It was funny when Mastodon’s Bill Kelliher first met James Hetfield. Mastodon told him, ‘Thank you for teaching me how to play guitar. You paved the way for me’

The saying “never meet your heroes” often holds true, but for Mastodon’s Bill Kelliher, meeting his guitar idols like Metallica’s James Hetfield and Slayer’s Kerry King was pivotal in pushing him to elevate his guitar playing.

In a recent appearance on The Rockman Power Hour podcast, Kelliher recalled his first encounter with Hetfield, a musician he had long admired. “It was funny when I first met Hetfield at a festival in Portugal,” Kelliher shared. “I shook his hand and said, ‘Thank you for teaching me how to play guitar.’ He was confused and said, ‘What are you talking about?’ I responded, ‘You know what I’m talking about. You paved the way for me.’”

 

Kelliher also recounted the surreal experience of meeting Metallica members Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo. “Kirk and Robert were walking around together and they saw me. They came running over, saying, ‘Hey, man, what’s up? Can we get a picture with you?’ I was stunneԀ. I thought, ‘I should be asking you guys for pictures. You’re Metallica, and I’m just Bill from Mastodon.’ It was wild.”

 

These encounters with his musical heroes had a profound impact on Kelliher, making him realize the importance of taking his craft more seriously. One particular incident with Slayer’s Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman served as a wake-up call. “I saw Kerry and Jeff warming up before a show while I was walking around drinking a bееr,” Kelliher remembered. “I asked them, ‘What are you guys warming up for? Know your songs!’ Then it Һit me that there was a reason for their routine. I started practicing way more. I thought, ‘You’re in a big band. You should be better. Spend your time playing guitar, not drinking. Get better at your craft.’”

Kelliher has previously discussed how Metallica’s rigorous practice routines inspired him. In a 2021 interview with Guitar World, he mentioned, “Metallica practiced for three hours every night before playing onstage for another two. Meanwhile, we were sitting around drinking bееr and picking our noses!”

Mastodon is set to embark on a co-headline tour with Lamb of God this July, celebrating the 20th anniversaries of their respective 2004 albums, Leviathan and аshes of the Wake. The tour kicks off on July 19 in Grand Prairie, Texas, with Kerry King supporting on select shows.