Please answer the following question: Facts: - instrument: guitar - years active: 1979 -- present - caption: kirk international , held in san diego , california . hammett speaking at the 2013 san diego comic-con - birth name: kirk lee hammett - label: warner bros. , elektra , vertigo , megaforce - genre: heavy speed metal metal , thrash metal , hard rock , - notable instruments: esp jr. . gibson flying v jackson king v gibson les kh-2 paul and kh-3 signature models gibson les paul - birth date: 18 november 1962 - name: kirk hammett - image size: 250 - background: non_vocal_instrumentalist - image: file : kirk hammett by gage skidmore.jpg - birth place: san francisco , california , united states - associated acts: metallica , exodus , spastik children - occupation: musician , songwriter , author Based on these bullet points, write a short biography describing the life of kirk hammett .
A:
kirk lee hammett -lrb- born november 18 , 1962 -rrb- is the lead guitarist and songwriter for the heavy metal band metallica and has been a member of the band since 1983 .before joining metallica he formed and named the band exodus .in 2003 , hammett was ranked 11th on '' rolling stone '' 's list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time .in 2009 , hammett was ranked number 5 in joel mciver 's book '' the 100 greatest metal guitarists '' .