Kirk Hammett Vs. Mrs Smith: The wah-off of the century?
Ask not for whom the pedal wahs, it wahs for thee.
Image: worldofsmith.com
Metallica’s Kirk Hammett is known far and wide for many things, not only being in one of the biggest heavy metal bands of all time, but also for his love of wah pedals. Seldom does an online video of him playing go without ironic “needs more wah” jokes in the comments section, and perhaps not without reason. In a 2016 interview about Metallica’s recent LP Hardwired… to Self-Destruct, Hammett revealed he used three wahs simultaneously on the song Hardwired.
The tongue-in-cheek association between Hammett and excessive wah has led him to be crowned unofficial leader of a cult of wah-abusers, representing a nation of guitarists who could never fathom playing anything higher than the 7th fret without first stepping on a Cry Baby. But Hammet’s position was challenged last year by shred guitarist Mrs Smith, on an episode of the Mark Agnesi show:
“I abuse the wah more than Kirk Hammett and I’ve challenged him multiple times to a wah-off,” she told Agnesi, before reiterating her challenge. “Why are you hiding behind your wah-wah pedal, Kirk Hammett?”
But Hammett has finally emerged from behind his protective wah pedal, and set a date for the ultimate wah-off – the Cry Baby Battle Royale. The two guitarists will go head to head (or as the announcement puts it, foot to foot) on 8 March, at The Senate venue, Columbia, SC. The night will also see Hammett’s Wedding Band play, with some more special guests.
Find out more at worldofsmith.com. For more guitar news, click here.