. Last Caress
17. Motorbreath
18. Seek & Destroy

The band recently kicked off a new North American tour, which started on September 14 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Drummer Lars Ulrich has not yet confirmed reports of a future tour featuring the "Big Four" of the 80s thrash metal scene - Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax. During a radio interview in Dayton, Ohio with 103.9 The X, Ulrich was quoted as saying:

"I think it would be a super-fun thing to do. It's something that I would definitely support. It's something that I would love to encourage. It's something I love to be very proactive in putting together. But right now . . . it's not something that's like hush-hush being worked on behind the scenes or anything like that. I read some of those Internet sites myself once in a while, and it's not something that's going down, but it's something that I would be totally for at some point if it could happen. And we would love to be a part of that at any level possible."

According to Ulrich, the idea for a Big Four tour started in March 2009. "...a bunch of us were sitting around way later than we should have been sitting around [having] a bunch of very heavily red wine-induced conversations . . . And the idea of doing that at some point came up in that conversation."

However, the chatty drummer's comments have been noted as contradicting those of Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo who, despite admitting that a tour was indeed in the works, offered a discretionary note in a Metromix interview saying, "It's not a sealed deal. We're working on it."