Metallica original logo
Metallica, formerly known on YouTube as MetallicaTV, is a classic thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles, California, formed in 1981. The band's lineup currently consists of vocalist and rhythm guitarist James Hetfield, percussionist Lars Ulrich, lead guitarist Kirk Hammett, and bass guitarist Robert Trujillo. Co-founders Hetfield and Ulrich are the only remaining members of the band's original lineup.
Overview[]
MetallicaTV was created on January 29, 2007 to promote the then-upcoming album Death Magnetic. Since its creation, the channel uploads on a sporadic basis, most of the time providing clips/full footage of live concerts, but sometimes they upload material from an upcoming album as promotion, most recently Hardwired...To Self-Destruct. When COVID-19 temporarily shut down the concert business, Metallica began uploading archived concert footage and rerecorded, acoustic versions of songs, notably the infamous Blackened 2020 which has seen mixed reviews from fans.
Metallica is considered one of the “big four” thrash-metal bands, along with Megadeth, Anthrax, and Slayer. Unlike the other three, Metallica would go on and switch to regular heavy metal during their career.
Band Members[]
- James Hetfield - Lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1981-present)
- Lars Ulrich - Drums (1981-present)
- Kirk Hammett - Lead guitar, backing vocals (1983-present)
- Robert Trujillo - Bass guitar (2003-present)
Former Band Members[]
- Ron McGovney - Bass guitar (1981-1982)
- Dave Mustaine - Lead guitar (1981-1983)
- Cliff Burton - Bass guitar (1982-1986; his death)
- Jason Newstad - Bass guitar (1986-2001)
History[]
Formation[]
In 1981, drummer Lars Ulrich posted an advertisement on a local Los Angeles newspaper, looking for some bandmates to jam with. James Hetfield was the first one to answer. Five months after the two first met, they had officially formed a band called Metallica. Meanwhile, the duo recruited Dave Mustaine after viewing his equipment and experience as a lead guitarist, and hired him on the spot. In early 1982, Metallica recorded a song titled "Hit the Lights" for the Metal Massacre compilation that Metal Blade Records has released. The band's first live performance took place at Radio City in Anaheim, California on March 14, 1982. Around the same time, the band met bassist Ron McGovney and hired him on the spot. Metallica recorded their first demo titled Power Metal that contained four tracks.
Lineup Changes[]
As time forged on, problems with the band began to arise mostly due to Mustaine abusing drugs and alcohol. One day, Mustaine brought his dog to a rehearsal session. The dog unknowingly jumped onto McGovney's car, scratching the paint. Hetfield allegedly yelled at Mustaine's dog and kicked it out of frustration. Mustaine responded by becoming verbally and physically abusive towards the other band members. Mustaine was fired following the altercation, but the next day, Mustaine appealed, and was allowed back in the band. A few days later, a drunken Mustaine slathered some beer onto McGovney's bass and equipment. McGovney received an electric shock while plugging his bass into the amplifier and left the band shortly thereafter.
Hetfield and Ulrich later attended a concert at West Hollywood's nightclub, Whisky a Go Go. During the concert, they first saw Cliff Burton as the bassist for a band called Trauma. Hetfield and Ulrich asked Burton if he could join Metallica because they felt inspired by his equipment and effects, as well as his spectacular bass-playing style.[1]
Shortly after McGovney was replaced by Burton, the remaining Metallica members traveled to New York City. Upon arrival, Hetfield and Ulrich decided to vote Mustaine out of the band. This was mainly due to his role in the incident that led to McGovney’s resignation, his alcoholism and drug problems, and his personal clashes with other band members. Mustaine was taken back to Los Angeles on a Greyhound bus and would go on to form a rival band, Megadeth. Not too long after Mustaine's firing, Kirk Hammett, formerly of Exodus, took over as the next lead guitarist.[2]
While the band was on the tour in Sweden in support of their album Master of Puppets, the band was involved in an accident involving their tour bus. The members had complained that their bunks were uncomfortable. The story about how Burton got his bunk differs between two members. Hammett said that he and Burton drew cards; Burton drew the Ace of Spades and was awarded Hammett's bunk. Ulrich, on the other hand, said that he and Burton drew straws; Burton drew the long straw, winning his first choice of bunk. Shortly before 7 AM on September 27, 1986, the tour bus skidded off the road and flipped onto the grass in Kronoberg County. With no safety restraints on the bus, Burton was thrown violently from his bunk bed through the window of the bus. The bus then fell on top of Burton, killing him instantly at the age of 24. Hetfield, Hammett, and Ulrich survived with only minor injuries. The bus driver said that the crash was caused by black ice, but Hetfield claims that the bus driver was drunk. With the band's future in question, Metallica recruited Jason Newsted, formerly of Flotsam and Jetsam, to take Burton's place.[3]
Newsted left the band in 2001 due to personal reasons. A clip of Ulrich throwing a fit after learning of Newsted's departure can be seen online.[4] Robert Trujillo, formerly of Ozzy Osbourne's band and Suicidal Tendencies, replaced Newsted in 2003.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- James Hetfield is known as the "king of downstrokes".
- Kirk Hammett is known for his use of the wah pedal.
- Kirk Hammett's mother is Filipino.
- Kirk Hammett has a fascination with horror movies.
- Lars Ulrich is originally from Denmark.
- Robert Trujillo is of Mexican descent.
- Their song Enter Sandman is used as the entrance music for Virginia Tech football and basketball.
- Enter Sandman was also used as the entrance music of New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera, whom was nicknamed "Sandman" as a result. In Rivera's last home game before his retirement, Metallica played the song live at Yankee Stadium in his honor.[5][1]
- In 2000, Lars Ulrich, on behalf of the band, was involved in a lawsuit against streaming service Napster for copyright infringement. The case was ultimately settled out of court.
Quotes[]
- "Yeaaaah!" - James Hetfield's catchphrase
- "I am the table!" - James Hetfield in The View
- "Gimme fuel, gimme fire, gimme something else" - James Hetfield forgetting the lyrics of Fuel[6]
- "HE FUCKING LEFT THE BAND!" - Lars Ulrich reacting to Jason Newsted's resignation
References[]
- ↑ http://www.bassplayer.com/story.aspx?id=164
- ↑ https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/dave_mustaine_speaks_on_why_he_had_to_fire_early_megadeth_members_talks_how_marty_friedman_behaved_at_audition.html
- ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=6LwTMoqykcYC&q=cliff+burton+death&pg=PA159
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H6PHdIv68g
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6j795ZiCd4
- ↑ https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.tiktok.com/%40alkaline_metalers1/video/7317726713121901870&ved=2ahUKEwivjL323auKAxXsEFkFHUW4ErMQwqsBegQIEBAF&usg=AOvVaw2I02TKixtFe3lJX5-tZONf