METALLICA guitarist KIRK HAMMETT has released an official video documenting "The Collection: Live — A Conversation With KIRK HAMMETT", a book event held May 23 at Zoom Saal in Frankfurt, Germany. The intimate on-stage discussion traced HAMMETT's career and celebrated his new coffee-table book, "The Collection: KIRK HAMMETT" — and featured a surprise jam when METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo joined him on stage.
The Frankfurt appearance is one of four such events HAMMETT is staging in 2026 during METALLICA's "M72" world tour. "Every picture tells a story, and thanks to Ross Halfin and his exceptional photography, every picture in this book is worth a million words," HAMMETT said. "I hope you enjoy the LIVE journey as much as I did."
Published worldwide by Gibson Publishing, the 400-page hardcover explores HAMMETT's storied guitar collection in unprecedented detail. Shot in Hawaii and Los Angeles by famed rock photographer Ross Halfin, it documents instruments the guitarist has leaned on from his early days with Bay Area thrash trailblazers EXODUS through more than 40 years and 125 million-plus albums sold with METALLICA. Featured guitars include his 1979 Gibson Flying V and "Greeny", the legendary 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard once owned by Peter Green and Gary Moore. A video teaser even features narration from actor Jason Momoa, a longtime METALLICA fan.
The book event ties into a recurring feature of METALLICA's current tours: at each stop, HAMMETT and Trujillo perform pared-down "doodles" — bass-and-guitar covers of songs by their heroes, often far removed from the band's metal roots.
HAMMETT was part of EXODUS's original lineup before replacing Dave Mustaine in METALLICA in 1983 — going on to record the band's debut "Kill 'Em All" later that year. He is also credited with coining the EXODUS name and bringing original singer Paul Baloff into that band. Now nine-time Grammy winners, METALLICA remain one of the biggest acts in heavy metal history.