There'd be no merit to replicating something, to repeating something. As artists and as musicians, you wanna continue to go in different directions and develop.

I'll never forget getting my first Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chain records, and hearing that wonderful, beautiful darkness. And the rhythmic intensity, that's what attracted me more than anything else.

Oh, I'm going to raise him on Black Sabbath and Metallica and football and MMA and all things that should matter for a young boy, and discipline and strength and honor and courage and everything that I would hope to instill within my son.

The power, the complexity, the aggression - there's so many things that would attract anyone to Metallica. I think that they are the prime example of a metal band.

I come from a classical background.

'In Another Time' talks about our addiction to technology.

I in no way, shape, or form envision myself as the modern-day Ozzy Osbourne - nobody can.

The world wants rock bands to be idiots.

When you record and tour year after year without a break, it starts to feel like you're on an assembly line.

I will always be a proud defender of the Jewish people and of the State of Israel.

I used to have, and I still do have, really bad acid reflux. I had a surgical procedure done... that repaired a valve at the top of my stomach that had completely burned away.

We've always used that as a goal - the record that literally every single track on it could be a hit. A record that breaks doors down, that opens up new opportunities to us, that helps you achieve true immortality as an artist.

'Fade To Black' - just this amazing construct: a song that defied the definition of what Metallica was perceived to be at the time.

I'm all about freedom to go ahead and practice whatever kind of religions you want, have whatever sort of sexual preference you want, freedom in terms of being pro choice for women.

The God's honest truth is that, being the singer, my body's my instrument.

Ninety percent of the time, I'm a laid-back teddy-bear dude.

It's impossible to utilize your right to free speech in the way you truly deserve and not suffer repercussions on any level.

I had a motorcycle accident, and I had my garage burn down with most of my vehicles. And I've had really bad relationships that I've been in and out of. They've left their mark.

At the end of the day, what people want from me is to get up there on that stage and make them feel powerful and give them a release for an hour and a half or two hours every once in a while. And if I'm still able to do that, hopefully I'm still making people happy.

I despise lackadaisical behavior when it comes to our music. I mean, this is heavy metal music. You must be involved. You're required to be involved.

Music is meant to cross boundaries.

I formed my first band when I was going to Valley Torah High School in Los Angeles.

The forces that precipitate the vicious cycle of conflict on this planet do not pledge allegiance to either the left or the right or the center. They take advantage of everyone.

I try not to mix the politics as much with the band, per se, because my political views are my own; they're not necessarily the band's.