Metallica's James Hetfield apologizes to fans for canning Sonic Temple, Louder Than Life due to ongoing rehab
The beloved thrash metal titans Metallica have been forced to cancel two of their five major planned appearances this year due to James Hetfield's ongoing recovery from alcohol addiction and other issues. It was recently revealed on Monday, February 24 that the metal icons would no longer be making an appearance at the 'Sonic Temple Festival' in Ohio this year, or even at the 'Louder Than Life' festival in Kentucky.
Their headlining slot at the Sonic Temple Fest will go to popular bands like 'Tool' and the "Red Hot Chili Peppers' instead, while their replacements for 'Louder Than Life' are yet to be confirmed.
In September last year, we first learned that James Hetfield had re-entered rehab due to his ongoing struggle with various addictions, but the legendary frontman had maintained a stoic silence on his recovery since then, but only up to this point. On Monday, February 24, Metallica posted an open letter from James Hetfield on their official website explaining the situation in detail. Hetfield's heartfelt letter was addressed to the "Metallica Family" and read as follows:
"It pains me to write this, but I have to let all of you know that I cannot make it to Sonic Temple in Columbus and Louder Than Life in Louisville this year. As part of my continuing effort to get and stay healthy, I have critical recovery events on those weekends that cannot be moved."
Hetfield then went on to say sorry to all his disappointed fans - "I apologize to all of our fans who have bought tickets for these festivals. We are working with the festival promoters to provide for refunds or exchanges. My intent with this statement is saying “I apologize” to each one of you."
James also acknowledged that he had to take care of himself, saying "The reality is that I have not prioritized my health in the past year of touring and I now know that my mental health comes first. That might sound like a no-brainer for most of you but I didn’t want to let the Metallica team/ family down and, I alone completely compromised myself."
But Hetfield was keen to strike an optimistic note as well and play down his fans' apprehensions - "Looking on the brighter side, my therapy is going well. It was absolutely necessary for me to look after my mental, physical, and spiritual health. I want to stress that the band will play all the other announced 2020 shows. I am looking forward to getting back to playing and seeing all our great South American fans in April. And, of course, playing Epicenter in Charlotte, Welcome to Rockville in Daytona and Aftershock in Sacramento. We will still play two unique sets at each of these festivals."
The rock legend ended his letter by looking forward to the future and asking for fans to be considerate of his state of mind - "Beyond 2020, I am optimistic about the blessings I have been given and what the future brings. I appreciate all the great prayers and support from everyone since I went into rehab last September. Like the moth into the flame, being human in this career has its huge challenges and can be difficult. Your understanding helps the healing."
We wish James all the best as he continues his healing process and hope to see the band playing shows again soon.