Why Does Kirk Hammett Get Hate?

[Isaac Moss]

Hey guys I’m sitting in physics class so I’m just going to the Syn gates forum to hang out! Anyways what do you guys think about all the backlash Kirk Hammett gets for his playing? It seems if you go to any video of him playing, especially live shows there are always people commenting that he’s “one of the worst players out there”. I know he isn’t the best and can be a little sloppier these days but woah that statement boggles my mind. And besides if you watch older videos Kirk plays flawlessly anyways. Then there’s the wah wah, I’m sure he uses it a little to cover mistakes but I genuinely believe the guy just loves the sound and that’s what’s important. I guess it can get a little annoying to some but it’s just his style and when you hear him play you instantly know that it’s him, and to me I think that is super important, that is not sounding like the next guy. Then you have amazing solos like Master, Creeping Death, Ride The Lightining, One, and The Unforgiven Three. Kirk’s a legend in my eyes.

 

[idssdi]

Don’t take the hate he gets for the wah that seriously, usually it’s just kind of a joke. There like lots of memes about it too. I think why some people dislike Kirk Hammett has more to do with it seems like he plays the same things a lot of the time and doesn’t reinvent so much and he got taught by Joe Satriani and apparently Joe is better than him or something I don’t know. Every single guitarist gets hate and most of it I don’t really understand (people like Syn, John Mayer even Jimmy Page gets hate) so don’t worry so much about it.
Now go pay attention! Physics is fun!

 

[Ed Seith]

Here’s the problem most people have with Kirk. He *was* great. He *was* creative. Personally, I think the Black Album ruined him. It affected him perhaps more than the others in the band, though I don’t know why. He gave up. I don’t imagine he plays guitar very much at all anymore, except when there are rehearsals and shows. His leads have lacked anything approaching imagination or even real technique befitting a player of his stature in decades.
I don’t begrudge him that. The recording of the Black Album and the subsequent YEARS of relentless touring could make anyone hate music, from what I’ve heard, and he’s declined steadily since then. He’s just not interesting to listen to anymore, and he phones it in, always. I love old Kirk – the Lightning and Master leads are fantastic.

 

[Filip Tomiša]

I had to post this

 

[Isaac Moss]

Yeah I see what you guys are saying he is pretty repetitive but still a great player though, and I agree his older leads are quite a bit better, although unforgiven 3 is awesome though. And that video was hilarious XD I know how it feels to struggle with new stuff, that’s me with my guitar teacher haha. And class is over anyways XD!

 

[Ed Seith]

@filip that’s fuckin HARSH but hilarious!

 

[Will Jones]

I think a lot of it is lack of energy and just overall boredom with guitar. He can still play very well and if you look at stuff like recent albums and some kind of monster kirk doesn’t really have a large amount of creative input anymore

 

[Calvin Phillips]

Honestly.. I didnt stay for Metallica when I saw them with avenged. Hate me for it. I WILL admit up to black album I enjoyed before I played guitar. Anything after I didnt. I did buy death magnetic. But I rarely listen to it. I feel when I hear Metallica.. I hear the same riffs over and over. Same style song. I got to the 3rd song from the free album I got for buying the ticket. Cause it sounded exactly like the last album.
No real change at all. Bores me lol. It’s why acdc and nickleback bore the hell out of me. And to an extent.. disturbed. Again.. I’ll probably get hate for that one too lol.
As a guitarist I havent gone back to listen to anything really. So I cant comment there. But I’ll admit the way solos are definitely something that gives away a cliche Metallica song l. I love the wah personally. Theory of a dead man is another band that I couldnt handle.. they did a lot of wah solos too. But honestly again they always sounded the same.
Atleast with bands like avenged.. you hear their trademark sound but I think we all can agree that every album is different in some way. And every album has ton of variety. Never gets boring. Afi is another example of bands that are really never the same on every album. I love a good curve ball. Hope they do it again. Cant wait to see the stuff syn comes up with.

 

[Ed Seith]

@calvin, for me, Disturbed’s first album was excellent, the second (Believe) was STUNNINGLY AWESOME, and then everything after that was very meh. I feel like the band has grown (up until the latest album) but Draiman, who was the strongest in the beginning, had already long-since peaked. I think on the later albums, Danny Donegan finally started soloing, and he got really good, but it’s not enough to save the band from mediocrity, and the latest album is atrocious – “We had a hit with a ballad, so the new album needs to be half ballads so maybe we can have a hit again.” Ugh.

 

[Jak Angelescu]

Kirk Hammett gets hate just because it’s trendy. The same reason why Lars gets hate. Everyone knocks Lars saying he’s the worse drummer ever. BUT, the guy writes for what the song calls for and fucking GROOVES it out. Metallica is known for their punching hard sound, and Lars is the driving force behind it. I think Kirk is great personally.

 

[Isaac Moss]

I agree on that!