Kirk Hammett Releases Official Video From Frankfurt ‘The Collection: Live’ Event
Robert Trujillo joined Hammett for a surprise jam during the intimate Frankfurt conversation tied to Metallica’s M72 European tour.
Kirk Hammett has released an official Brett Murray Films-directed video of his May 23 ‘The Collection: Live – A Conversation With Kirk Hammett’ book event at Zoom Saal in Frankfurt, Germany. The intimate discussion celebrated the launch of his Gibson Publishing coffee table book ‘The Collection: Kirk Hammett’ and included a surprise appearance by Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo, who joined Hammett for an impromptu jam on stage.
A Book Event Built Around the M72 World Tour
The Frankfurt stop is one of four city events Hammett has planned as part of Metallica’s 2026 M72 European tour weekend takeovers. The ‘Collection: Live’ series is designed to give fans a deeper look at the history and artistry behind the rare and collectible instruments featured in the book, with Hammett leading the conversation in each city.
Hammett described the motivation behind taking the project on the road: ‘In 2026, during the M72 world tour, I will be taking the book LIVE in four cities to share and discuss the rich history and artistry behind each of these unique and rare instruments. Every picture tells a story and thanks to Ross Halfin and his exceptional photography, every picture in this book is worth a million words.’
He also credited Gibson for making the project possible, adding: ‘Thank you to Gibson for making my passion for Greeny and guitars a reality. I hope you enjoy the LIVE journey as much as I did.’
Trujillo’s Surprise Jam Echoes the Band’s ‘Doodles’ Tradition
Robert Trujillo’s appearance at the Frankfurt event was unannounced, and the two bandmates performed together on stage during the evening. The moment fits a pattern Metallica has developed on recent tours, where Hammett and Trujillo perform pared-down, bass-and-guitar covers of songs from their musical heroes during what the band refers to in setlists as ‘doodles.’ These stripped-back interpretations often venture well outside Metallica’s traditional metal territory, and Trujillo sometimes handles vocal duties.
The Frankfurt event, directed for video by Brett Murray Films, captures the kind of informal, behind-the-scenes access that has become a hallmark of Metallica’s extended tour ecosystem, where the band supplements arena shows with fan-facing events in each host city.
Inside ‘The Collection: Kirk Hammett’
Released worldwide via Gibson Publishing, ‘The Collection: Kirk Hammett’ is a 400-page premium hardcover coffee table book. Shot on location in Hawaii and Los Angeles by rock photographer Ross Halfin, the book draws on rare imagery from Halfin’s archives and features exclusive interviews with Hammett conducted by Chris Vinnicombe, Gibson’s editor-in-chief, and Mark Agnesi, Gibson’s director of brand experience.
The book traces Hammett’s guitar history from his early days with Bay Area thrash act Exodus through more than 40 years with Metallica, during which the band has sold over 125 million albums worldwide. Among the instruments documented are his 1979 Gibson Flying V and Greeny, the legendary 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard previously owned by Peter Green and Gary Moore.
The book is available globally through Gibson.com and Gibson Garage locations in three formats: a Standard hardcover, and limited signed and numbered Deluxe and Custom Editions.
What we know
- An official video of the May 23 ‘The Collection: Live – A Conversation With Kirk Hammett’ event at Zoom Saal in Frankfurt, Germany has been released, directed by Brett Murray Films.
- Robert Trujillo joined Hammett on stage at the Frankfurt event for a surprise jam.
- The ‘Collection: Live’ events are part of Metallica’s 2026 M72 European tour weekend takeovers across four cities.
- ‘The Collection: Kirk Hammett’ is a 400-page hardcover coffee table book released via Gibson Publishing, available in Standard, Deluxe, and Custom Editions.
- The book was photographed by Ross Halfin on location in Hawaii and Los Angeles, and features interviews conducted by Chris Vinnicombe and Mark Agnesi.
- Guitars documented in the book include Hammett’s 1979 Gibson Flying V and Greeny, the 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard formerly owned by Peter Green and Gary Moore.
- Metallica has sold over 125 million albums worldwide and has won nine Grammy Awards.
The take
Kirk Hammett has long been one of rock’s most visible guitar collectors, and ‘The Collection’ book represents a logical extension of a public persona he has cultivated for years through museum exhibitions, interviews, and his well-documented obsession with vintage and rare instruments. Greeny alone carries enormous weight in guitar history: the 1959 Les Paul Standard passed from Peter Green to Gary Moore before Hammett acquired it, and its provenance makes it one of the most storied guitars in rock. Hammett’s decision to take the book on the road as a live event series, rather than simply releasing it through traditional retail channels, reflects a broader shift in how legacy rock artists monetize and deepen fan relationships during major tours. Metallica in particular has refined this model over the M72 cycle, building entire weekend experiences around each tour stop that go well beyond the concert itself. The ‘doodles’ tradition with Trujillo is a good example of how the band keeps the extended ecosystem feeling spontaneous rather than corporate. For a band that has been operating at arena and stadium level for four decades, finding ways to create genuinely intimate moments for fans is increasingly valuable, and the Frankfurt event, now preserved on video, extends that reach well beyond the room.
Why it matters
For Metallica fans and classic rock audiences broadly, the Frankfurt video release turns a one-night event into a permanent document. The ‘Collection: Live’ series represents a model where a major legacy act uses a book launch to create layered fan experiences tied directly to a world tour, generating content and community engagement that outlasts any single show. With three more city events still part of the announced series, the Frankfurt video also sets expectations for what those evenings look like, raising the profile of the remaining stops.
What’s next
Hammett has announced ‘The Collection: Live’ events in four cities total as part of Metallica’s 2026 M72 European tour weekend takeovers. Frankfurt was one stop in that series. ‘The Collection: Kirk Hammett’ book remains available globally through Gibson.com and Gibson Garage locations in Standard, Deluxe, and Custom Editions.
Frequently asked questions
What happened at Kirk Hammett’s Frankfurt book event?
Hammett held an intimate live discussion at Zoom Saal in Frankfurt on May 23 celebrating the launch of his coffee table book. Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo made a surprise appearance and joined Hammett for a jam on stage.
What is Kirk Hammett’s ‘The Collection’ book about?
It is a 400-page hardcover coffee table book released via Gibson Publishing that documents the rare and collectible guitars Hammett has used throughout his career, from his early days with Exodus through more than 40 years with Metallica.
Where can I buy ‘The Collection: Kirk Hammett’?
The book is available globally through Gibson.com and Gibson Garage locations in three formats: a Standard hardcover and limited signed and numbered Deluxe and Custom Editions.
Who photographed ‘The Collection: Kirk Hammett’?
The book was shot by rock photographer Ross Halfin on location in Hawaii and Los Angeles, and also draws on rare imagery from Halfin’s personal archives.
What are Metallica’s ‘doodles’?
The ‘doodles’ are pared-down bass-and-guitar covers of songs from Metallica’s musical heroes that Hammett and Trujillo perform at tour stops, often choosing material well outside the band’s traditional metal sound, with Trujillo sometimes singing.
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