James Hetfield Says He Left Bay Area Due To Political 'Elitism'

Metallica frontman James Hetfield revealed that political elitism was the reason why he decided to relocate his family from California's Bay Area, where he lived since the 80's, to the rural mountains of Colorado on a recent episode of comedian and UFC personality Joe Rogan's podcast. 

“I kind of got sick of the Bay Area, the attitudes of the people there, a little bit,” Hetfield said in the interview. “They talk about how diverse they are, and things like that, and it’s fine if you’re diverse like them. But showing up with a deer on the bumper doesn’t fly in Marin County. My form of eating organic doesn’t vibe with theirs.”

Hetfield spent years in the Bay Area but due to being an avid hunter, the politically correct climate of the area didn't mesh well with the guitarist. “There was just a… I don’t know… I felt that there was an elitist attitude there — that if you weren’t their way politically, their way environmentally, all of that, that you were looked down upon,” he said. “I think in Colorado, everyone is very natural; people are not playing some game, they’re not posturing. They’re very into, ‘Oh, you like doing that? Cool. How’s that go? How’re you doing with that?’ And they’re less obsessed with stopping what you’re doing and more enjoying what they’re doing.”

While Hetfield moved, he is still happy a progressive city like San Francisco exists, saying that he is "glad there is a place" like the Bay Area "that prides itself, on being progressive, very moving forward: 'Hey, we're creating the future here.' And I love the convenience and stuff of that. But then there's a part of me that just maybe is like frontier-style. I just love that. I would rather be simple."

Watch the full interview below: 

Photo Credit: Getty