METALLICA – HEAVY METAL MUSHKETERS
Fans of the legendary Metallica are so dedicated and uncompromising that they can be compared to religious adoration. Legends circulated about their booze during the tour, and journalists called the group “Alcoholic”.
Among all this confusion bordering on lawlessness, the group received its share of deprivations and tragic events – car accidents, death, broken limbs, burns. These events were a test of strength for the group. They survived and became the gold standard of heavy metal, playing “honestly and selfishly” in the apt expression of frontman James Hetfield.
From Danish Origins
It all began in small Denmark, where Lars Ulrich, the drummer of Metallica, was born. Since childhood, keen on tennis, he became the champion of Copenhagen among juniors and simply could not imagine any other way until by chance he heard the legendary Deep Purple, being at their concert. By that time, the parents decided that their son is better to play tennis in America and moved there from Denmark. A tennis racket was thrown into the closet once and for all. Drums became Ulrich’s new passion, and music did its job.
The second love of the young music lover was Diamond Head. The style of the leaders of the new wave of heavy material formed the basis of the sound of the future Metallica group.
Obsessed with the idea of creating a group and on the advice of the famous King Diamond, Lars decided to show this “boring Yankees” what real metal is. After reading James Hetfield’s announcement of the creation of the group in the newspaper, Lars decided to call. That was the beginning of the legendary Metallica. The first proposals did not have to wait long. Novice producer Brian Slagel decided to launch a collection of young heavy metal bands onto the market. James and Lars climbed in there, hastily riveting the composition “Hit The Lights”.
It was up to the name. It was brought on a platter by an old friend of Ulrich, who was going to publish a magazine and for a long time could not decide which version to stop on – Metallica or Metal Mania. The result of these doubts is known to us. In search of a bass player and guitarist, the ancestral fathers of the Metallica band tirelessly change their composition and do so until the place of the bass tamer goes to the talented Cliff Burton, and the band Metallica took the place of the guitarist, which was occupied by Dave Mustaine, Kirk Hammett.
Metallica entered the studio on May 10, 1983 fully armed. Firstly, because the material has been rehearsed hundreds of times. Secondly, the album was called “Kill‘ Em All “- not bad for a debut album. And so that critics would not say there, the effect of an exploding bomb was achieved. Realizing that the iron (even musical) is forged while hot, the guys sat down for new things.
Tragic loss
“Ride The Lightning” is Metallica’s second album. It was published in July 1984. A huge step forward and the first in the career of the collective ballad “Fade to Black”. This thing is a real shock and love from the first sound for fans, however, like the wonderful “For Whom the Bell Tolls”, inspired by the eponymous novel by Ernest Hemingway.
New songs are even heavier and more aggressive than before. They are preparing the Havimans for their next album creation, “Master of Puppets.” The theme of the title track is eternal – the dependence of the Metallica group of a person on drugs that take his life day after day. In the first days after the release, the album became “golden”. Enjoying success, Metallica went on tour for the first time with a star like Ozzy Osbourne. Alas, this tour was the last for Cliff Burton. On September 27, 1986, the bus the musicians rode overturned on a slippery road in Sweden and crushed Cliff. Having recovered with difficulty, the musicians announced an audition. As a result, a great bass player Jason Newsted appeared in the group.
Masterpieces from the lips of Metallica
Having tested the new roster in public, by mid-December Metallica gathered in the studio. A few days later, Ulrich told the world the name of the new disc “… And Justice for All.” It went on sale in April 1988. A worthy adornment of the album was the composition “The One”, which was not quite similar to what the group had done before. This time the album became “platinum” and went on tour to the top of the world charts, and Metallica, respectively, on the road. Having traveled half the world, the musicians allowed themselves rest. And in January 1990, with renewed vigor, after working on a cover version of the hit band Metallica by Queen’s outstanding band Stone Cold Crazy, Metallica received the Grammy Award.
The musicians immediately started recording a new disc. The group changed the producer and in the new album, the world heard a completely different Metallica, largely thanks to the lyrics of James Hetfield, who dared to open his inner world in them for the first time, which became an interesting phenomenon.
