One of Metallica singer James Hetfield’s biggest influences was Motley Crue’s Vince Neil, according to Dee Snider on the Speak & Destroy podcast, imitating him on early recordings.
Incorrectly so from the historical overview, James [Hetfield] and Lars [Ulrich] are such big personalities that they are often the center of the Metallica-centric reporting – but going all the way back, that one could argue that Hetfield and Dave Mustaine invented a style of guitar playing that has continued.
“Probably more Mustaine. I mean, James couldn’t even play guitar in the beginning. He fronted the band.
“And, I mean, really, credit where credit’s due, I’m not taking anything away from James, and the ground he’s broken and the band has broken – but I would say it was more from Mustaine even – because James was learning guitar.”
At those really early shows, Mustaine did all the talking, because James was shy supposedly…
“Yeah, and until I went back and listened to the EP that one of James’s major influences was Vince Neil from Motley Crue – did you know that?
“Well, now you’ve heard that. Listen, they’re from LA, listen to his vocal style on that first EP, it was way more – little more Neils-ily, little less, ‘Yeah!’ A little less down there, little more up there, and hey, everybody’s got their influences.”
