METALLICA - JAMES HETFIELD'S OLD BOOZING STANDARDS

METALLICA singer JAMES HETFIELD can't remember entire periods of the band's past because of his alcoholism.

The ENTER SANDMAN rocker, who is now free of booze, says the band used to go through a different brands of drink when on tour - leaving him unable to remember several tours.

James says, "We'd go through certain types of drink on the road. The JAGERMEISTER days were brutal, as were the gin days.

"Then KIRK (HAMMETT) and I went through our MARTINI and cigar phase. It seemed like fun, but at the end of the day it abused us so bad.

But Hetfield insists they never let drink interfere with their music.

"But we were always adamant that there was no drink or drugs before going onstage, so that is some kind of - I don't know - standard that we set for ourselves."