Kirk Hammett recently responded to the “boomer bend” comment associated with Tim Henson, expressing that he “loves” the term but raising concerns about the relatability of Henson’s playing style.
The controversy began several years ago when Tim Henson, during a discussion with Rick Beato, Tosin Abasi, and Misha Mansoor, casually mentioned that he avoids the “boomer-ish” bends common in classic rock guitar playing. This remark sparked one of the most enduring memes in the guitar community, but also triggered significant backlash. The debate highlighted two long-standing concepts in rock music: the generational departure from previous styles and the deep attachment fans have to the music of their favorite artists, often with a conservative viewpoint.
While Metallica’s lead guitarist Kirk Hammett did not take issue with Henson’s comments, he did offer his perspective during a recent interview with Rolling Stone when asked to weigh in on the matter:
“‘Boomer bends.’ I love that,” Hammett began. “But you know, is he gonna, like, call Eddie Van Halen a boomer guitar player there? I really like [Henson’s] style. It’s really unique, and in terms of technique, it’s amazing. But then, it’s the age-old question: how relatable is it? It’s good to listen to like three or four times.”
Hammett continued, explaining his thoughts on the emotional connection that some listeners might seek from music: “Can you really relate? Sometimes people just wanna listen to music and not feel challenged. Sometimes people just want to feel raw emotion. Is he hitting on raw emotion? No. It’s so complicated. It’s a very distinct emotion that he’s shooting for and therefore, how accessible is it on a larger scale? Well, it’s only accessible to people who like that or can understand that.”
In 2023, Henson addressed the term “Boomer Bends” more directly, explaining that it was created in collaboration with Rick Beato and was never intended to be offensive. Henson clarified that the term described a specific type of guitar-bending lick popular in ’60s and ’70s music—the era of the Baby Boomers. He explained, “The more twang you give it, and the more ‘old guy’ you make it sound, the more boomer-y it is, I suppose [laughs].”
Henson added, “But we didn’t make that term in an offensive way. It was more [because] it starts with a ‘B,’ and ‘bend’ starts with a ‘B.’ It became a catchy phrase, and many Baby Boomers got upset at that term. But that’s alright, because it’s just a way to describe a sound.”
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