James Hetfield On Dimebag Darrell: “We Inspired Each Other”
Metallica frontman James Hetfield has spoken about his friendship with the late Pantera legend Dimebag Darrell. He admitted that they inspired each other during their early career.
James Hetfield is a legendary musician and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and co-founder of the iconic heavy metal band Metallica. His love for music started at a young age, and he started playing the piano when he was nine years old. He then switched to guitar and started playing in local bands. In 1981, Hetfield co-founded Metallica with drummer Lars Ulrich, and the band quickly gained popularity in the underground metal scene.
On the other hand, Dimebag Darrell, born as Darrell Lance Abbott, was an influential musician and guitarist best known as the co-founder and lead guitarist of the heavy metal band Pantera. Throughout his career, Darrell‘s guitar playing continued to evolve, and he became known for his fast and intricate solos and riffs. He was also a skilled songwriter and contributed heavily to Pantera‘s music, including hits such as Cowboys from Hell, Walk, and Cemetery Gates.
The friendship between James Hetfield and Dimebag Darrell is considered one of the most iconic and meaningful friendships in the music industry. Both of them were leading figures in the heavy metal music scene and shared the stage together for years, becoming important figures in each other’s lives.
However, in his recent appearance on SiriusXM, James Hetfield touched on Dimebag Darrell‘s influence on his music. He looked a little sad when he recalled their early days.
“Well, what a blessing to have been in his life and him in my life,” Hetfield says. “Yeah, some of those early days… just travelling down there to the Dallas area and meeting with those guys and just hanging out.”
James Hetfield then revealed how Pantera legend Dimebag Darrell inspired him. Saying that Dimebag was the person who brought him the solid-state amp, Hetfield also added that they inspired each other.
“Dimebag introduced me to the solid state amp,” the singer reveals. “I remember he had this freaking amazing crunch going on. It’s like, ‘What is that?’ You know?
“So yeah, [we] inspired each other. He inspired me as well. No doubt.”
