The band’s debut studio album was initially going to be titled Metal Up Your Ass. Due to conflicts with its record label and the distributors’ refusal to release an album with that name, it was renamed Kill ‘Em All. Released on Megaforce Records in the United States and Music for Nations in Europe, the album peaked at number 120 on the Billboard 200 in 1988, and although the album was not initially a financial success, it earned Metallica a growing fan base in the underground metal scene. The band embarked on the Kill ‘Em All for One tour with Raven to support the release. In February 1984, Metallica supported Venom on the Seven Dates of Hell tour, where the band performed in front of 7,000 people at the Aardschok Festival in Zwolle, Netherlands.
Metallica recorded its second studio album, Ride the Lightning, at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark. Released in August 1984, the album reached number 100 on the Billboard 200. A French printing press mistakenly printed green covers for the album, which are now considered collectors’ items. Other songs on the album include “For Whom the Bell Tolls”, “Fade to Black”, “Creeping Death” (which tells the biblical story of the Hebrews’ exodus from slavery in Egypt, focusing on the final plague that was visited on the Egyptians), and the instrumental “The Call of Ktulu”. Mustaine received writing credit for “Ride the Lightning” and “The Call of Ktulu”.
Master of Puppets (1984–1986)
Elektra Records A&R director Michael Alago, and co-founder of Q-Prime Management Cliff Burnstein, attended a September 1984 Metallica concert. Impressed with what they saw, they signed Metallica to Elektra Records and made the band a client of Q-Prime Management. Metallica’s burgeoning success was such that the band’s British label Music for Nations released a limited edition “Creeping Death” single, which sold 40,000 copies as an import in the United States. Two of the three songs on the record (cover versions of Diamond Head’s “Am I Evil?”, and Blitzkrieg’s “Blitzkrieg”) appeared on the 1989 Elektra reissue of Kill ‘Em All. Metallica embarked on its first major European tour with Tank to an average crowd of 1,300. Returning to the U.S. marked a tour co-headlining with W.A.S.P. and Armored Saint supporting. Metallica played its largest show at the Monsters of Rock festival on August 17, 1985, with Bon Jovi and Ratt at Donington Park in England, playing in front of 70,000 people. A show in Oakland, California, at the Day on the Green festival saw the band play in front of a crowd of 60,000.
Metallica’s third studio album, Master of Puppets, was recorded at Sweet Silence Studios and was released in March 1986. The album reached number 29 on the Billboard 200, and spent 72 weeks on the chart. The album was the band’s first to be certified gold on November 4, 1986, and was certified six times platinum in 2003. Steve Huey of Allmusic considered the album “the band’s greatest achievement”. Following the release of the album, Metallica supported Ozzy Osbourne for a United States tour. Hetfield broke his wrist skateboarding down a hill and continued the tour performing vocals, with guitar technician John Marshall playing rhythm guitar.
Check out my website for more cool music: Aaron Sparks
Check out my abstract graphics galleries: Aaron Sparks
Check out my links page for all things guitar related: Aaron Sparks
No comments:
Post a Comment