James Hetfield quotes:

Sleep my friend, and you will see that dream is my reality.

I'm on this eternal quest to get the best guitar sound in the world, but my vision of what is 'the best' changes every time I go into the studio. Sometimes my goal is to make my guitar jump out, and sometimes I want it to lay back.

A lot of modern amps and preamps sound great when you're jamming by yourself, but don't hold up in a band situation. The sound isn't dense enough, and the lows and highs tend to get soaked up by the bass and cymbals.

Most of my guitars have been instruments that look cool. I'm not picky. I never think, 'Oh, this neck isn't made of ebony,' or, 'These strings don't feel correct.' It doesn't matter too much.

One time we saw some hookers but when we got closer we realized it was Motley Crue.

Just like the poles of a magnet, some people are drawn to death and others are repulsed by it, but we all have to deal with it.

My live sound does not work in the studio, which is a completely different animal. Every little thing is detrimental to the sound. And if someone moves a mic, you've lost it. It's pretty much a case of 'lock the door and set up a police line.'

I'd like to have a beer-holder on my guitar like they have on boats.

There is one Metallica. We have many styles, it's called Metallica.

I'm married to Metallica.

As far as artists and musicians, they don't retire. They might tour less.

Nothing's really a prized possession except my family, you know?

I've discovered that sheer quantity doesn't necessarily make for a heavier sound; if anything, overdubs make guitars sound mushier.

Authority pisses me off. I think everyone should be able to drink and get loud whenever they want.

There is something powerful in Metallica, a will, a drive.

Metallica is a wonderful key to have on my key ring. I can go anywhere - it's great.

I like playing music because it's a good living and I get satisfaction from it. But I can't feed my family with satisfaction.

If you're into what you're playing, that's the most important thing.

Dying, dying, someone told me just recently, dying is easy. Living is hard. for everyone.

Metallica is the world to me - it always has been, and that's not going to change. I'm married to Metallica.

I like a women who's got some balls, some strength. As long as I can beat her at arm wrestling, that's fine.

I'm always feeling like I don't belong, no matter where I am. So I'm just searching for a family nonstop, and sometimes I find it in the mosh pit, sometimes I find it when I'm doing some French TV show with the president's wife.

Nothing can duplicate the sheer power and feeling you get from standing in front of your amp and bashing on your guitar.

I'd rather regret doing something than not doing something.

I'd much rather talk about guitar playing. I hate it when people ask me about my lyrics. I always feel like telling them to just go and read them.

I choose to live, not just exist.

We do this basically for ourselves. People appreciate it, which is cool, but I think they appreciate that we're doing it for ourselves. We're doing it our way, and how people like it is not up to us. We like it.

It's all fun and games 'till someone loses an eye, then it's just fun you can't see.

Every breath I take becomes deeper, and I become more confident of myself without my crutches. The lies I've filled my body and soul with aren't needed anymore. They're not welcome. I choose to live, not just exist.

All that is, was, and will be. Universe much too big to see. Time and space never ending, disturbing thoughts, questions pending. Limitations of human understanding. Too quick to criticize, obligation to survive, we hunger to be alive. All that is, ever, ever was, will be ever twisting, turning, Through The Never. In the dark, see past our eyes. Pursuit of truth, no matter where it lies. Gazing up to the breeze of the heavens, on a quest, meaning, reason. Come to be, how it begun. All alone in the family of the sun, curiosity teasing everyone. On our home, third stone from the sun.

It's a good feeling, that you can put your heart out there, no matter how black it is, and people can understand it.

People always complain about something. If you face yourself and stand up strong, you're OK. You can't go wrong.

Live to win, dare to fail.

Music was the voice I didn't have.

My lifestyle determines my deathstyle.

When people start copying your style, you know that something must be happening.

Everybody is born good and everybody has got the same size soul. We're here to connect with that.

Rap is just to me very annoying.

Music is the soundtrack to my life.

Don't look back, because that's the sign of failure.

Life is for my own to live my own way.

Every time I'd go out drinking I was looking for something new. But it was the same every time. I'd wake up in some bed with some person, I had a hangover and a show to do. And the truth is, it was the same every time. But now life is... pretty interesting without the alcohol.

If I hadn't of had music in my life, it's quite possible I'd be dead and I'd much rather be alive.

My vocals are bad, I can't sing, hey man, I wouldn't ask you to do a drum roll if your arm was falling off.

A lot of times, I'll have a goal, I'll start writing, and I'll end up in some far off place, which is good. It's nice to have a focus, but letting the lyrics write themselves where they need to go is important.

Every band that I've known that has done side projects or things like that - I don't respect them anymore.

If everyone was the same, it would be boring as sh*t

You want to hear vocals? Go sing it.

There was so much good and different music back then and you'd just keep moving through it and discovering more new stuff. I went through my Black Sabbath phase before I even started playing guitar.

My whole life was duality: Here's my life at home, here's my life on the road.

The band? No way! There ain't no band. The band is not 'the band' right now. It's just three guys.

We like to set off bombs.

I have the best job in the world. I'm able to express myself, and people attach themselves to it if they identify with it. Music certainly is a driving force in my life. There's not a moment where I'm not in it.

I wanted to make noise, not study theory.

Deceit, Deceive, Decide just what you believe... I see faith in your eyes, Never you hear the discouraging lies. I hear faith in your cries... Broken is the promise, Betrayal... The healing hand held back by the deepened nail... Follow the god that failed.

I was pretty quiet as a child.

I'm not generally a big solo guy, because I'm not into showing off that way.

When you're an actor and you walk into a theatre where your movie is playing, you're kinda proud. "Look at my skill!"

I don't remember doing anything else; I don't remember not living in the studio. I'm itching for people to hear this album because I'm sick of hearing it myself.

Any time somebody is into your band that's a good thing. And if they're in a really cool, really popular band, that's a better thing.

The fans like the idea we do what we want. It's not an act. Screw the record company and the beaten path. Without MTV or radio, we still have a huge underground following.

Aqualung is one that my brother turned me onto. It wasn't that hard-rocking, but Martin Barre had a really good sound. He knew what he was doing.

Rehab is like college for your head.

It's good to listen to lots of different stuff, just whatever you like. The first two records I ever bought were Alice Cooper, Killer and Jethro Tull, Aqualung. That's two weird records to begin with, but I think they hold up well.

Trios aren't really geared for slide unless you're gonna play chords, or play that simple George Thorogood style. It gets pretty thin when you play single note lines.

I love playing the melodic stuff. I love adding textures and colors.

I think it's very cool for the drummer to be set free from having to worry about holding down the beat every once in a while, though it's a little constricting.

I was pretty quiet as a child. I kind of hung out with my family and listened to music and sh*t. I wasn't too outgoing at all.

Send me money, send me green, and Heaven you will meet. Make your contribution and you'll get a better seat.

We'd record a song that people liked and wanted to hear on the radio, and the radio wouldn't play it because it was too long. Or they wanted to edit it, which we wouldn't allow.

We discovered how much money influences certain things work in United States. How things might seem okay on the outside, but internally, they're corrupt.

No one but me can save myself though its too late, death greets me warm, now i will just say goodbye.

I associate times with certain music. It still is that for me. It's telling the story of our lives.

No secret that I enjoy motor sports and cars in particular, building cars, building custom cars. Part of that scene. I love the flow of the cars and I love the art part of them. I love the sleekness and the uniqueness of each car that you can dream up.