Born on August 3: James Hetfield, controversial Metallica frontman

Libertarian and gun enthusiast, the Metallica singer and guitarist is a divisive figure. More than 40 years after his thunderous debut, he still loves heavy metal just as much...

Born in 1963 in Downey, California, James Hetfield celebrates his 62nd birthday this August 3rd. But his already venerable age doesn't seem to affect his love of decibels.

Whether it's the German Scorpions with "Still Loving You," Aerosmith with their 1980 "Dream On," or Guns 'n' Roses with the epic nine-minute "November Rain," almost every heavy metal band has at least once indulged in the exercise of the ballad accompanied by dripping violins, often describing unquenchable heartbreak, always with, at one point or another, a guitar solo from behind the faggots.

With their "Black Album" in 1991, Metallica embraced this exercise rather brilliantly with "Nothin' Else Matters," a lively ballad that would become a hallmark of their repertoire, alongside the trash and speed metal that still remain their staples.

Moreover, like most of his hairy peers (when they were young, at least), James Hetfield achieved his greatest success with this slow jam (it must be called that), which remains a unique track in the band's repertoire.

Like Deep Purple with the London Symphony Orchestra in 1999, Metallica has also teamed up with musicians more accustomed to the scores of Verdi or Wagner than to electric guitars. The same year as the creators of "Smoke On The Water," Metallica dared to marry beauty and the beast by teaming up with Michael Kamen, who led the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. Rather satisfied with the exercise, Metallica repeated the experience on January 18, 2017, in Beijing with star pianist Lang Lang…

A staunch libertarian (like Elon Musk) and avid collector of vintage American cars, James Hetfield also has a series of less pleasant failings, among which his penchant for the divine bottle is only a minor one. This avid hunter is one of the fierce defenders of the NRA (National Rifle Association) and the gun lobby in general. To top it all off, he has repeatedly stated that he supports the death penalty. Nobody's perfect...

(MH with Stéphane Soupart - Photo : © Etienne Tordoir)

Photo: James Hetfield with Metallica at the Heavy Sound Festival in Poperinge, Belgium, June 10, 1984