Hammett Defends Lack Of Guitar Solos On ‘St. Anger’

Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett is defensive when asked about the lack of guitar solos on ‘St. Anger’. “I’ve served our fans well in that department,” he told Chart magazine in their September issue. “It feels like I’ve played a million guitar solos over the past 20 years. If they don’t get a few on this album, they’re gonna survive. To me the bottom line is that these songs are so dense and so musical, where the fu** do you begin putting in the guitar solos? There were many problems with solos. Where do they fit? Do they compromise the sound of four guys playing in a room spontaneously? Do they compromise the ‘band statement’? This was supposed to be about four guys working together musically, so that’s what it called for. I was fine with it. I know I can play a solo, the fans know I can. If you need them, come see us live, I’m playing a million fu**in’ solos! Gimme a break!”