Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich has given fans a cautiously positive update on bandmate James Hetfield’s rehab progress.
Speaking on Danish program Tiny TV (as transcribed by ultimateguitar.com), Lars Ulrich revealed how James Hetfield’s been going since entering rehab for alcoholism treatment in September last year.
He began: “We’ve been together for two weeks, we’ve played a whole lot and we’ve had really good vibes. So he’s definitely back! But I do not think that I should say that he’s ‘out on the other side of rehab.’
He continued: “I think if he was here and was interviewed, he would probably say that it’s a constant process. It is not a process that at any point ends for him.”
“So this is something that needs to be respected all the time, and that is something that must be understood all the time. It’s something that is there every day… But he plays and he’s happy, and I think that he is in good shape and eager to play!
Ulrich went on to reveal that Hetfield “really does a good job” or taking his treatment “very seriously.”
“He rolls up his sleeve and really works hard, and we in Metallica respect that too,” he said.
Love Metal?
Get the latest Metal news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
“And, of course, we hope the best for him and – so far, so good!”
Elsewhere in the interview, Ulrich opened up about how the ongoing pandemic combined with Hetfield’s rehab has taught the band to “be grateful for all the possibilities that lie ahead.”
“Of course, both corona and rehab… It teaches one to live as much in the present – and to be grateful for all the possibilities that lie ahead. And accept the vulnerability and how easily it all can get out of hand,” he began.
He continued: “When you’re in your 20s and 30s, you might not think about it that much. It’s just, ‘Fuck, we just have to move on, we’re jumping headfirst into a vodka-bottle, and then we’re just going forward, full speed ahead!’
“But of course, along the way, you really understand to be grateful for when we play a concert, when we are together, when we do a project or when we record this thing and that thing and so on.”
“So open your eyes, take it all in, and be grateful! We should be happy every time we are together or when something positive happens. And that’s what you can take with you from the last five months.
“So we wish for the best and, of course, hope that James gets through the difficult times and that those who are affected by corona get through it in the best possible way,” he concluded.
Check out ‘One’ by Metallica:
