James Hetfield

In the early days of Metallica,James Hetfield did not have an interest in being the lead vocalist, and Metallica experimented with a few different vocal/guitar configurations. Some of the options considered included adding another guitar player, having John Roads play lead guitar, as well as asking John Bush from Armored Saint (who later joined Anthrax) to sing for the band. The finalized line-up of the band became Hetfield (rhythm guitar and vocals), Lars Ulrich (drums), Dave Mustaine (lead guitar), and Ron McGovney (bass).

From 1981 to 1983, Mustaine's famous rock and roll lifestyle sparked heated altercations between him and Hetfield. Mustaine also once poured beer into Ron McGovney's bass, very nearly causing serious damage. Eventually, Hetfield and Ulrich ejected Mustaine due to his alcoholic tendencies, and recruited lead guitarist Kirk Hammett from the band Exodus the same day. Mustaine was sent home on a 4-day bus journey, and went on to form the thrash metal band Megadeth.
Until the mid-1990s, Hetfield recorded all rhythm tracks, most harmony tracks, and the occasional solo, such as "Nothing Else Matters", the outro solo on "The Outlaw Torn",the second solo on "To Live Is To Die",the second solo on "Orion"and the first interlude solo on "Master Of Puppets. He also writes the majority of the guitar harmonies, as well as writing the lyrics, vocal melodies, and co-arranging the songs with Ulrich.
Hetfield has been involved in many onstage accidents, the most well-known being an incident with pyrotechnics at Montreal's Olympic Stadium. While on the GN'R-Metallica Stadium Tour in August 1992, he accidentally stepped into the path of one of the chemical flames that had been rigged to shoot from the lip of the stage during the opening of "Fade to Black". Hetfield's guitar protected him from the full force of the blast; however, the fire engulfed his left side, burning his hand, arm, eyebrows, face and hair. He suffered second, and third-degree burns, but was back on stage 17 days later, although his guitar duties were delegated to former guitar tech and Metal Church guitarist John Marshall for four weeks while he recovered.