Young Kirk Hammet: Photos

Kirk Hammet is one of the most loyal members of the heavy metal band Metallica. After the departure of Dave Mustaine, the band’s original lead guitarist, Hammet took his place and has continued with Metallica until today. Have you ever seen photographs of the young Kirk Hammet?

Kirk Hammet was born on November 18, 1962, in San Francisco, California to a Filipino mother and a Northern European father. He was raised in the town of El Sobrante, located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Young Kirk Hammet and music

His brother Rick had an incredibly large collection of music and Hammet spent a lot of time with it. Rick, introduced him to bands like Led Zeppelin, UFO, Black Sabbath, and Jimi Hendrix. His interest in music grew.

Another hobby of Hammet’s was horror magazines and movies. Because of his interest in music, he sold his horror magazines and started a music collection. Hammet had taken his first steps toward becoming one of Metallica’s band members.

Here is a photograph of young Kirk Hammet with his horror magazines:

Young Kirk Hammet`s first band

When Hammett was a teenager, he attended De Anza High School in Richmond, California. He was a skateboarder and would often play his guitar at local parties and social gatherings. His musical talent caught the attention of some musicians in the area.

In 1979, before joining Metallica, Hammett formed the Bay Area thrash metal band Exodus. Hammet was 16 years old when he formed Exodus. However, in 1983, he received an invitation from Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield to audition for Metallica.

Here is a photograph of young Kirk Hammet with other Exodus members. Hammet was 16 years old in this photo.

Kirk Hammet joins Metallica

After the band’s original lead guitarist Dave Mustaine left the band in 1983, Hammett an invitation from Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield. If you want to know the story of all the Metallica members from 1981-2023, you should definitely check out the following article:

• Metallica band members

Here are some photographs of Kirk Hammet with other Metallica members Cliff Burton, Lars Ulrich, and James Hetfield from 1983. Hammet was 21 years old in this picture.

Success came with Metallica

Kirk Hammett’s first success with Metallica came shortly after he joined the band. “Kill ‘Em All” (1983): After joining Metallica, Hammett quickly became involved in the recording of the band’s debut album, “Kill ‘Em All.” Released in July 1983, the album showcased his guitar skills and contributed to the band’s growing recognition in the thrash metal scene.

A year after joining Metallica, the band released its second studio album. Hammet was a part of this successful album.

In 1986 the third album of Metallica “Master of Puppets” was released. It is considered a landmark album in heavy metal. Hammet had proven that he had what it takes to take the band forward and make it more successful. Especially, his solos on songs like “Master of Puppets,” “Battery,” and “Orion” showed his talent. The album reached platinum status and is widely regarded as one of Metallica’s greatest successes. Hammet was 24 years old when the band released the album “Masters Of Puppets”:

Here is a photograph of Kirk Hammet with other Metallica members from 1986:

Kirk Hammet is an indispensable member of Metallica. He has achieved many successes with the band and we hope that this success will continue for years and we will continue to watch Metallica concerts and shows for years to come.