Happy 49th Birthday, James Hetfield

On this day in 1963, James Hetfield was born. Many years later, he would become the frontman of the most iconic metal band around, Metallica. We salute you, Papa Het, and all your contributions to the heavy metal scene. Despite what you think of Metallica's later output, there is no denying that their earlier work influenced many artists and unveiled a new heavier music to pimply teens everywhere. Hetfield was showered with cake and party strings at Metallica's show last night in Mexico City, where they are currently in the midst of a sold-out run of shows testing their new stage setup which will eventually be used for their $20 million dollar 3D movie.