During a new interview on The Metallica Report podcast, Kirk Hammett revealed that Kurt Cobain wanted to get their attention in one of Metallica’s Seattle shows.
Hammett recalled Cobain asking if they would play ‘Ride the Lightning’ or ‘Whiplash,’ and they ended up playing ‘Whiplash.’ The guitarist said, “The whole time we were playing ‘Whiplash,’ Kurt was trying to get my attention.”
Kirk continued, “I only found out afterward from some friends who were in the snakepit saying ‘God, when you guys played ‘Whiplash,’ Kurt went insane and he was trying to get your attention the whole time.’ I was like ‘Really?’ I know that’s his favorite Metallica song, but wow.’”
“Kurt was great. He was such a great mellow guy and very fragile and vulnerable,” added the musician about the late Nirvana frontman. “But, at the same time, man, he had this great wit. He was a funny guy.”
In 2020, Kirk explained how he became friends with Cobain, saying, “He was great. I became friends with him right when the first Nirvana album [1989’s ‘Bleach’] came out before people were even calling it grunge, and it’s so sad when I think back to all the guy wanted to do was play guitar and write songs and sing and somehow that all got destroyed for him.”
Metallica didn’t influence Nirvana’s sound, but their success helped Nirvana become popular and influential. Both bands avoided following popular music trends and tried to stay true to their own style.
Hammett also agreed before, saying, “Rock radio embracing our sound – our heaviness – helped the whole grunge thing take hold. Not long after ‘The Black Album’ came out, Nirvana put out ‘Nevermind.’ I like to think we had something to do with the acceptance of Nirvana.”
Hammett asked Kurt to join Metallica’s tour with Guns N’ Roses in 1992, but Cobain declined, saying he didn’t like Guns N’ Roses. Faith No More ended up supporting the tour instead.