James Hetfield opens up to Classic Rock. Get the full interview in our new issue, on shelves May 27th!

Metallica’s James Hetfield has spoken to Classic Rock about loneliness, his relationships and the drug habits of his band-mates in one of his most revealing interviews ever. The full, warts-and-all interview will be published in our forthcoming issue, on sale May 27th.

In this exclusive excerpt, the Metallica frontman speaks about how he dealt with loneliness in his adolescence and how Metallica became his family after he felt so distanced from his own.

Classic Rock: Were you shy back then?

Hetfield: “Very. I was very withdrawn, wasn’t really trusting of the world whatsoever because of what had gone on as a child. Then the drinking helped me break out of that a little bit but at the end of the day it was worse. I’d dig a deeper hole for myself.”

Classic Rock: Was there a feeling that Metallica became your family?

Hetfield: “Yes, yes. There’s no doubt. I was searching for people that I could identify with. I couldn’t really identify too much with my family and, basically, as a child it disintegrated right in front of my eyes. There’s a part of me that craves family and another part of me that just can’t stand people. At the end of the day I feel like this lone wolf but, you know, I do feel that I need family, but not all the time.”

Get the full explosive interview when Classic Rock magazine hits the shelves next Wednesday (May 27th).