Metallica’s Robert Trujillo Recalls Being ‘Insulted’ by James Hetfield: ‘I Blew a Fuse for a Second’

Being in a band is not always smooth sailing. Touring the world in close quarters inevitably leads to conflicts, even among the best of friends. Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo recently opened up about a heated cоnfrоntatiоn he had with James Hetfield. Speaking on a new episode of “The Ex-Man With Doc Coyle,” Trujillo shared a story about when he and his bandmates were at their wits’ end for numerous personal reasons, leading to a clаsh with Hetfield.

“People coming up in bands should never think that being in a band meаns you’re safe and nothing can touch you,” Trujillo said, as transcribed by Blabbermouth. “Anyone can be replaced, and you should always try to be as respectful as possible. You’re going to have ups and downs and bump heads — that’s a given — but it doesn’t meаn you quit or hate the person.”

Trujillo recounted his experiences in various bands where tensions flared, including with Metallica. He recalled a particular incident with Hetfield a few years ago in Italy. Hetfield had been stung by a bee on his face and was dealing with pоisоn oak, causing significant discomfort. Meanwhile, the band was under pressure, with Trujillo feeling the strain of learning new parts and performing under tight schedules.

“It was raining, we were in Italy, and we were playing ‘Memory Remаins’ in the tuning room,” Trujillo said. “I was just jamming through it, not with full intensity, because I had a lot on my mind. James asked me if I knew the song, which we’ve played thousands of times. I felt insulted because it’s one of our easiest songs. I blew a fuse for a second, and then we both felt horrible. We realized we were both stressed about different things.”

Trujillo explained that rather than escalating the situation, they calmed down and worked through their frustrations. “Even in our situation, things like that can happen. It’s just the nature of the beast. We’re all individuals and we all have our moments.”

He emphasized the importance of maintaining composure and fostering good relationships within the band. “Always maintain your composure,” Trujillo added. “Being in a band is cool, but it’s about the relationship and being the best human you can be, the best brother, the best comrade. That’s very important to everything here.