Gojira Frontman: “I Forget How to Talk and How to Walk in Front of James Hetfield”
Gojira frontman Joe Duplantier talked about his feelings for Metallica frontman James Hetfield. Duplantier explained why he was acting weird around him. It turns out that despite being friends with Papa Het, Gojira frontman still has crazy respect for Hetfield, which “keeps him on his toes,” as he says. Joe Duplantier also shared his thoughts about Gojira’s influence on the other bands, while mentioning the bands that influenced Gojira as well. The fact that Gojira is affecting the younger bands is “incredible” for him. Gojira recently released, and are currently promoting their latest album Amazonia. Lamb of God’s frontman Randy Blythe had some good thoughts on that. Anyways, here’s what Gojira frontman had to say about James Hetfield on BBC Radio, as transcribed by Ultimate-Guitar:
Joe Duplantier on how chatting with Hetfield was, given his influence:
“Yeah, part of me didn’t realize it fully. It takes a lifetime to… You know, we all sort of worry what people think about us, how we look to others and career – I think about my career, I don’t think just about my art all the time, I think about my career. And the way you’re gonna perceive me and the things I’m going to say the next time I see James Hetfield, how I’m gonna behave.”
Chatting with James Hetfield as a friend while also being a huge fan of him is humbling for Joe Duplantier, as he says:
“Am I going to… You know, I’m still a fan, so I’m trying to pretend that we’re friends, but in fact, I’m a fanatic, and I forget how to talk and how to walk in front of James Hetfield. [Laughing] It’s crazy, but it keeps me on my toes and reminds me that I’m still a music fan, and I’m trying to stay humble. It’s a good exercise.”
Gojira frontman on the bands they influenced:
When the interviewer asked about the bands that influenced Gojira, Joe Duplantier mentioned the bands Gojira influenced:
“I don’t think about it too much. I’m aware of it, that we had after all these years an impact and influenced other bands, but I see how that can happen. I was influenced by so many artists, and they ignited a fire in me, you know, Metallica, Sepultura, Morbid Angel, Death, even Scorpions at some time before high school. Iron Maiden, Pantera… I was made of all these things, and it made our band, and it gave us a direction to follow and some guidance and incredible inspiration.”
After that, he mentioned the common formula that brought the bands together:
“We got together, we were using the same formula, the same setup, two guitars one bass, one drum – it’s not much that changed since the first rock bands that happened in the ’60s. What we did is just add our thing and stick together, so if anything, it’s the consistency, that we never stopped touring and making albums and we’re always there, we care, and we’re professional.”
Joe Duplantier said it was humbling to be an influence on the younger bands while it is completely natural that bands affect one another:
“So it’s almost natural that at some point it has an impact on somebody, somebody’s always there touring, playing, touring, playing and something cool comes out of it, but it’s amazing. I have to pinch myself sometimes to check if this is really happening, our band is successful and is having an impact on other bands and stuff, it’s incredible.”
You can listen to the whole interview below.
