Untold Pinoy Story No. 21

Guitar Hero

He was born on a Sunday at St. Luke’s Hospital.

He formed a band named Exodus.

His name means church.

But he is not religious.

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Nor is he a saint.

Just a hero.

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Guitar hero.

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This guitar hero was born at 3 in the morning on November 18.

His mother was a Pinay government employee while his father was a seaman. He has two siblings: Rick and Tracy.

When he was 11 years old, he took piano lessons. But he did not like the teacher. So he quit.

His older brother, Rick, had a vast collection of guitars and records. When he turned 15, he got himself his own guitar. Although it was an inexpensive one, it sparked his passion for playing the guitar.

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He always played Jimi Hendrix songs in his guitar. He is obsessed with Jimi Hendrix. He wanted to be like Jimi Hendrix. Yes, Jimi Hendrix was his guitar hero.

His dream was finally fulfilled when he got a more expensive guitar. But he did not have a good amplifier. So he took a job as a dishwasher at Burger King in order to buy one.

This was when he formed the band Exodus with his friends.

A year later, while he was taking private guitar lessons, he received an unexpected call from a popular rock band. The band was about to record their first album but they wanted to fire their lead guitarist who was giving them problems. So they wanted him to try out as the band’s new guitarist.

After his audition, the popular rock band offered him the position of lead guitarist. But it was April Fool’s Day. So he thought it was a joke. It was not a joke.

And the rest was history.

He is a vegetarian and he likes to collect horror movies and movie memorabilia. He loves to collect taxidermy and he even owns a stuffed two-headed sheep and a stuffed monkey. He also loves animals and he keeps a motley of pets at home: two dogs named Darla and Hoku, several cats, two horses, a llama and a goat. Recently, he has discovered a new passion: surfing.

He drives a Land Cruiser, a ’55 Dodge Coronet and a mountain bike. He had a Porsche. But he pawned it in a bet. He lost.

In 1995, as a Christmas gift to himself, he got a tattoo wrapped around his belly button which says: “Made in SF 11-18-62” This is in addition to the hot rod flames he already had in his thigh.

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After his first marriage with Rebecca ended in 1990, he married Lani in 1998. In 2006, they had a son whom he named Angel Ray Keala. Two years later, they had another son: Vincenzo Kainalu.

He confessed that he plays his guitar at least 362 days a year.

He was ranked number 11 on Rolling Stone Magazine’s ultimate list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. His guitar hero, Jimi Hendrix, took the top spot.

The recognition accorded him by the Rolling Stone Magazine was such a huge honor. Because it ranked him way ahead of some of the best guitar players who ever lived. This only mean one thing. He is a better guitarist than all of the following great guitarists from the greatest bands in history:

• Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain (ranked #12)


• Carlos Santana (ranked #15)


• Ramones’ Johnny Ramone (ranked #16)


• Hot Chili Pepper’s John Frusciante (ranked #18)


• The Beatles’ George Harrison (ranked #21)


• U2’s Dave Evans/The Edge (ranked #24)


• Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello (ranked #26)


• Queen’s Brian May (ranked # 39)


• Aerosmith’s Joe Perry (ranked # 48)


• Eddie Van Halen (ranked #70)


• Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour (ranked#82)


• Neil Young (ranked #83)


• Black Sabbath’s Tommy Iommi (ranked #86)


• Alice Cooper’s Glen Buxton (ranked #90)


• The Doors’ Robby Krieger (ranked #91)


• AC/DC’s Angus Young (ranked #96)

Plus many other great guitar icons, past and present.

He took private guitar lessons from master guitarist Joe Satriani. Remember the name? Yes, Joe Satriani was the man who composed If I Could Fly which was allegedly the original song from where popular British alternative rock band Coldplay (lead by vocalist/pianist/guitarist Chris Martin who is the husband of Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow) copied its Grammy award-winning song, Viva La Vida. If you listen to both songs, the similarity was indeed uncanny.

He was the first ever inductee into the prestigious Guitar World Magazine’s Hall of Fame.

His band has sold more than 90 million records worldwide.

His band has won seven (7) Grammy awards, two (2) MTV Video Music awards, two (2) American Music awards and three (3) Billboard Music awards. His band was also inducted into the Kerrang! Hall of Fame.

Early 2009 marked another milestone in his amazing career as a master of the guitar. He became a certified Guitar Hero.

Because his band became the subject of the second in a series of Guitar Hero video games.

He is a real Guitar Hero.

His name is Kirk Lee Hammett.

And he is the lead guitarist of the heavy metal band, Metallica.

Yes, Metallica.

And yes, his mother is a true-blooded Pinay.

And you have probably heard some of his band’s amazing music.

Images from guitareuroshop.com, fretbase.com

Next: A Girl Gone Wild!