Jeff Ament and Metallica: a story that started in ’83 and led up to Helping Hands

From the first listen to Kill ’Em All to jamming on Hit the Lights in Los Angeles.

A year ago, a video dropped on the official Metallica YouTube channel, and our buddy Artur L. tipped us off, bringing back attention to one of the most memorable moments of the Helping Hands Concert & Auction in Los Angeles on December 13, 2024. The clip shows Jeff Ament, Pearl Jam’s bassist, hitting the stage not just as a musician but as the founder of Montana Pool Service, a nonprofit backed that night by Metallica’s foundation, All Within My Hands.

In his speech, Ament opened up about how much Metallica shaped his personal and musical journey. His first encounter with the band goes back to the early ’80s, when he had just moved from Montana to Seattle with his hardcore band. Ament said: “The first time I heard Metallica was around 1983. Kill ’Em All had this gang-like vibe, like they were trying to make the loudest, rawest, heaviest racket possible.”

Talking about the record, he added: “It was heavy, but not too serious or overproduced. You could really feel the energy jumping out of the speakers.” That raw attitude fit perfectly with the hardcore and punk scene he was living in back then: “It lined up perfectly with all the bands I loved at the time, like SSD, Black Flag, and Discharge.”

Ament also recalled the connection between Metallica and skate culture, which was a big part of his life: “Some of the guys in the band skated, and the art on the boards was by Pushead, my neighbor in Idaho. It was all part of the same scene.”

One of the most vivid memories he shared was his first Metallica show, during the Ride the Lightning Tour in 1985 at the Moore Theatre in Seattle. Ament said: “I was right in front of Cliff. He was like a whirlwind of energy.” About Cliff Burton, he added: “He was halfway between Geezer Butler and hardcore punk. He played with color and abandon. Totally original.”

The speech then turned to the present and his social mission. Ament thanked Metallica for supporting Montana Pool Service, which received a $50,000 donation that night. He said: “This gift is gonna help us build bigger, better skateparks, but more importantly, shine a light on folks living in some of the most isolated areas in our country.” He clarified the deeper purpose of the project: “Having something that makes you feel alive saves lives.” Looking ahead, he added: “We’ve got six skateparks in the works across rural and Native Montana for next year.”

The night wasn’t just about words. Jeff Ament also hit the stage as a musician, jamming with Metallica on Hit the Lights, a track from Kill ’Em All, Metallica’s first studio album from 1983. It was a super symbolic moment, connecting the kid who first discovered this music in 1983 with the artist, over forty years later, playing alongside the band that created it.

Watching this video now, a year later, really shows the full meaning of that night: not just a charity gig, but a meeting point where music, memory, and social responsibility collide. As Ament wrapped up his speech: “When you see the world the way we’ve seen it, you just wanna do better. Now more than ever.”