U.K. web site The Skinny has posted METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett's response to a question that was originally posed by STONE TEMPLE PILOTS/ex-VELVET REVOLVER frontman Scott Weiland.

Weiland: How do you keep one band together for so many years?

Hammett: "There have been times when we've absolutely hated the sight of each other, but deep down we still care and have tremendous love for one another. We truly are a family, and with Rob [Trujillo; bass] in the band now, we feel that with him too. The chemistry is great. It's also a love and respect for what we’ve done in the past and knowing that makes the future look very bright and very clear now. James [Hetfield; guitar/vocals] said the other day, 'People want us to be together.' That, to me, was such a profound statement, and it's fucking true. Certain people need us to be together and that makes it worth staying together as a band. There was a point where we were about to just fall apart, but we cared enough to go through all that we had to, to still be a band. Of course, that's all been well documented."