One of the more tragic aspects of the Metallica documentary Some Kind of Monster was watching guitarist Kirk Hammett quietly panic while he watches the band he had given over two decades to fall apart. “I was ready to start working on a solo album,” Hammett admits to Rolling Stone’s David Fricke. “But it’s extremely important for me to be in this band. If it all fell apart tomorrow, I’d be extremely proud of our accomplishments. Having said that, we’re always going to be in Metallica, even if the band breaks up. We’re always going to be linked to the concept of what Metallica is.” Click below for more from Hammett, including the moment when he realized he was a rock star and who made him star struck back on one of Metallica’s early tours.

• Interview: Metallica’s Kirk Hammett

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