METALLICA’s JAMES HETFIELD: ‘There’s Not A Better Feeling Than Helping Someone Else And Doing It Without Telling About It’

In a recent episode of “The Metallica Report,” METALLICA frontman James Hetfield revealed the inspiration behind the logo for the band’s All Within My Hands foundation.

James said: “I think we had figured out the name first, from the song ‘All Within My Hands’. And then kind of the obvious thing was, ‘Let’s put a hand on there.’ And so, yeah, I just traced my hand, and that is my hand [laughs], whether you like it or not. And then somehow, having a key, having a keyhole in your hand, like something needs to inspire or open the help. So having that key going into the lock and unlocking that knowledge of it is better to give than to receive.

“As corny as that sounds, there’s not really a better feeling in this world than helping someone else and doing it without telling about it. There is something fantastic about that. It goes against everything that humans are — ‘I need this. You give me that. I need to take this.’ Especially growing up in a band that was struggling, fighting for the only towel in the motel, or whatever it is, or ‘there’s a can of food there. I better get mine or else.’ Just that sparseness mentality and having that key unlock it to be completely the opposite. Out of everything you’ve learned, despite everything I’ve learned, the corniest saying ‘it’s better to give than receive’ is so true.

“So that logo itself, yeah, ‘Helping Hands’. We’ve used the ‘M” — I mean, I have it on my keychain here. The ‘M’, that is the key, METALLICA being able to unlock a lot of doors for other people that are struggling.

All Within My Hands is a non-profit, philanthropic organization created by the members and management of METALLICA, dedicated to creating sustainable communities by supporting workforce education, the fight against hunger, and other critical local services.