Pepper Keenan recalls 1992 Metallica audition after James Hetfield injury

Pepper Keenan of Corrosion of Conformity recently shared details regarding his 1992 audition to become a temporary member of Metallica. The opportunity arose after frontman James Hetfield sustained serious burns from an onstage pyrotechnic accident, which left him unable to play guitar.

To maintain their stadium tour with Guns N’ Roses, Metallica’s management, Q Prime, contacted Keenan in the middle of the night. Despite initial disbelief and concerns regarding the intense pressure of learning the band's repertoire quickly, Keenan traveled to Denver, Colorado, to audition. At the time, Hetfield was receiving treatment at a nearby burn center.