Metallica‘s James Hetfield just got a new middle finger tattoo, but it’s actually a show of respect to a fallen legend whose defiant presence and persona served as inspiration to the rocker. We’re talking about the one and only Motorhead leader Lemmy Kilmister.
Hetfield proudly displayed his new tattoo is a social media post with his middle finger extended to showcase the Motorhead “spade” logo, which was tattooed with a special ingredient.
James Hetfield Lasting Lemmy Legacy Tattoo
In his social media post, Hetfield revealed that the tattoo was created with a mix of black ink and a pinch of Lemmy Kilmister’s cremation ashes that he received after the Motorhead singer’s death.
The tattoo itself is positioned just above the knuckle on Hetfield’s left middle finger.
As has been reported through the years, a number of Kilmister’s musical peers received bullet casings of the late singer’s ashes after his passing, and Hetfield also displayed his casing.
Among those known to have received Lemmy’s ashes in special casings over the years are Rob Halford, Doro Pesch, Whitfield Crane, Riki Rachtman and tennis champ Pat Cash.
What Hetfield Said About His New Tattoo
“With the steady hand of friend and tattoo artist @coreymillertattoo, this tattoo,” remarked Hetfield in his posting, calling it “a salute to my friend and inspiration Mr. Lemmy Kilmister.”
“Without him, there would be NO Metallica,” added the singer.
“Black ink mixed with a pinch of his cremation ashes that were so graciously given to me, so now, he is still able to fly the bird at the world,” concluded Hetfield, adding the hashtags #lemmy #aceofspades #borntolose #livetowin.
Where You Can See James Hetfield and Metallica
You can see Hetfield and Metallica back out on tour this year, but depending on how its displayed to you, that middle finger tattoo may or may not be a welcome sign if you get that close.
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The group resumes their touring May 24 and 26 in Munich, Germany, with European dates booked into mid-July. A U.S. run of shows will follow starting Aug. 2 and 4 at Foxborough’s Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts. Additional shows in Mexico will follow in September. All Metallica dates are currently on sale.
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Gallery Credit: Lauryn Schaffner