It is well known that James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich open out to one another. Lars seemed to have seen right away how well they would complement one another. The drummer talked to Classic Rock about the band’s beginnings, saying:
“We were a perfect match because I thought that I could help pull some of that stuff [shyness] out of him. He made up for some of my lack of talent. It was a yin and yang kind of thing. I felt it from the get-go.”
Lars gets the opportunity to travel with the musician and witness all of his sides, even if his fans only get to see one aspect of him. He added:
“He’s much sweeter and more vulnerable than people think he is. I always felt he was a very gentle soul and a loving guy.”
For instance, at a performance in Brazil only last year, James shared his anxieties about his age and guitar playing, which caused him to become upset on stage and receive a hug from his bandmates. In an April 2016 interview with Revolver, Lars recalled that incident and stated:
“Hugging your fellow bandmates is definitely something that we do enjoy along the way. And being open about our love for each other and our appreciation for each other, and how grateful we are that 40-plus years later, we can still stumble along and make it happen. We’re very comfortable with that side.”
Read the Classic Rock interview with Lars Ulrich here.
