Kirk Hammett, Metallica's scorching lead guitarist, unleashed a verbal sledgehammer at the pop music landscape, calling it "crap" in no uncertain terms. This brutal verdict came during an incisive chat with The Irish Times, just as the band's thunderous 'M72' tour was bringing the house down across Europe and the UK – and amidst the storm brewing over his tongue-in-cheek Taylor Swift T-shirt.
The controversy erupted earlier this month in Budapest, where Hammett took to the stage wearing a cheeky T-shirt that read: "Taylor Swift Is A CIA Psyop". This wry jab at conspiracy theories surrounding the pop superstar sparked outrage among Swift's devoted fanbase – or 'Swifties', as they're known. Despite the furore, Hammett sidestepped direct comment on the T-shirt, but soon revealed his full-throated discontent with modern music.
As he reflected on his formative years as a musician, Hammett lamented the loss of that hard-won struggle to learn songs and solos by ear from records. "I kind of lament [those days] when people had to really struggle to learn, because it’s all in the struggle," he declared, arguing that this effort forges unique creativity and individual style – qualities sorely lacking in today's music.
Hammett's misgivings ran deep, as he questioned whether the current emphasis on technical perfection might lead to a soulless homogeny of sound. While acknowledging the benefits of easily accessible techniques for guitarists like himself, he expressed a desire for this knowledge to translate into better songwriting and a higher standard of popular music. "I hope it leads to a better quality of pop music, popular music, and just a better quality of songwriting. Because right now, songwriting and pop music is crap," he asserted, issuing a heartfelt apology to pop fans everywhere.
Metallica's 'M72' tour roars on with upcoming UK dates, including tonight's sold-out show in Glasgow, followed by Cardiff on Sunday, and two electrifying performances at the London Stadium on July 3rd and 5th. Tickets for these shows are still up for grabs – don't miss your chance to experience the thunderous might of Metallica live!
Separately, Hammett took a tumble on stage during the first Dublin concert last Friday, an incident that some Swift fans on social media misguidedly linked to 'karma' for the T-shirt. However, many others came to Hammett's defence, pointing out the absurdity of blaming a 63-year-old musician's accidental slip for his own clumsiness. Hammett bounced back with aplomb and later good-naturedly referenced the fall on Instagram.