Kirk Hammett Talks How He Feels About Metallica’s Second Symphony Show Compared to Original ‘S&M’

“I have so much reverence for the shows that we did 21 years ago.”

During a conversation with So What, Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett talked about the band’s recent release, the “S&M2” symphony performance.

“S&M2” is out now, you can check it out here via Amazon.

Looking back on the original “S&M” performances from 1999, Kirk commented:

“I have so much reverence for the shows that we did 21 years ago. I thought they were really great. They were real-fun to do, and we got a really, really great album out of it with the orchestra.

“And so when it came around a second time I was ecstatic, because my attitude was, ‘It’s gonna be so much better because we had set a precedent,’ so it wasn’t like we were just stumbling in the dark.

“We had the experience to fall back on and were familiar with the general procedures, and so I was looking forward to it, you know? And I didn’t feel any stress personally. I just got ready for that show the same way I would get ready for anything that was particularly different or special.

Two weeks out, I always look and say, ‘What can I do to prepare myself in the best possible way for this situation?’ And then I do it. That’s what I did with this.”

What did you think that Edwin [Outwater, conductor] brought to the process?

“Edwin has great energy. He does everything with so much of that energy. Things need to be done, and he pulls it off. His level of musicianship, and I know because I’ve worked with him closely, is so great.

“You can suggest something to him, he knows exactly what you’re talking about, and then you suggest for example, ‘Let’s go from minor to diminished,’ and he’s like, ‘Right, got it!’ And the next thing you know, the movement will go from minor to diminished.

“It’s great also in that he started off as a rock musician. He didn’t start off as a classical musician, which is the case with a lot of these guys. So he has an inherent feel for this kinda stuff. He feels it the way it’s supposed to be felt – because he grew up in the rock world.

“So he is a great bridge, just as much as Michael Kamen was a great bridge between the band and then the orchestra. Another thing about Edwin is he’s able to call out something that is not working immediately.

“During some of the rehearsals with the orchestra, he’d stop everyone and go, ‘OK. Everyone take out your pens and bar 62, that E flat note is supposed to be A flat, not E flat.’ He’d even be able to pick out a bad note amongst thousands in real-time.

“So his musicianship is great, and I aspire to have that kind of ability, you know? When I’m working with him, I feel totally confident in that whatever we need to do, we can do.

“We have the musical capability to do it, the musical knowledge, and the musical know-how, and I just love that. I love having the ability to steer things in certain ways by discussing it, and then pulling it off.”

Yeah. I mean that’s gotta be a massive part of it as well. Good, well, I mean it sounds like it’s a very positive thing. Finally, I don’t think it’s any great secret that we will probably hear some new Metallica music before COVID-19 is over. Would you say that’s a fair comment?

“Yeah, absolutely. Also, you know I’ve been doing this instrumental thing [Kirk has ‘scored’ the last two ‘It’s Alive’ exhibits], so I’ve done these two tracks with Edwin that I mentioned earlier, which feel like the best fucking things I’ve ever done.

“One of them is called ‘High Plains Drifter’ and the other one’s called ‘The Incantation.’ They’re not done yet, still in the rough mix stages, I mean I have to get the rough mixes, but I have four tracks now. And the four tracks are like four different movies, man.

“They’re not movie soundtracks, they’re like movies. They tell a story! So I’m very excited about all the creative things in my life right now, from playing [on my own] to Metallica to this stuff, and I’m just going to keep working every day.”