Enter Night, page 52
‘It did start as music and it still is very important,’ said James, when I asked him the same question. ‘I mean, obviously we have different musical tastes and that’s fine.’ It struck him, though, while he had been listening to a radio interview with Kirk recently in which ‘he was talking about how him and Lars are so close. They have the same political views, the same social interests, and things like that. And I just started thinking about it. Like, you know what, Lars and I don’t share any of that. We’re pretty much the opposite at everything – except when we play music together. Like, hey, I hear it going here. Yeah, me too! You know, whenever we’ll take a break, we’ll go away for six months from each other and come back together and start talking about where our lives have taken us, and “Oh, I’ve been listening to this and discovered this.” “Wow, me too!” So it’s kind of…parallels, in one way. And then complete opposites in the other. I think that is the beauty of it. That has helped us battle through a lot of things together but given the extreme differences there’s lots of different viewpoints you can learn and take from.’
How would this newfound mutual understanding impact on his own creativity as a songwriter, I couldn’t help wondering. ’Cos that’s the big one, isn’t it? You get happy and suddenly you stop writing…
He laughed. ‘I think every person who goes through something like what I’ve gone through very much worries about that: “Well, that’s where my creativity has come from.” [But] the creativity, it will come from where it has to come from. It is the spark within that is the catalyst. Anything can be digested and be spat out, Metallica-like. When I’m happy, I’m writing the heaviest riff possible. When I’m feeling in a good place I pick up the guitar and I’ll write the fattest riff ever. So it’s quite the opposite, I must say. Being happy is not over-rated. But also, there will always be anger issues with me, no matter what. I have the tools to deal with them now. I can see past the moment into the next moment and not take things so personally. The forties have been the best so far for me, and it’s amazing how much better it could be from here. I don’t know if there is, but there always seems to be another cool piece of the puzzle revealed.’ He paused, then added: ‘I’m not gonna start writing about picking flowers now. I’m just not…’
Also by Mick Wall
Diary of a Madman – the Official Biography of Ozzy Osbourne
Guns N’Roses: the Most Dangerous Band in the World Pearl Jam
Run to the Hills: the Authorized Biography of Iron Maiden
Paranoid: Black Days with Sabbath & Other Horror Stories
Mr Big: Ozzy, Sharon and My Life as the Godfather of Rock, by Don Arden
XS All Areas: the Autobiography of Status Quo
John Peel – a Tribute to the Much-Loved DJ and Broadcaster
Bono – In the Name of Love W.A.R. the Unauthorised Biography of W. Axl Rose When Giants Walked the Earth – A Biography of Led Zeppelin Appetite for Destruction
Notes and Sources
The foundations of this book, in terms of quotes and the facts of the story so far as I have gleaned them, are based on my own original investigations, beginning with the various interviews and conversations over the years I have enjoyed with Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Cliff Burton, Ron McGovney and Jason Newsted, and many others, some of whom for private reasons do not wish to be named.
Those who agreed to be interviewed specifically for this book include Ron McGovney, Brian Slagel, Bob Nalbandian, Patrick Scott, Ron Quintana, Brian Tatler, Lemmy, Joey Vera, John Bush, Gary Holt, Jonny Z, Marsha Z, David Ellefson, William Hale, Jess Cox, Michael Alago, Martin Hooker, Gem Howard, Flemming Rasmussen, Geoff Tate, Bobby Schneider, Steve ‘Krusher’ Joule, Dave Thorne, Mike Clink, Alan Niven, Andres Serrano, Joel McIver, Alexander Milas, Xavier Russell, Geoff Barton, Malcolm Dome, Dante Bonutto and a handful of others who prefer not to be named.
Other voices that have provided me with invaluable information and insights over the years, through magazine and newspaper interviews but also from personal anecdotes or even chance remarks, include Jim Martin, Slash, Joe Satriani, Scott Ian, Dave Mustaine, Ozzy Osbourne, Big Mick Hughes, John Marshall, Peter Mensch, Cliff Burnstein, Ross Halfin, Brian ‘Pushead’ Schroeder, Rod Smallwood, Bob Rock, Fish, Huey Lewis, Dennis Stratton, Dave Murray, Robb Flynn, and again others who would prefer not to be mentioned here. I am indebted to all of them for their honesty and generosity of spirit. I have also spent a great deal of time over the years compiling as much background material as possible from as much published – and, in a few cases, unpublished – material as there is available, including books, magazine and newspaper articles, fanzines, websites, TV and radio shows, DVDs, demo tapes, bootleg CDs and any other form of media that contained useful information, the most important of which I have listed here.
However, extra special mention should also go to a handful of books and articles that proved especially helpful, in terms of adding to my own insights and investigations. First and foremost to the series of excellent books and articles by renowned Metallica and thrash historian Joel McIver, whose books, To Live is to Die: The Life and Death of Metallica’s Cliff Burton (Jawbone, 2009); Justice for All: The Truth About Metallica (Omnibus Press, 2003); and The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists (Jawbone, 2008) were especially helpful. Also, Bob Nalbandian, for allowing me access to his excellent Shockwaves internet archive; Harald Oimoen, for allowing me to quote from his heart-rending 1987 interview with Jan and Ray Burton; and Ben Mitchell, whose superb 2009 Classic Rock interview with James Hetfield he has kindly allowed me to quote from. Similarly, Ian Fortnam’s earlier, equally insightful 2003 interviews with James, Lars and Kirk for the same estimable magazine; Joe Matera for the splendid offer of his 2003 Bob Rock interview, quoted here; Rob Tannenbaum, whose excellent April 2001 Playboy interviews with Lars, James, Kirk and Jason were utterly groundbreaking; and the always first-class David Fricke in Rolling Stone (still the best). Also, Paul Stenning, whose book Metallica: All That Matters (Plexus, 2009) shone interesting new light on the band’s earliest years; Brian Tatler’s fascinating memoir, Am I Evil (www.diamond-head.net, 2010); Chris Crocker’s Metallica: The Frayed Ends of Metal (St Martin’s Press, 1993); Stephen Davis’ Walk This Way: The Autobiography of Aerosmith (Virgin Books, 1999); The Dirt: Mötley Crüe– Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Rock Band (Harper Collins, 2001); and Slash: The Autobiography (HarperCollins, 2007).
There were many others, too, all of which I have endeavoured to list below, and all of which deserve praise and acknowledgement in the roles they played in helping shape the direction of this book and to which I extend my thanks and would urge readers to seek out. Most of these articles I purchased either when they were first published or via a back-catalogue resource. Many, however, I now discover are available via the internet. If you can get hold of the originals, though, I would recommend it for there is nothing quite like holding – feeling and smelling – the real, now-yellowing thing. Again, my utmost thanks to one and all.
Magazines and Newspapers
Dave Mustaine interview, Bob Nalbandian, The Headbanger, January 1984
DM interview, Metal Forces, 1984
Kerry King interview, Sylvie Simmons, Kerrang!, April 1985
Cliff Burton interview, Harald O, February 1986
Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield interviews, Steffan Chirazi, Sounds, 15 February 1986
James Hetfield, Thrasher, 1986
LU interview, Sylvie Simmons, Creem, October 1986
LU interview, Paul Elliot, Sounds, February 1987
LU interview, Dele Fadele, NME, 21 March 1987
JH, Scott Ian interviews, Simon Witter, i-D, April 1987
LU and JH interview, Richard Gehr, Music & Sound Output, September 1988
LU, JH, Jason Newsted and Peter Mensch interviews, Rolling Stone, January 1989
LU interview, Kerrang!, February 1989
JH article, Mega Metal Kerrang! No. 15, summer 1989
LU interview, Christine Natanael, Metal Mania, January 1990
LU and JH interviews, Mat Snow, Q, September 1991
LU, JH and Bob Rock interviews, Rolling Stone, November 1991
JH interview, David Fricke, Rolling Stone, April 1993
LU and legal team interviews, Washington Post, October 1994
LU interview, David Fricke, Rolling Stone, May 1995
LU, JH, Kirk Hammett and JN interviews, Rolling Stone, June 1996
LU interview, Kerrang!, September 1996
JH interview, Washington Post, April 1997
DM interview, Joel McIver, Record Collector, 1999
Michael Kamen interview, Star Tribune, 7 January 2000
JH interview, Ian Fortnam, Front, February 2000
Chad Paulson interview, Melissa Arnold, University Wire, 14 April 2000
LU, Howard King, Scott Stapp, Dr Dre interviews, Andrew Martel, University Wire, 24 April 2000
Jill Pietrini interview, Jojo Moyes, Independent, 16 December 2000
LU, JH, KH, JN interviews, Playboy, April 2001
JH interview, Rolling Stone, June 2003
LU interview, Rolling Stone, July 2003
LU, JH, KH interviews, Ian Fortnam, Classic Rock, August 2003
Dr Phil Towle interview, Martin Carlsson, Classic Rock, August, 2003
LU article, Classic Rock Status Quo Special, 9 November 2003
BR interview, Joe Matera, 2003
LU, KH, CB, JN interviews, Kerrang! Special, 2004
LU interview, Rolling Stone, August 2004
Rob Trujillo interview, Gemma Tarlach, Knight Ridder / Tribune News Service, August 2004
Rick Rubin interview, Lynn Hirschberg, New York Times, September 2007
LU interview, Metal Hammer, October 2007
LU interview, Rolling Stone, April 2008
LU, JH and KH interviews, Rolling Stone, June 2008
RT interview, Rolling Stone, October 2008
LU, JH and KH interviews, Mojo, December 2008
LU interview, Stereo Warning, 2008
JH interview, Ben Mitchell, Classic Rock, July 2009
Slash and John Tam interviews, Jon Hotten, Classic Rock Slash Special, 2010
Tv, Radio and Film
LU interview, KUSF Radio, June 1983
Jeff Hanneman, Arena, BBC, 1988
JH, KM, John Marshall, Mick Hughes, Behind the Music, MTV, 1998
Ron Quintana, Harald Oimoen, The True Story: Metallica, DARK SOULS, circa mid-1990s
LU, KH, JN, PT, Cliff Burnstein, DM, Torben Ulrich interviews, Some Kind of Monster, 2004
JH interview, The Culture Show, BBC, 2005
Internet Sources
Ron McGovney interview, http://demos.metpage.org/, 1996
Lloyd Grant interview, http://demos.metpage.org/, January 1997 www.metallica.com
DM interview, Fredrik Hjelm, Shockwaves, 2001
DM interview, Dave Navarro’s Spread TV, 10 April 2008, www.ManiaTV.com
DM interview, Bob Nalbandian, Shockwaves, 2004
Cronos interview, Richard Karsmakers, www.Fortunecity.com, 1996
Further Online Sources
www.MetalSludge.com
www.rollingstone.com
www.Wikipedia.com
www.Forgottenjournal.com
www.blabbermouth.com
www.GlobalNet.com
Uk.movies.ign.com (for the Berlinger and Sinofsky interviews, 12 July 2004, by Spence D.)
www.MTV.com
www.MetalSucks.net
AP Online
Torben Ulrich interview, Leigh Weathersby, www.amazon.com, January 2005
Cronos interview, Malcolm Dome, originally broadcast on www.totalrock.com, September 2009
Index
The index that appeared in the print version of this title does not match the pages in your eBook. Please use the search function on your eReading device to search for terms of interest. For your reference, the terms that appear in the print index are listed below.
Aardschok Festival
Aarseth, Øystein ‘Euronymous’
AC/DC
and Metallica riffs
commercial success
and drumming
and Peter Mensch
Monsters of Rock show
reunion tours
Ballbreaker
and video games
Accept
Aerosmith
influence on Metallica
and fans
Permanent Vacation and Pump
and video games
US album sales
Agents of Misfortune
Airfix, Andie
Alago, Michael
Alice In Chains
Allen, Rick
Amazon.com
…And Justice for All
writing and recording
lack of bass
album cover
and Metallica album
and Death Magnetic
Angel Witch
Anthrax
time with Metallica
and CraZed management
and thrash metal
and skateboarding
Spreading the Disease
Among the Living
Anthrax/Metallica tour
White Noise
and Big Four tour
Anti-Nowhere League
Anvil
Aphex Twin
Araya, Tom
Arista records
Armored Saint
Armoury Show
Arnold, Chris
Arnold, Jim
art and artists
Artillery
Astaire, Fred
Atkinson, Terry
Avery, Eric
Bach, J. S.
Bach, Sebastian
Bald Knob Amphitheater
Baloff, Paul
Balzary, Michael ‘Flea’
BAM free-sheet
Bang the Head That Doesn’t Bang tour
Barbiero, Steven
Barton, Geoff
Basquiat, Jean-Michel
Bathory
Bayer, Samuel
Beastie Boys
Beatles
White Album
US album sales
Beck, Jeff
Beethoven, Ludwig van
Belladonna, Joey
Bello, Frank
Benante, Charlie
Berlinger, Joe
Bernstein, Leonard
Berrolm, William
Bertelsmann BMG
Big Four tour
Bigalli, Bernardo
Billboard
Bitch
black metal
Black ’N Blue
Black Sabbath
and NWOBHM bands
covers
and black metal
and Cliff Burton
influence on Metallica
influence on Nirvana
reunion tours
and video games
Blackmore, Ritchie
Blackwell, Chris
Blitzkrieg
Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Velvet
Blur
Body Count
Bollettieri, Nick
bomb pots
Bon Jovi
and Bob Rock
and arrival of grunge
Bones
Bonham, John
Bono
Bonutto, Dante
Boomtown Rats
bootlegs
Bordin, Mike
Bosch, Hieronymus
Bottum, Roddy
Bowie, David
Ziggy Stardust
Low
Brats
Bray, Tony (Abaddon)
Britpop
Brockum
Bron, Gerry
Bronze records
Brother’s Keeper
Brown, James
Brown, Ron
Browning, Michael
Bubacz, Chris
Buddhism
Budgie
Burch, Ray
Burnstein, Cliff
and Q Prime management
and Metallica crash
and commercial success
and Elektra contract
and Some Kind of Monster
Burton, Cliff
and Ron McGovney replacement
and bass playing
dress style
family and early life
joins Metallica
musical tastes
and drugs
and move to New York
and band politics
and Kill ’Em All
and comic books
and first US tour
and Ride the Lightning
and touring
living arrangements
and Master of Puppets
and Ozzy Osbourne tour
and commercial success
his death
his replacement
and plan to replace Lars Ulrich
and Metallica’s integrity
Cliff ’Em All video
and…And Justice for All
and Metallica album
and Load
and therapy
and Metallica’s subsequent career
Burton, Jan
Burton, Ray
and Hall of Fame induction
