# Roger Waters calls James Hetfield a 'complete prick'

> Roger Waters accuses Metallica's James Hetfield of being a 'complete prick' with an 'IQ of about three' after Hetfield's Las Vegas comments on music and politics.
- Title: Roger Waters calls James Hetfield a 'complete prick' · NME
- Summary: Roger Waters accuses Metallica's James Hetfield of being a 'complete prick' with an 'IQ of about three' after Hetfield's Las Vegas comments on music and…
- Keywords: roger waters, james hetfield, metallica, pink floyd, palestine, kamala harris, donald trump, m72 tour, 72 seasons, music, culture, Roger
- Source: NME — https://nme.com/news/music/roger-waters-hits-back-at-complete-prick-james-hetfield-after-metallica-frontmans-statement-on-music-and-politics-3973341
- Published: 2026-10-16T10:33:55+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: roger waters, james hetfield, metallica, pink floyd, palestine, kamala harris, donald trump, m72 tour, 72 seasons, music, culture
## Roger Waters attacks James Hetfield
Roger Waters called James Hetfield a 'complete prick' with an 'IQ of about three' after Hetfield's Las Vegas comments on music and politics.

> Can we stop talking about this prick? I’m so bored with him. He’s just showing that he’s a complete prick.
## Hetfield's Las Vegas comments
Hetfield thanked fans for traveling far to see Metallica's Las Vegas Sphere show and said they wanted to create escape from world issues, not lecture with 'bullshit' agendas.

> Metallica is not here to influence you with their bullshit. We’re here to forget about all the outside shit.
## Hetfield's political comments
Hetfield previously spoke about Metallica's music allegedly being used to torture prisoners in Iraq, saying they were punishing loved ones with their music.

> We’ve been punishing our parents, our wives, our loved ones with this music for ever. Why should the Iraqis be any different?
## Waters' criticism of Metallica
Waters called Metallica a 'prick' who couldn't play acoustic instruments, saying their music was 'appalling' and not kind.

> I heard them playing acoustic instruments, and they couldn’t. It was appalling.
## Waters' Palestine support
Waters supported Palestine by urging followers not to vote for Kamala Harris or Donald Trump in the US election due to their stances on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

> In 2024, he urged followers on social media not to vote for Kamala Harris or Donald Trump in the US election.
## Waters' criticism of Ed Sheeran
Waters called Ed Sheeran a 'little prick' for allowing Macklemore to be kicked off his 'Loop Tour' after the rapper called for 'free Palestine'.

> There are two kinds of people in this world. There’s people who do the right thing, the rapper Macklemore would be one of those people.
## Key takeaway

Roger Waters labeled James Hetfield a 'complete prick' with an 'IQ of about three' after Hetfield's Las Vegas show comments on music and politics.