|
|
|
|
 Div Metallica History PT 1
|
Metallica History Part 1
On October 28th, 1981, drummer Lars Ulrich makes guitar player/singer James Hetfield the offer he can't refuse: "I've got a track saved for my band on Brian Slagel's new Metal Blade label."
The truth is, Lars didn't have a band at that time, but he did that day when James joined him. The two recorded their first track on a cheap recorder with James performing singing duties (with a sore throat, even!), rhythm guitar duties and bass guitar duties. Lars dutifully pounded the drums, helped with musical arrangements and acted as manager. Hetfield's friend and housemate Ron McGoveny was eventually talked into taking up bass and Dave Mustaine took lead guitar duties.
The band adopted the moniker Metallica: Young Metal Attack, and began gigging in the Los Angeles area opening for bands like Saxon. They eventually recorded a full-fledged demo called No Life Til Leather. The demo was circulated near and abroad by Lars and his metal tape-trading buddies.
No Life Til Leather stirred up some interest in the underground metal community and the band started garnering some attention, especially in San Francisco and New York.
Metallica performed 2 shows in San Francisco and found the crowds there more friendly than LA's "there to be seen" crowd. They also caught up-and-coming band Trauma, and most importantly their bass player, Cliff Burton. Eventually, Metallica moved upstate and Cliff joined Metallica.
In New York, a copy of No Life Til Leather made its way to Jon Zazula's record shop, the aptly-named Metal Heaven. Zazula quickly recruited Metallica to come out east to play some shows and record an album.
The band made it to New York in a stolen U-Haul only to make announcement to their now manager/record producer: "Our guitar player has got to go." Roadie Mark Whitakker suggested a guitar player from a band he knew back in SF, and on April 1, 1983 Kirk Hammett joins Metallica.
Metallica's first album, Kill 'Em All, is released in late 1983.
Click here for Part 2
|
|
|
|
|
