HISTORY OF METALLICA

1981

May 9th
Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield meet for the first time.
While searching for a drummer for their band Leather Charm, Hetfield and guitarist Hugh Tanner audition Lars in a small rehearsal room in Irvine, California.
At the time, Larz sucked on the drums and therefore doesn't get in the band.

October 28th
Lars offers James a chance to form a band with the sound advice of friend Brian Slagel who suggests they participate in the Metal Massacre compilation album. Hetfield asks Ulrich to record a song he had composed for Leather Charm entitled "Hit the Lights". Hetfield plays rythm guitar, the vocals and the bass while Ulrich plays the drums.
Lloyd Grant, a jamaican guitarist joins the caravan and adds a solo a few days later.

1982

January
Metallica becomes a real band with the arrival of Ron McGovney on the bass and Dave Mustaine as solo guitarist. Lars "borrows" the band's name from his friend Ron Quintana.
While trying to find a name for a heavy metal fanzine, Quintana hesitates between a few names, one of which happens to be "Metallica". Lars urges him to baptize his magazine "Metal Massacre" so that he can keep the "Metallica" name for his band.

March 14th
Metallica's very first concert in Anaheim's Radio City in California.

March 28th
For their second appearance on stage, Metallica are opening act for Saxon in Los Angeles' Whiskey A Go Go.

May 25th
James finally accepts to play rhythm guitar and sing at the same time during on of their concerts in Lars' school (Costa Mesa's Backbay High School).

June 14th
Brian Slagel's compilation album, Metal Massacre is released.
Metallica's name is spelled "Mettallica" on the cover. Tsk, Tsk!

July 1st
Metallica finish their third and most famous demo tape, No Life 'til Leather.
Passing as a punk band, the Metallimen take advantage of Kenny Kane the punk band producer, who nicely lends them a couple of days in his studio for the possible release of a punk compilation album. Horrified when he discovers the imposters' real identities, the album is never released, but Metallica take great care in keeping the tapes for themselves.

August 21st
During one of Trauma's concerts at the Whiskey A Go Go, James and Lars notice Cliff Burton on stage for the first time.

September 18th
As a promotional gig for the release of Metal Massacre, Metallica hold their first concert at the Keystone in San Francisco.

November 29th
Metallica appears for the first time as headliners on the bill for a concert at the Old Waldorf in San Francisco. The opening gig is left to Exodus, a band whose guitarist under the name of …Kirk Hammett.
Metallica takes the opportunity to record their new demo, Live Metal Up Your Ass.

December 10th
After accidentally stumbling on the rumor that James is seriously thinking of taking in a new guitarist, Ron McGovney quits the band and throws Hetfield (his co-tenant) out of the flat.

December 28th
After long hours of trying to convince him over the phone, Cliff finally agrees to join the band under the sole condition that they move to San Francisco. A memorable jam seals the contract and Metallica moves to the outskirts of San Francisco at 3132 Carlson Boulevard, El Cerito.




----------------------- 1983

February
Metallica record their fourth demo -the first one with Cliff-.

March 5th
Their first concert with Cliff at The Stone Club in San Francisco.

March 15th
A violent dispute erupts between James and Dave Mustaine. Hetfield supposedly kicked the guitarist's dog. John Zazula (aka Johnny Z), a concert organizer, asks Metallica to open a mini tour with The Rods and Venom.
A few days later, the band finds itself crammed in a U-Haul and off to New York.

April 1st
Kirk Hammett receives a phone call from the band's manager, Mark Whittaker.
Convinced this is some April Fool's joke, he can hardly believe he's to replace Dave Mustaine as solo guitarist.
The joke seems even less funny when he finds out the band's financial state won't permit the members to pay his ticket to New York, considering they had purchased Dave's bus fare back to L.A. ten days later.

April 9th
Totally oblivious to the plot set against him, Dave plays his final gig with the band at New York's Ritz.

April 11th
Kirk Hammett joins the band at the Music Building in New York.

April 16th
After a mere four days of rehearsing, Kirk gives his first concert with Metallica in Dover, New Jersey.

May 10th
After having signed with John Zazula's very first label, Megaforce Records, Metallica starts recording their first album at Rochester's Music America Studio, warmly recommended by Manowar's muscular bassist Joey DeMaio. Paul Curcio, the "producer" refuses all entry in the control room.

July 25th
Megaforce Records released Kill 'Em All in the States, Music For Nations releases it in the UK.

July 27th
The thirty one date Kill 'Em All For One tour kicks off in New Brunswick, later to be joined by Raven.

September 26th
The tour ends at The Stone in San Francisco.

November
Metallica headline three concerts with Armored Saint as guests in Palo Alto (the 24th), Berkeley (the 25th), and
San Francisco (the 26th).

1984

January 14th
The day after a cancelled gig in Boston (due to bad weather conditions), all of Metallica's equipment is stolen as well as the tour bus they had parked in front of their hotel in New Jersey. The guitars were saved however, since they had been locked up from the cold in a room. Anthrax nicely lends them their gear for the rest of their tour.

February 3rd
Here begins Venom's Seven Dates Of Hell tour at the Volkhaus in Zurich, with Metallica as opening act.
It is also their first date in Europe.

February 11th
Metallica brings the house down at the famous Aardshock Festival in Holland.
Metallica share the bill with Horizon, Savage, Tokyo Blade, and Venom.

February 12th
The tour screeches to its final destination at Poperinge in Belgium.

February 20th
Metallica enters the Sweet Silence Studio in Copenhagen in order to record their second album under the direction of producer Flemming Rasmussen (highly acclaimed for his work with Rainbow and Mercyful Fate). Lars feels at home and the band finally finds themselves secluded from the hustle and bustle of the LA music scene.

March 27th
Following the cancellation of their English tour with Exciter and The Rods due to the meager amount of seatreservations -their record sale to the astronomical amounted sum of …fourteen tickets-, Metallica chooses to perform a one night gig at the legendary Marquee Club in London.

June 6th
Their first out of five dates as guests for Twisted Sister begins in Holland.

June 10th
At the Heavy Sound Festival in Poperinge, Metallica plays alongside H-Bomb, Faithful Breath, Lita Ford, Mercyful Fate, Baron Rojo, Twisted Sister and Motorhead.

July 1st
Metallica gigs at New York's Roseland Ballroom. The band are introduced to their future co-manager, Cliff Bernstein as well as to the man behind the contract with Elektra, Michael Alago.

August 29th
Metallica triumph at the Breaking Sound Festival in Paris.

September 12th
Metallica abruptly cease all collaboration with Johnny Z. Q Prime becomes their new management. Not only does Q Prime involve the talents of Cliff Burnstein and Peter Mensch, but it also happens to be Def Leppard, Dokken, and Metallica's friends Armored Saints' management. Their albums' distribution and finance are left to the hands of Elektra in the States and Music For Nations in Europe.

November 16th
Metallica stops at Rouen, France for the first gig from their << Bang That Head That Doesn't Bang >> tour.
Ride The Lightning hits the shelves.

December 20th
Metallica ends their tour at the Lyceum in London.

1985

January 10th
At the first stop of their American tour during which Metallica are to co-headline the bill wish W.A.S.P., the band is unable to pursue their journey… Lars' visa has expired and the drummer is sent back to Denmark. He joins them the following day for a date in Scotia, New York. During this tour, the metallimen are delighted to find themselves on stage with their childhood buddies from Armored Saint.

February
A certain Jason Newsted attends their concert in Phoenix. This is the last time he sees the band on stage from the audience.

March 19th
The tour comes to an end at the Starry Night Club in Portland, Oregon.
Metallica celebrates their final leg with a memorable jam session with Armored Saint, whose singer John Bush had
almost joined the band two years earlier and whose bassist Joey Vera was soon to become Cliff Burton's possible replacement.

August 17th
Metallica appears for the first time as headlining act for the Monsters Of Rock festival at Castle Donington.

August 24th
The Four Horsemen's concert a.k.a. Metallica takes place at San Francisco's Ruthie's Club.

August 31st
Metallica participates in Oakland's Day On The Green concert, organized by the legendary Bill Graham.

September 2nd
Master Of Puppets starts taking shape at the Sweet Sound Studio in Copenhagen. Flemming Rasmussen's still at the controls.

September 14th
Metallica steals the show at Venom's performance during the Metal Hammer Festival in Lorelel, Germany.

December 31st
For a New Year celebration concert at L.A.'s Civic Center, Metallica meets up once again with Exodus and Dave Mustaine, now the leader of Megadeth. The occasion arrises to make peace with their former guitarist. James inadvertedly injures a member of the audience with his mic stand. Despite his profuse apologies to the fan by offering him champagne,
countless autographs, and Metallica memorabilia, the wounded spectator sues the singer sever million dollars.

1986

February 21st
Master Of Puppets is released worldwide.

March 27th
Metallica kicks off their world tour with friend and idol, Ozzy Osbourne in Wichita, Kansas.
Metallica was especially chosen by the former Black Sabbath leader to appear as guests for this unforgettable tour.

July 26th
Right before going on stage in Evansville, Indiana, James Hetfield breaks his wrist while skateboarding. Taken by complete surprise, the band is forced to cancel Metallica mount the stage a few days later, Hetfield has no other choice but to sing with his arm in a cast while sadly watching his guitar being fiddled with by James Marshall, Metal Church's guitarist. This isn't going to be the last time John saves the day…

August 3rd
Ozzy's tour ends at Hampton's Coliseum in Virginia.

September 10th
The Damage Inc. tour makes its first stop at Cardiff's St. David Hall in Wales. Ol' buddies from Anthrax sign up as
opening act. John Marshall's still playing the guitar under handicapped-Hetfield's watchful eyes.

September 25th
Hetfield finally pries his cast off to play the last song at the Oslow, Norway show.

September 26th
Cliff Burton plays his last gig in Stockholm, Sweden.

September 27th
As the band is heading towards Copenhagen, their bus driver loses control of his vehicle.
Burton is catapulted from his bunk-bed onto the road. He dies on the spot as the bus runs over him. The other band members suffer minor injuries, but the shock caused by Burton's tragic departure, leaves them stunned and uncertain of Metallica's future. The Metallica saga almost experiences its screeching halt.

September 29th
On the eve of Burton's memorial service, Lars, James, and Kirk decide to hunt for a new bass player. Cliff's parents force them to continue without him. To them, that's what their beloved son would've wanted.

October 28th
Armored Saint's bassist, Joey Vera refuses their offer, the band therefore audition numerous candidates for Cliff's
replacement. Their final choice finally lies on Flotsam & Jetsam's bassist, Jason Newsted.

November 8th
During a private concert at the Country Club in Resada, California, Jason makes his debut on stage as Metallica's bassist.
Even the more ardent of their fans accept his arrival with immense politeness.

November 15th
Metallica fly the airs for a first concert in Japan at Tokyo's Shibuya Kokaido.

1987

January 8th
From Copenhagen, Metallica pursues their European tour in memory of Cliff. Despite the tragedy that will forever more remain in the hearts of many; rain or shine, Metallica are back in shape and more motivated than ever before.

February 8th
Metallica appears for the second time at the Ardschock Festival in Holland. This time, the band headlines the bill with Laaz Rockit, Celtic Frost, Crimson Glory, Metal Church, and Anthrax.

February 13th
The European leg ends in Goteborg, Sweden.

February 23rd
Still intent on perfecting his skateboarding skills, James Hetfield breaks an arm. No dates are cancelled this time
since the band's on vacation, but a Saturday Night Live appearance is pushed to a later date.
Henceforth, Metallica's management adds a new clause to their contract: No approaching anything resembling a wooden
plank on wheels.

March
The remaining members take the opportunity to rebuild Lars' garage in order to rehearse, just like in the good 'ol days!
Hence the birth of Garage Days… EP.

July 8th
Metallica enters the Conway studio in LA for the recording of a series of cover versions for the five track Garage Days… EP.

August 10th
The $5.99 EP Garage Days Re-revisited sees it's release.

August 20th
A concert by Damage Inc. is held at the 100 Club in London. This idea of Metallica's joke pseudonym doesn't fool anybody. Hundred of fans cram at the doors, forcing the police to intervene. Jason, suddenly victim to light-headedness due to the intense heat in the club, is immediately replaced in mid-concert by Diamond Head's guitarist, Brain Tatler.

August 22nd
Metallica are invited on the Monsters Of Rock bill for the second time. To everyone's common point of view, thisundoubtedly turns out to be the band's worst ever performance. Metallica keeps hope and strenuously tries to regain their notoriety throughout the rest of Europe. They eventually succeed.

December 4th
The world sees the release of the Cliff 'Em All videotape, thus becoming the most widely sold tape during several months.

1988

January 29th
Metallica starts work on their fourth album in the One On One Studio in Los Angeles. After a few days in the company of Guns N' Roses producer Mike Clink, the metallimen choose to replace his presence of Flemming Rasmussen's.

May 23rd
A band by the name of Frayed Ends makes it appearance at L.A.'s Troubadour. Once again, this is one of Metallica's joke patronym but also a way to warm-up before a tour or festival.

May 27th
The first out of 28 dates for the Monsters Of Rock tour kicks off at the East Troy's Alpine Valley in Wisconsin. Metallica shares the bill with Kingdom Come, Dokken, Scorpions, and Van Halen.

July 28th
Master Of Puppets reaches a million copies sold. It is their first (but not last) platinum album.

August 15th
America's release of And Justice For All.

September 5th
Europe's release of And Justice For All.

September 11th
The four horsemen embark on their Damaged Justice Tour with a first stop at Budapest in Hungary.

October 9th
And Justice For All bolts to the sixth position in the album charts.

October 31st
And Justice For All goes platinum.

November 5th
Metallica performs their last concert in Leiden, Holland.

November 15th
The band sets off on a U.S. tour (at the Toledo Sports Arena in Ohio) with Queensryche as opening act.

December 6th
Metallica shoot their very first video, << One >>.

1989

February 22nd
Metallica plays a live version of << One >> at the Grammy Awards. Nominated for best heavy metal band, Metallica's well-deserved efforts are awarded to… Jethro Tull! It's also the Grammy Awards' first year the "heavy metal" category is added. It was painfully obvious the jury didn't quite understand the category…

May
From Australia to Hawaii, Alaska, and New Zealand, the Damaged Justice tour leads the quartet through countries they have never seen.

May 16th
Four years after its release in the States, Ride The Lightning is certified gold.

May 31st
The rest of the American leg pursues its course to Canada with The Cult as opening act.

June 20th
The 2 Of One videotape is released.

July 20th
And Justice For All is certified double platinum in the U.S.

October
Metallica sets foot on Brazilian soil for the first time, in Rio on the 4th and San Paolo on the 6th as the final
dates from their Damaged Justice Tour. Metallica finally packs Doris away.

1990

May
Metallica returns to Europe for an eight-day tour in major venues.

July
Metallica opens for Aerosmith in Toronto, Canada, and Rochester, New York.

October 6th
Metallica enters the One On One Studio in LA for the recording of their fifth album. Choosing Bob Rock
(Motley Crue, Bon Jovi) as producer isn't a unanimous vote however.

November 4th
For Elektra's fortieth anniversary compilation album, Metallica record a Queen cover version of << Stone Cold Crazy >>. Fans are more and more worried.

December
The New Wave Of British Metal compilation Lars has been working on for so long, finally sees its release.
Featuring on the album are all the more or less obscure and unknown bands who have represented most of Metallica's influence.

1991

June
The recording of Metallica, the "black album", comes to an end.

August 3rd
As a sneak preview of their new album, Metallica rent out Madison's Square Garden to an audience of ten thousand privileged fans.

August 10th
The band starts their Monsters Of Rock tour in Copenhagen. AC/DC, Queensryche and the Black Crowes are also amongst the bands present.

August 12th
Metallica -or The Black Album- sees its worldwide release.

September
The Black Album sweeps the charts to number one in the U.S., as well as in the U.K., Canada, and Australia.

September 28th
The Monsters Of Rock tour takes its final bow to more than 500,000 screaming fans in Moscow.

October 15th
Metallica plays at San Francisco's Day On The Green. This time, the band headlines the bill. The festival turns sour after the announcement of Bill Graham's tragic death in a helicopter accident.

October 29th
The Metallimen launch their Wherever I May Roam tour. This sees the inauguration of the famous rotating stage, fully equipped with the hundred-seater snake pit.

December
Their latest offspring grosses a total of four million copies sold worldwide.

1992

February 25th
Metallica finally receives their long-awaited Grammy Award for best heavy metal band. Lars good-heartedly thanks Jethro Tull for not having released an album this year.

April 20th
Metallica opens for Freddy Mercury's tribute concert, Concert For Life at the Wembley Stadium in London with a measly three songs from their latest album which unexpectedly attracts a great amount of criticism from the press.

June
While giving a conference for the press, Metallica and Guns N' Roses announce their decision on touring together.

July 17th
The tour begins at Washington's JFK Stadium. During the first days of the tour, previously foreseen as being a chaotic one, everything runs smoothly and with no outburst, apart from two dates during which Axl Rose experiences a few throat problems.

August 8th
Due to faulty pyrotechnical timing during their gig at Montreal's Olympic Stadium in Canada, James Hetfield is rushed to the hospital suffering from first and second-degree burns on his hands, arm, and face. Axl Rose uses the excuse to shorten his part of the gig and provokes an uncontrollable outbreak amongst the audience. Thirteen wounded and damages amounting to $400,000 results from the riot. James is replaced on rhythm guitar by John Marshall for the remaining dates of the tour.

October 22nd
Europe's await for Metallica's arrival after so many cancelled European dates is not left unrewarded. The first stop is at Gent, Belgium. Not only do they storm the Old Continent with their stage from outer space, but they dare come with no supporting act! Instead they've arrived with something better: the screening of the band's history on video. James recovers from his injuries and John Marshall now becomes Kirk's personal guitar service-man.

November
Metallica releases a double video tape A Year And A Half In The Life Of Metallica.

1993

January 18th
The European tour ends at Stockholm's Globen in Sweden.

February
The band returns home for another string of concerts.

March
The tour transits in Mexico, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Brazil, Chili, and finally ends at the Valez Sarsfield in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

May-June
Metallica makes a comeback in Europe for a series of Nowhere Else To Roam open-air concerts with The Cult and Suicidal Tendencies.

June 25th
Metallica makes their last performance on stage in Istanbul, Turkey.

August
The Black Album's sales are still ticking…twelve million copies sold in the United States alone.

November 29th
The long-awaited Live Shit: Binge & Purge boxed set is released. The box contains three CD's recorded live on the 25th, 26th, 27th of February, the 1st and the 2nd of March 1993, three video tapes featuring footages of their concerts in Seattle the 29th and 30th of August 1989, a booklet, a stencil, and a snake pit pass. Merry Christmas kids… The object's set price somehow puts some of the most ferocious fans off…

December
Rock-It Comix releases a special Metallica-based comic book.

1994

May 28th
'Shit hits the Sheds' starts with a Rehearsal Show in Buffalo, NY.

June 22nd
Performed live at the Pine Knob Music Theatre in Detroit. Glenn Danzig and Chuck Biscuts from Danzig played Last Caress with the band. Last Caress was written by Danzig when he was a member in Misfits.

July 3rd
Performed live at the World Music Theatre in Chicago. This is Danzig's last show on the tour; Glenn Danzig sings London Dungeon, Last Caress, and Green Hell with the band. Suicidal Tendencies joins the band during So What?

August 21st
Performed live at the Bicentennial Park in Miami. The last show of the "Summer Shit Tour". Special guest is Rob Halford (ex-Judas Priest, now Fight) who sings Rapid Fire (an old Judas Priest song) with the band.

1995

August 23rd
The tracks 2 x 4 and Devil's Dance are played for the first time in front of an audience at the London Astoria in England. This was a private show, and only members of the fan club were invited. According to Metallica this was the best gig they hadever played. This was also the first date on their short tour "Escape From The Studio" 95.

September 3rd
The Arctic Circle show, sponsored by Molson Breweries in Canada. 500 or so contest winners were invited to the "Coldest Show On Earth," in arctic northern Canada, a place so desolate and frigid that the only way in or out was by charter flights. The show was played in a huge, clover-shaped tent. Using four massive, fuel-burning, heating units they managed to keep the temperature warm enough for the instruments to function!

November 13th
Metallica performed 7 Motorhead songs (dubbing their performance the "Lemmys") during Lemmy's birthday party at the famous club "Whiskey A Go-Go". This is also the club where Lars and James met Cliff Burton.

December
The band went into the Plant studio in Sausalito, California, where they recorded 18 of the 25 tracks due to appear on the new album. Again, Bob Rock is producing.

1996

May 5th - 7th
The video for Until It Sleeps was shot at locations around and in Los Angeles.

May
Our four guys spent time travelling around the world to promote the new album. They conducted numerous interviews, and organized huge listening parties where they would set up a truck full of speakers and play the new album, then sign some autographs for the fans. This occurred all over the world; in the States, Europe, Australia and Japan.

May 20th
The single Until It Sleeps is released world-wide, excluding Northern America, where the fans would have to wait one more
day.

May 26th
A huge Metallica listening party was held on the second day of the DYNAMO Festival in Eindhoven, Holland. Metallica's new album, Load, was played through the PA at the festival site for the 60,000+ audience, making this the largest listening party held, ever!! Two band members (probably Lars & Kirk) were at the festival site to present this event, to give
interviews, and to promote the new album. Load was released a whole week earlier in Holland than the rest of the world, to make it possible to be sold at the festival. Therefore, Eindhoven was blessed not only with hosting the world premiere, but also with the release of the album for the first time anywhere in the world!

June 1st
Load is released in Japan only.

June 3rd
The album is released world-wide.

June 4th
The album is released in North America.

June 9th
The four guys played at Slims Club, in San Francisco, for fan club members only. They did three members-only gigs in arow this month.

June 11th
Metallica played live for the entire world, via the Internet. The broadcast site was Slim's, a small club in San Francisco, where the Webcast crew beamed the show across the globe, live as it happened, in spycams, music, video, pictures and descriptions.

June 17th
MTV presented a Metallica contest that was so huge it took four tractor trailers to deliver the prizes to the homes of the four contest winners. The four band members of Metallica hung out with the grand prize winner, met the neighbors, and played some tunes. The contest final was aired July 1.

June 27th
The American Loolapalooza festival tour starts in Kansas City with Metallica headlining the bill.

September 12th
Another European tour begins. This time the tour starts in Ostenhalle, Germany.

September 23rd
Recorded the live video of Hero Of The Day in Barcelona, Spain. They weren't using a recording, and 5 seconds before each of the 3 times they played the song, a metronome was introducing the band to the required rythym, and the beeps of it sounded throughout the whole audio system at the stadium. Also, Kirk got 3 or 4 notes wrong on the intro during the
first attempt. Moreover, Lars asked the crowd to be more energetic in each one of the new versions they played. So, by the third try, it sounded louder than hell!

November 13th
Metallica recorded 3 live songs for the TV program "Later With Jools Holland," on the British channel BBC2. Wasting My Hate, Mama Said (James only acoustic) and King Nothing were performed completely live, with no playback..
It was broadcast on November 16th.

November 14th
Metallica was intoduced to perform King Nothing live on stage at the MTV Europe Video Awards show. The lights went down and the band launched into the song Last Caress followed by So What? A few classic minutes of television to savour. The band was nominated earlier that evening, in the "Best Rock Video" catagory, but the award went to the Smashing Pumpkins. James later said in an interview: We needed to wake people up at
the show! We felt it was a little boring, and we had been daring each other to do that for years.

November 18th
The single Mama Said is released world wide.

November 18th & 19th
Apocalyptica, the band who released an album containing Metallica covers performed with cellos, opened for Metallica in Helsinki, Finland.

1997

January 17th
King Nothing premiered on MTV on 1/17/97. It was shot in Salt Lake City, Utah about a month earlier.

January 26th
Lars got married to his long time girlfriend Skylar. Apparantly Lars said that thing about them breaking it off was so that they would not get mobbed by fans at the church they got married in.

January 27th
Metallica played "King Nothing" on the American Music Awards and won the price for best metal/hard rock album. When they went up to accept their award, Lars said, "I would like to thank this man, James Hetfield, for putting on his best suit and being my best man at my wedding last night."

February 22nd
Ted Nugent was guest star at the gig at Palace Of Auburn Hills. They weren't too happy with him for what he did. Ted basically forced his way into their show, then ruined their moment in the sun (throwing pics and sticks and thanking the crowd).

August 22nd
Metallica played 3 festivals in Europe this summer to get out of the studio for a while. First day was at the Pukkelpop festival in Hasselt, Belgium

August 23rd
Blindman's Ball Festival, Stuttgart, Germany

August 24th
Reading Festival, Reading, U.K.

June 10th
To celebrate the release of their new album, Metallica wanted to play a concert - for free. The only problem was that they didn't know where! They gave the fans a few details and a 800 telephone number where they could call in to make suggestions. The free concert had to be held on Tuesday, November 11 (Veteran's Day), outdoors as this had to be a big free show for anyone wishing to make the trip. Over 120,000 Metallica fans bombarded a phone lines.

October 10th
Photo session for the launch of the new album has already took place, and it is a stunning live session by Anton Corbijn. These live photos will be included in the packaging for the new album. There was further two photo sessions prior to the album release, which was for press use.

October 18th
The 11th Annual Bridge School Benefit Shows at Shoreline Amphitheater, San Francisco. They played an entirely acoustic set which lasted about an hour. Jerry Cantrell from Alice In Chains came out and played the Lynrd Skynrd song Tuesday's Gone.They also played Lowman's Lyrics for the first time.

October 19th
The second Annual Bridge School Benefit Show at the save venue. the sets were the same except on Saturday they did not play Low Mans Lyric, instead they played another new tune called "My Eye's". Also on the bill was Kacy Crowley, Blues Traveler's, Lou Reed, Smashing Pumpkins, Alanis Morissette, Dave Matthew's Band, and Neil Young.

October 20th & 21st
The band shot the "Memory remains" video in LA, actually at the Van Nuys airport. It cost $400,000.00 and featured the band it a huge box that costed over $100,000.00. The video had it's world premiere on MTV's Mattrock show the 15th of November 1997.

October 26th
The final day for the fans to call in to the 800 telephone number and suggest a place where Metallica could play their free show. The "winner"? Philadelphia's CoreStates Arena parking lot.

November 11th
Neighbors of the Philadelphia's CoreStates Arena parking lot in South Philadelphia are going went court on morning to try to block the free outdoor concert by the "heavy-metal band". It was Vincent Fumo who asked his Harrisburg lawyer, Christopher Craig, to see what he could do. Craig spent all day drafting a request for an injunction that he delivered
to Common Pleas.

November 11th
Metallica's free concert, dubbed the "Million Decibel March," was held in a Philadelphia parking lot and was a great success. For the show's intro, they showed Jaymz playing the famous ESPN commercials' "Da-na-na, na-na-na" from the Sportscentermusic on his guitar. Here is what the local newspapaer Philadelphia Inquirer had to say about the show: "It was part burlesque show, part rugby match, and hearing-loss loud. The band was profane on stage and charming before the show. Police pronounced the fans better behaved than a Philadelphia Eagles crowd. And neighbors who feared the worst from the self-styled Loudest Band in the World complained more about the sound from the news choppers circling overhead."

November 12th
Memory Remains single released in America. It has been available in Europe and the rest of the world for a few weeks

November 13th
Lars and his bandmates played a free show at London's premier dance venue Ministry Of Sound to launch their new album 'Re-Load'. Prior to the show Lars said in a press release: "I've never heard of the Ministry Of Sound but I'm sure Metallica playing there will making it a hit!"

December 6th
Metallica performed live on NBC's Saturday Night Live show

1998

January 31st
Lani and Kirk got married Jan. 31st at 2:00 pm at Kailua, Hawaii, in front of the two families.
They were both barefoot...and married Hawaiian style with a Kahu (Reverend) overlooking the ceremonies.

March
The live film was completed in March 1998. 52 minutes edit of the film will be available for launch parties worldwide, completed with personalised IDs. The band have said that they may consider use of the promotional film for TV broadcasts.

March 17th
The Unforgiven II was released in 4 CD-single formats in the US.

March 19th
GARAGE DAYS RE-RE-REVISITED. In a recent radio interview, Lars confirmed that they will be back in the studio after the summer tour working on another project. With a projected release date sometime in November, the band will be compiling a collection of the covers that they have done in the past along with a couple added surprises.

March 19th
Metallica is battling back against bootleggers by taking legal action to halt the release of an unauthorized new album entitled "Bay Area Thrashers."

March 21st
Metallica appeared on a 90 minute live show on MTV. The show was shot in the Bay area during Metallica's rehearsal for the Pacific Rim tour.

April 2nd
The world tour in support of Reload commenced in Newcastle, Australia.

July 5th
MetallicA play the first of three "create-a-gig" shows in front of 45,000 in Pecatonica, IL. The largest show on the US tour next to the one at Giants Stadium.

September 5th
At the Quincy, WA show during "One", some asshole in the crowd hits Jason in the hand with a bottle. Needless to say, the guy who did it was severely beaten and then removed from the venue by security. During this time, a very pissed off
Jaymz delivers the now famous "bottle speech". After about ten minutes, Jason comes back out and they pick up with "One" where they left off. And continued to rock the crowd as hard as ever for the remainder of the show.

September 13th
Poor ReTouring Me comes to an end in San Diego, CA.

October 18th
MetallicA play a small gig at Heff's house...also known as the Playboy Mansion! The show was for celebs only though, unfortunately. This show also marks the live debut of "Turn the Page" and "Die Die My Darling". Two new ones from the upcoming album Garage Inc.

November 17th
The Garage Inc promo tour kicks off in Toronto, Ontario. Other cities MetallicA destroyed were: Chicago (11/19), Detroit (11/20), Philadelphia (11/23), and New York (11/24). All of the shows were clubbers only gigs (except Chicago) and were played in small venues that were decked out like the inside of a garage. The band played 90 minutes worth of nothing but covers. Many of which the band had not played live since '82 - '83.

November 24th
Garage Inc is released in the USA.

December 6th
Cunning Stunts is released worldwide. The live vid shot during Poor Touring Me was also the first of it's kind to be filmed for DVD.

1999

April 11th
After taking a long break, the Four Horsemen rock Honolulu, Hawaii. This show, along with the other four shows in Hawaii, Alaska and Mexico were to make up for the ones cancelled last year.

April 12th
The band plays The Outlaw Torn live for the first time ever at the second Hawaii show.

April 21st
MetallicA plays the first of two shows with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. Months of preparation pay off as MetallicA, Michael Kamen, and the Symphony put on two incredible shows that brought their music to new heights and dominated what leser bands wouldn't even dare touch. The band also debuted two new songs entitled "No Leaf Clover" and "- Human".

April 30th
Phil Anselmo of Pantera joins MetallicA on stage to sing the last chorus of Creeping Death at the Mexico City show.

May 2nd
The South American leg of "The Garage Remains the Same" tour kicks off in Bogota, Columbia in front of 90,000 metallifux!!! This marked the first time the band had toured Columbia.

May 6th
Jason joins opening act Sepultura for two songs at the first Brazil show in Porto Elegre and again in Sao Paulo and
Rio de Janeiro.

May 14th
The South American tour comes to an end at River Plat Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

May 21st
The band kicks off the European tour at the Rock Im Park festival in Nurnberg, Germany.

May 23rd
Members from Biohazard join MetallicA on stage to sing the last chorus of Creeping Death.

May 25th
A very special guest appearance at the Gods of Metal festival in Milan, Italy. King Diamond and Hank of Mercyful Fate
join MetallicA for the "Mercyful Fate" medley.

June 19th
MetallicA take part in the anual KROQ "weenie roast" fest in Irvine, CA. Other bands that played included Pennywise, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Limp Bizkit, and Blink 182 among others. Very strange show with an equally fucked up looking stage. But as always, Metallica came...they saw...they conquered...and moved on.

July 5th
At the Dublin, Ireland show, Eric Bell of Thin Lizzyy joined MetallicA for a truly incredible performance of "Whiskey in the Jar". I heard a bootleg of that a while ago and it was fukin unreal. Excellent crowd.

July 20th
The Garage Remains the Same tour comes to an end in Tel Aviv, Israel.

July 24th
MetallicA headlines the 1999 Woodstock Festival. This marked the bands second appearance at Woodstock. And once again, they came...they saw...they conquered.

November 19th
To celebrate the European release of S & M, the band plays another SymphonicA gig. This time in Berlin with the Berlin Symphony Orchestra.

November 23rd
MetallicA plays the last SymphonicA show at Madison Square Garden in New York. S & M is released in the USA.

December 28th
The M2K tour kicks off in Miami, FL with Sevendust and Kid Rock supporting.

December 31st
Y2K this!!! MetallicA headlines Ted Nugent's Whiplash Bash '99. Other bands performing at the show included Sevendust, Kid Rock, and Ted Nugent. After the countdown, the band brought everyone out on stage for a huge jam on "Detroit Rock City".

2000

Janurary 5th
The band had a huge surprise for the metallifux at the second show in Chicago. For the first time in 16 years, the band played "Trapped Under Ice" live!!! Jaymz dedicated the song to Otto who had been bugging them to play it for years.

Janurary 10th
Last date of the M2K tour in Minneapolis, MN. Tallica brings Kid Rock, Joe C., Clint Lowery of Sevendust, and others out for a huge jam on "For Whom the Bell Tolls".

Janurary 11th
The band completes recording "I Disappear" for the Mission Impossible 2 soundtrack. This marked a new avenue for the band as it was the first time they had written a song specifically for a movie.

February 23rd
MetallicA wins another Grammy. This time for "best hard rock performance" of Thin Lizzy's "Whiskey in the Jar".

March 22nd
Bootleged/early versions of "I Disappear" start making their way onto radio stations long before the song was supposed to be officially released to them (on April 19th). Hollywood Records, the record label responsible the M:I-2 soundtrack, sends "cease & desist" orders to the stations playing the song.

April 13th
Metallica files suit against Napster, University of Southern California, Yale University, and Indiana University. The suit arose after finding out that 6 different versions (unreleased/work-in-progress) of "I Disappear" had made their way onto Napster. The case is still pending. I think everyone has been napster-ed out after the media blitz on it, so that's about all I'm gonna say about it.

May 8th
The video for "I Disappear" makes it's debut.

May 9th
The Mission Impossible 2 soundtrack, which includes "I Disappear", is released. Other bands featured on the soundtrack include Limp Bizkit, Rob Zombie, Foo Fighters, Chris Cornell, Godsmack, and others.

June 8th
MetallicA performs "I Disappear" at the MTV movie awards.

June 23rd
The Experience Music Project grand opening takes place in Seattle, WA. The band headlines the show. There was quite an impressive list of bands playing for this very unique, interactive museum: Red Hot Chilli Peppers, No Doubt, Beck, Dr. Dre, Eminem, and Snoop Dogg among many others over a 3 day period.

June 30th
The massive Summer Sanitarium tour kicks off in Foxborro, MA with special guests Korn, Kid Rock, Powerman 5000, and System of a Down. Destroying the countryside and laying waste to cities across America. What were the only venues big enough for such a monster of a tour? Nascar speedways...and a few stadiums, too. On average... 50,000+ crazy metallifux were at each show. Holy shit.

July 7th
Due to a serious injury to his back, Jaymz Hetfield is unable to play at the Atlanta show. But instead of just turning people away, the 3 horsemen come out and rock the place with members of the other bands filling in. Kid Rock, Joe C., Korn, Darron from SOAD, and even a kid from the audience all made appearances. The band put on one hell of a show.

July 8th
Another jam show, this time in Sparta, KY. Highlights included Jonathan Davis singing on One, and Serje and Darron rocking out with the band on Mastertarium.

July 9th
The last of the 3 jam shows takes place in Dallas, TX.

July 11th
Larz testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding the Napster case. There actually was one interesting thing to come out of that...when Senator Orin Hatch held up a copy of ...And Justice For All and says he was listening to it, and thought it was pretty good. That was not something I ever expected to see. Pretty fukin cool.

July 12th
The Mighty Het makes his way back to the stage for the Denver show!!! "If ya see me on the ground, it ain't cause I'm doing my Angus Young impression!" - Jaymz.

July 16th
The last date of the Summer Sanitarium tour takes place in Phoenix, AZ. The band has Kid Rock onstage for Turn the Page, and SOAD rocks out with the band on Sandman.

July 17th
Larz and Kirk jammed with Kid Rock on American Badass at the "Tonight Show w/Jay Leno".

July 18th
The Molson Blind Date gig takes place at the House of Blues in Los Angeles. MetallicA rocks a crowd of only 1,000 lucky contest winners.

July 20th
MetallicA joins up with the Tattoo the Earth festival at Giants Stadium. Other bands on the festival included Sepultura, Slayer, Sevendust and many others.

July 22th
The band headlines the Chicago Hard Rock Fest.

August 2nd
Metallica plays the first of 6 bonus shows w/COC as opening act. Two dates in each of the cities that were Hetfield-less on the main tour: Atlanta, Sparta, and Dallas.

August 6th
This was COC's last show as opening act for tallica, so Jaymz rocked out with COC on their song Seven Days...and later during tallica's set, the band had Pepper and Reed onstage to rock out on Last Caress. Very cool.

August 9th
MetallicA plays the last bonus show in Lexington, and it is the final show of the year according to the band. No more tour dates until next year. The band will head into the studio in Janurary to begin recording the new album...and a massive tour is supposed to follow it's release.

2002

January-December
Metallica is working on its tenth studio album St. Anger. Jason leaves the band and is replaced by Robert Trujillo. James goes to rehab facility. All in all, there wasn´t much happening this year:))

2003

5th June
St. Anger released. MetallicA starts their european tour.

TOP