While Metallica frontman James Hetfield acknowledges that he does indeed get jittery before concerts, what really gets his bowels moving is the excitement of hardware stores.
"It's just exciting to see all the tools and stuff," Hetfield laughs in an interview with Little Punk People's Elliot Fullam taped before the band's New Jersey concert on Sunday. "As soon as I walk in -- my family makes fun of me every time -- as soon as I walk into the hardware it's like, 'Where's the restroom?' That's the first question [laughs]."
He later added that "crop-dusting is one of many fun things we do onstage. Indoors: a lot more potent. Clubs: for sure. Outdoors: it's a little harder, especially if you're wearing leather pants."
Something about talking to a kid brought some unique answers out of Papa Het.
And the interview wasn't all scatological. To 12-year-old Elliot's credit, he got a lot of really interesting answers out of Hetfield. Including when he asked the singer what's the one thing in the world he would fix if he could.
Hetfield responded that the question reminded him of one he was asked about what superpower he would like. He said he'd like to be able to heal people.
"[I'd like to] fix Cliff Burton and have him come back."
When Elliot followed up, asking Hetfield what he would say to his former bassist if he knew Burton could hear him, Hetfield responded, "He hears me. I know he does. What would I say? I miss you, man. I miss you, brother. He's dearly missed by a lot of people."
You can watch the full interview above.
Photo: Getty Images