Kirk Hammett

A lot of the main characters in horror movies are outsiders as well, so that outsider syndrome reverberates within horror fans and geeky collectors. It's kind of a rallying call that brings fans and collectors together who are a little socially retarded, maybe.

I feel like I've matured more musically than I have personally. But I totally embrace what becoming older has to offer. I find the wisdom that comes with each passing year is a trip.

I've always been attracted to the darker things in life. I was never one to go for light, airy stuff, even as a child. My whole aesthetic has always been one of the darker side. That rings true also in my tastes in music. It's just always something I've gravitated to naturally.

Everyone has a side to them that's kind of unexplained and feels misunderstood.

It's definitely true that Stevie Ray Vaughan is one of my all-time favorite guitarists.

Because of things like iTunes and streaming and social networking, it's destroyed music. It's destroyed the motivation to go out there and really make the best record possible. It's a shame.

I feel really fortunate that, in playing guitar and surfing, I've found two things that mean so much to me, and which really complement each other. There's definitely a spiritual thing to both of them; they totally connect you to a higher realm.

My musical tastes change every week.

I fix things all the time. Every time I do a solo, I re-check it and correct things that don't hit the mark.

Although I'm a lead guitarist, I'd say that a good 95 percent of my time onstage is spent playing rhythm.

Guitar playing is both extremely easy for me and extremely difficult for me at the same time.

The concept of clearing one's mind before performing a task so that it is consumed by nothing but that task, yet is open at the same time to anything that might happen - that concept can be applied to playing guitar, and it's enormously helpful for improvising.