From: cmrtcv@rosie.uh.edu (92F09797)
Newsgroups: alt.rock-n-roll.metal.metallica
Subject: Metalli-history Chapter 3
Date: 23 Nov 1992 11:39 CST
Organization: University of Houston
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: rosie.uh.edu
Keywords: Cliff Burton
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    

.......so, where was I?? Somewhere at the end of 1982?? Okay...
  One of METALLICA's peer bands up north making the rounds about this time
was TRAUMA. In additions to being a favorite Bay Area club circuit draw, the
band was gaining recognition through a one song demo, featuring "Such a Shame",
that eventually was transferred to vinyl on METAL MASSACRE II, a sequel of 
Slagel's first metal compilation.  More noteworthy, however Trauma possessed
within it's ranks "the most headbanging bassist" Lars and James had ever seen-
Cliff Burton.  They initially spotted him during a live TRAUMA bout at LA's
TROUBADOR, and now were in hot pursuit.  During the occasional trek up north,
the duo would simultaneously marvel at Burton's long-maned, bell-bottomed
'hippie-freak' mannerisms and four-string mastery and plead with him to join
METALLICA, for a while in vain.  By year's end, however, Cliff was finally
persuaded under the condition that the rest of the band relocate to San
Francisco - he wasn't about to enter the walking freakshow that was LA.
Hence, METALLICA gave southern California the finger as they left it in the
dust in search of more receptive pastures - and  a certain bass player - up
North. On March 5, 1983, Cliff played his first gig with METALLICA at the 
San Fran 'Stone, and a new Metalli-era had begun.
   By this time, the band had gained themselves a reputation as audio ass-
kickers of the first order.  In LA they'd been known lamely as 'The Young
Metal Attack', but after their replanting up North, a new resounding
battlecry was echoing far and wide wherever METALLICA left their mark -
"Metal Up Your Ass!" All this impressive self-marketing, attributed mostly
to Ulrich's keen sense of how to use the metal underground to his advantage,
was stirring up alot of interest among indie labels.  At the time, there
were a number of flourishing labels catering extensively to metal, but with
crippling limitations: tour backing was minimal, and overall publicity proved
less than adequate, so METALLICA was careful to play the field.
   Meanwhile, an indoor flea-market booth called the "Rock-n-Roll Heaven"
was creating quite a stir back east. Jon Zazula (a.k.a. Johnny Z.), the
booth's coordinator, was quickly accelerating the obscure-metal buzz by
marketing almost exclusively import and independent metal discs to a throng
of New York and New Jersey metal freaks. In January of 1983, one such denim
and leather-clad costumer passed on a copy of _No Life til Leather_ to 
Zazula to play in his store.  As the story goes, the bearded mammoth 
immediately put all his priorities second to getting ahold of METALLICA, in
an overwhelming fit of astonishment over the tape.
    An ensuing conversation between Ulrich and Zazula resulted in a mutual
pact to get the band to the East coast, for reasons of both live exposure and
recording.  Zazula had offered them a management/label/tour deal that Lars
was considerably impressed by, and in March of '83, METALLICA piled into a 
rented U-Haul and embarked on a 3000-plus mile jaunt across the country.
Before the trek was over, amidst near-fatal collisions and internal fights, 
Lars and James were set on giving Mustaine the boot.  And what exactly was the
reason for Dave's departure, and even years after the fact has been shrouded
in vagueness?
    Truth is, there really was not a cut-and-dried reason.  Suffice to say
that Dave's on-the-road habits, coupled with a few Dave-versus-management
scraps, didn't add to his popularity as the U-Haul swerved off the road one
time too many.  Mustaine was around long enough to play a couple of opening
slots for Vandenburg and The Rods before being rudely awakened by James one
morning when the band was camped out in Queens, New York, and told to catch
a bus back home. 

Newsgroups: alt.rock-n-roll.metal.metallica