Metallica

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Metallica combined relentless touring and an uncompromising musical approach with a carefully cultivated air of mystery to achieve enormous commercial success. That it has become one of rock's most popular groups is made all the more amazing by the fact that not one of its peer bands which were also playing a sped- up, harder- edged take on heavy metal has succeeded, or survived, for that matter. And even those who don't care for Metallica's music recognize that few bands have treated their fans as well once they reached the top.

Metallica's roots begin in L.A., where, influenced by a new wave of British metal bands like Saxon and Diamond Head, Lars Ulrich began the search for kindred souls to form his own band in 1980. Guitarist James Hetfield answered Ulrich's newspaper ad, though nothing came of their initial meeting. Two years later, hoping to record a song for a compilation album called Metal Massacre, Ulrich again contacted Hetfield. This time he was ready to play, and with bassist Ron McGovney, they formed Metallica. Guitarist Dave Mustaine joined in April 1982, just after Metallica's first live concert, in Anaheim, Calif.

As a four- piece, the band recorded a set of demos known collectively as Power Metal, named for the description of the band on their business card. One of the Power Metal songs, "Hit the Lights," was included on the 1982 edition of Metal Massacre, and that fall, Metallica played in San Francisco to promote its appearance on the album. It was a fortuitous move, as the reception to the band was overwhelming. As their fortunes rose, Ulrich and Hetfield grew steadily unhappier with McGovney. While on the road, they met Trauma bassist Cliff Burton and asked him to join the band. He agreed, but only on the condition that Metallica relocate from Los Angeles to San Francisco. They agreed. Later that year, Mustaine also departed (he would go on to form Megadeth), and was replaced by Exodus guitarist Kirk Hammett.

Like other underground success stories from the eighties, Metallica succeeded largely without the aid of radio or MTV exposure through relentless touring and an uncompromising approach to its music. Case in point: In a decade where high- profile heavy- metal bands like Mötley Crüe relied on glamour rather than musical prowess, Metallica would have none of it. Playing a 1985 hard- rock festival in Donnington, England, Hetfield helped define the band for the audience by proclaiming: "If you came here to see spandex, eye makeup, and the words 'ooh baby' in every f--kin' song, this ain't the f--kin' band!"

Metallica was just as aggressive on record as it was onstage. The New Jersey- based Megaforce label released the quartet's first two albums, Kill 'Em All (1983) and Ride the Lightning (1984), and the group then signed to Elektra Records. Its first album for Elektra, Master of Puppets (1986), revealed a band capable of complex arrangements and diverse styles, not only pure speed. Although its songs often clocked in at around seven minutes, Metallica coursed through quiet, subdued passages as well as full- out thrash. Its sonic signature was Hetfield's repetitive bursts of rhythm guitar, over which Hammett played lightning- fast leads.

Master of Puppets was not only a musical tour de force; it also brought Metallica increased visibility. A 1986 tour with Ozzy Osbourne was its last as an opening act, but tragedy struck that September, when one of their tour buses flipped over on an icy road in Sweden, killing bass player Cliff Burton. Though devastated, Metallica held auditions in San Francisco less than a month after Burton's death. Five bassists competed to fill the suddenly vacant spot. One, Jason Newsted, knew Metallica's complete repertoire, and when asked by the band which song he'd like to play, he responded, "Any one you like." Newsted played his first show with Metallica in November 1986. As a tribute to Burton, Metallica compiled a home video of its late bandmate's years with the band titled Cliff 'Em All, culled primarily from fans' bootleg videotapes.

… And Justice for All (1988), Metallica's fourth record, continued to push its hard- edged, uncompromising sound with grand arrangements. Despite the lack of airplay, the album quickly vaulted into the Billboard Top 10, and the band was one of the top attractions on that summer's mammoth Monsters of Rock tour. Justice garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Heavy Metal Performance, but Metallica lost out to veteran British folk- rockers Jethro Tull. Rather than sulk in defeat, the band had stickers placed on the album reading "Grammy Award LOSERS" Metallica would go on to win a Grammy in 1990 for its first- ever video, "One," and good- naturedly thanked Jethro Tull for not releasing anything the previous year. The band had a sense of humor to be sure, but it also wanted to maintain a dark, mysterious side, which helps explain some of the cryptic imagery and the predominance of the color black on its album covers, especially the next one.

Through its first four albums, Metallica had relied on sheer will and brute force, having pushed the envelope with its music, and letting word of mouth carry it to commercial success. It was time to alter its style somewhat, if not its approach. So 1991's aptly titled Metallica was a refinement. Shorter songs and more concise arrangements were the rule, as the band sought to broaden its appeal and take metal to the mainstream. It worked. The album would go on to spend months on the Billboard charts, selling more than 10 million copies and making the quartet one of the biggest bands in the world.

Although it had changed its sound somewhat, and in doing so achieved massive commercial success, Metallica remained committed to its dedicated fans. On the long tour in support of Metallica, the band played a few special surprise concerts for fan- club members, and followed the Grateful Dead's lead in establishing a special seating section from which fans could record the concerts. And for those who didn't record the shows they saw, Metallica released a massive box set in late 1994, Live S*it: Binge and Purge, which contained both CDs and videotapes of several concerts. Metallica finally settled down again in late 1995 to record its sixth album, Load. It was another step toward the mainstream, as evidenced by the band's newly shorn look and its top billing on the 1996 Lollapalooza tour. Metallica toured in support of Load well through 1997, with stop at Neil Young's annual October Bridge School benefit concert. The quartet wound up as the fourth highest grossing tour of the year.

After a brief hiatus, Metallica again geared up for a big world tour to support Re-Load, released in November 1997. Originally scheduled to kick off March 27, 1998, in New Zealand, the band postponed the opening date after Lars Ulrich's mother Lona died. The band rescheduled to April 17, then began its U.S. onslaught in the summer. After taking the month of August off, it finished up with a handful of West Coast dates in September. 1998 was another good touring year for Metallica; despite the time off, the band earned $24.7 million on the road, making it the 16th most popular concert draw of the year.

Big news for Metallica fans came in March 1999, when bassist Jason Newsted joined gonzo guitarist Ted Nugent at a joint press conference in Pontiac, Mich., for a special announcement. It was there that the long-rumored New Year's Eve show between Metallica and the Motor City Madman became official; the two powers will collide on Dec. 31, 1999, at the Pontiac Silverdome for a millennial blowout. Prior to the big New Year's Eve bash, the band will tour in South America and Europe, make a stop at Woodstock '99 (taking place July 23-25 at Griffiss Park in Rome, N.Y.), then take some time off. Although given Metallica's colorful musical history, there are bound to be a few surprises along the way.

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