34 years ago Kirk Hammett was earning his stripes in Exodus when he got the call of a lifetime. He picked it up and it was the band’s manager Mark Whitaker asking him if he wanted to audition for Metallica.
Figuring the call was an April fools prank Hammett hung up the phone but, Whitaker called back and explained Metallica manager Jonny Z wanted him to call Hammett since he was close to both bands. The audition as you know went extremely well, and here we are, 34 years later.
Sadly this meant that Kirk had to leave behind the influential thrash metal band he founded in Exodus. They made good work of it though. To celebrate Hammett’s departure, Exodus threw a party for the guitarist and everyone got hammered.
Read the full story courtesy of Loudwire here.