Metallica Guitarist Pays Tribute To Gary Moore

In the lengthy editorial in Rolling Stone, Hammett reveals that Moore was amongst his biggest influences as a guitar player.

"Gary Moore is definitely in my list of top five guitar influences, right up with Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Michael Schenker. His influence is strong to the point that the opening lick of the guitar solo of 'Master of Puppets' is a variation of a lick that Gary Moore played a lot. I remember the first time hearing his blues album and just getting totally blown away – not only by the playing but by the sound of it too, his tone. And I remember being so inspired that I wrote a couple riffs just based on his sound and his feel. And those riffs ended up in 'The Unforgiven' on The Black Album."

Hammett goes on to recall how he used to watch and listen to Gary's work ("His approach embodied everything that I was trying to do.") and that he based his visual style on old photos of the former Lizzy man in action.

He also recalls the one time that he met Gary, just over a year ago.

"I met him for the first time a year and a half ago. I was in a hotel room in Germany and I was going to the gym. I got into the elevator on the fifth floor and the elevator stopped on the fourth floor and in comes Gary Moore. I just couldn't believe it. I introduced myself and had a chance to tell him how much of an influence he was on me. I was a little intimidated because I heard at one point that he was really mad at a contemporary guitar player for ripping him off. He couldn't have been more gracious to me though, and in retrospect I'm very glad I had the opportunity."

You can read the whole tribute HERE