Metallica: The early days in pictures | Music

Posted by Aldo Pusey on Friday, March 8, 2024

Metallica: The early days in pictures

It's the wilds of 1982 and Metallica are on the up, working towards their acclaimed debut Kill 'Em All. An exhibition of photographs by Bill Hale at Proud Camden in London looks back at that period

Sat 29 Jan 2011 00.05 GMT First published on Sat 29 Jan 2011 00.05 GMT

  • Ron McGovney, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and Dave Mustaine backstage at the Old Waldorf, San Francisco, 18 October 1982

    – Bill says: 'My last attempt at a group shot with McGovney still in Metallica. It was clear that Ron was too normal for the rest of the band. No, Dave spilt beer on Ron's jeans ...'

  • Cliff Burton (left), Dave Mustaine and a friend, the Stone, San Francisco, 19 March 1983

    – 'I remember Cliff, Dave and I walking out of the Stone after the show. The photo bug hit me and I asked the guys to pose for a photo. Little did any of us know that Dave would be asked to leave the band in a couple of weeks and Cliff would be gone forever in a few short years!'

  • Cliff, Lars, Dave and James backstage at the Stone, 19 March 1983

    – 'I needed to get a good group shot. The first shot of this session was typical Metallica. Yelling and flipping of the camera! I asked the guys to keep it cool for just one shot. They did and here is the result. A smile.'

  • Dave, James and Cliff onstage

    – 'To "freeze" the action I used my trusty flash. The front has some of the Bay Area metal insiders. [Fanzine] Metal Mania's Ron Quitana, Brian Lew from Whiplash fanzine, Two-Bit Thief's frontman Andy Anderson and one very young Kirk Hammett.'

  • James at the Stone, 19 March 1983

    – 'If I remember correctly James had broken a guitar string during the last song of the set. Having to finish the night off with an inferior backup did not sit with with Metallica's frontman. This photo captures the rage of Hetfield's torment!'

  • James, Lars and Dave backstage at the Stone, 19 March 1983

    – 'In retrospect, this image can speak volumes. Was Dave already getting on Lars's shortlist? Was the tension between the two coming to a head? Or is this just young bulls being young bulls? Later that night Dave got his revenge, so to speak, in a post-gig photo session.'

  • Kirk Hammett playing lead guitar for Exodus, the Stone, 5 March 1983

    – This was the second time Exodus had opened for Metallica. Little did anyone know that Hammett would be joining Metallica in a few short weeks!'

  • Lars onstage at the Stone, 19 March 1983

    – Years later, Lars's drum tech, Dave Marrs, noted that he did not know how I got this picture at this angle because this is where he always was. My reply was: "I just waited until you moved."'

  • Ron, James, Dave, John Strednansky and Lars, the Old Waldorf, 18 October 1982

    – 'Metallica plotting and scheming. Stred was the editor-in-chief of my old mag, Metal Rendezvous Int. Lars and Stred were great friends – they both grew up in Europe and loved the NWOBHM. Stred actually was one of the first people to play Metallica on the radio. Also, on this night, Stred announced the band for the stage!'
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