Home Entertainment Hetfield recalls the ESP Horizon Double Neck guitar he used at a 1992 show pyrotechnic accident that burned his left side

Hetfield recalls the ESP Horizon Double Neck guitar he used at a 1992 show pyrotechnic accident that burned his left side

Entertainment — 03/01/2024

“I harbor no resentment towards this guitar despite the incident”: James Hetfield reflects on the ESP Double-Neck used during infamous pyrotechnic mishap

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Metallica’s frontman, James Hetfield, has taken a moment to reminisce about the ESP Horizon Double Neck guitar he wielded during a pyrotechnic mishap that resulted in flames striking his left side during a 1992 show.

 

After the performance at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Hetfield faced a temporary inability to play the guitar as he recovered. The guitar he held at that critical moment shielded him partially from the flames and remains scorched to this day.

In an excerpt from his upcoming book, “Messengers: The Guitars Of James Hetfield,” he explains why he doesn’t hold any animosity towards the guitar, despite the negative association.

 

“The Double-Neck Montreal makes me think of the smell of your own burning flesh,” he shared (as reported by Guitar World). “I did not have a double-neck Explorer at that time, which I eventually did get and nicknamed the ‘Coffee Table’ because it’s so friggin’ giant and heavy. But for the 12-string sound on ‘Fade to Black,’ ESP lent me whatever they had, and this was it – the ’89 Horizon, the double-neck I played ‘Fade to Black’ on every night up to Montreal. It was retired after that.”

 

He continued, “If you look at the photos, you can see I had my hand around the neck where it’s all white, and you can then see where the rest is charred. It was so hot the strings popped. I don’t hate this guitar because of what happened, that’s for sure. I don’t hate the pyro guy, anyone, or anything, really. Things happen for a reason, and for some reason I was meant to stop playing guitar for a little while.

 

“Out of all the stuff that I’ve gone through, breaking wrists, breaking arms, and then this, I’m pretty grateful that we’ve had people to stand in and play guitar,” he stated. “And it’s a good thing that, I don’t want to say I can sing, but it’s a good thing I have another job in the band. Job security!”