Watch Metallica Give Fans a Tour of Their HQ

Metallica frontman James Hetfield and guitarist Kirk Hammett recently welcomed three fans to the band’s headquarters after they won the trip in a contest run by the Ernie Ball guitar strings company.

After Hetfield introduced himself to the visitors as “Lars,” they were shown around the premises where the band works among memorabilia collected during its long career, including the head from the … And Justice For All statue, the original backdrop used in  the Ride the Lightning era, the group's pinball machine and a “hall of inspiration” that features albums that influenced Metallica.

Hetfield also showed them the band’s piano, playing the “Enter Sandman” riff badly on it and claiming it’s where he wrote all his “heavy songs.”

You can watch a video clip of the guided tour below.

Hetfield then sat down with the fans to discuss the band's approach to songwriting. “The one thing I live for is getting that bolt of inspiration and running to my guitar -- and it still happens for me," Hammett said:. "As long as it still happens for me, I’m really fucking excited and happy.”

“Try not to get hung up on stuff," Hetfield added. "I know the great lyricists, it sounds like it flowed right out of them; and I know it takes a lot of work.” He noted that the advantage of their always-on studio, where everything they played was recorded, meant making music was “less of a ‘red light is on’” stress-inducing scenario.

Metallica’s All Within My Hands charity foundation will stage its first day of service on May 23. The band invited fans to take part by volunteering at a food bank near them. “Join us on May 23 and volunteer at food banks across the country in markets visited by the 2017 WorldWired Tour as we encourage Metallica fans to unite in the fight against hunger,” the band said in a statement.

Metallica contributed to food banks near stops on their U.S. tour last year via charity partner Feeding America.