Metallica’s James Hetfield admits having ‘a horrible nightmare’ before the band’s latest tour

James Hetfield, the iconic frontman of Metallica, recently opened up about the anxiety he experiences before embarking on tour. Despite his legendary status, Hetfield confessed during a recent episode of The Metallica Report podcast that he still grapples with “nightmares” ahead of the band’s European tour.

“The normal thing happens, where I start to doubt myself,” Hetfield admitted. “I start to feel insecure – ‘Well, we’re old; we can’t do this; blah, blah, blah.’ All that bull***t everyone tells themselves before they go into something they care about.”

Hetfield described how his anxiety manifests in vivid nightmares. “I’m the only one who cares about what we’re doing here. … I show up at the gig, everyone’s goofing off. Where’s my stuff? Where’s the set list? The guitar neck is made of rubber, and there’s only two strings on it – where’s my roadie? And the guitar cord won’t let me get to the microphone. Silly stuff like that.”

Despite these pre-tour jitters, Hetfield has learned to manage his anxiety. “That has to happen, and I don’t freak out over it,” he noted. “You have anxiety build up, and don’t let it get the best of you because you have that balance of anxiety and faith. And as soon as you get up there, it’s all gonna be good.”

Hetfield’s candid revelation provides a glimpse into the vulnerabilities even the biggest rockstars face, reminding fans that self-doubt and anxiety are common, no matter the level of success.