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Metallica Timeline of events


1962 February 10 Cliff Burton born
November 18 Kirk Hammett born

1963 March 4
Jason Newsted born
August 3
James Hetfield born
December 26
Lars Ulrich born


1977 Jason's first band Diamond with Kevin Kendrick, Todd Smiedendorf and Tom Depoy formed in Niles, MI
Newsted family relocates from Niles to Kalamazoo, MI
September
James' freshman year at Downey HS; befriends Ron McGovney

1978 James joins his first band, Obsession with Jim Arnold, Rich and Ron Veloz

1979 - 80 James' mother passes away and he moves to La Brea, CA.
James quits Obsession

1980 - 81 James forms Phantom Lord with Jim Mulligan and Hugh Tanner

1981
May 9
Lars and James meet for the first time in Newport Beach, CA.
June
Ron McGovney joins Phantom Lord and renames to Leather Charm; band falls apart when drummer and guitarist leave
October 15
METALLICA FORMED
October 31
Jason Newsted and Tom Hamlin relocate to Phoenix, AZ from Kalamazoo, MI

1982
January
First demo of Hit The Lights recorded, Lloyd Grant overdubs guitar solo
March
Band records 3 song demo; one original song: Hit The Lights; and two covers: Killing Time and Let It Loose this leads to gig opening for Saxon
March 14
First Metallica gig at Radio City, Anaheim, CA
March 28
Second gig, supporting Saxon at Whiskey - A - Go - Go, Hollywood, CA
April
Band records "Power Metal" 4 - track demo of Hit The Lights, The Mechanix, Jump In The Fire & Motorbreath
April 23
Only appearance as 5 - piece w/Damien Philips (aka Jeff Warner) in Costa Mesa, CA
May 25
James' first gig on rhythm guitar at Backbay (Lars') High School, Costa Mesa, CA
June 14
Metal Massacre LP released, first appearance of Metallica on record
July 6
Recording session for No Life Til Leather demo tape, songs: Hit the Lights, Seek & Destroy, Motorbreath, The Mechanix, Jump In The Fire, Metal Militia and Phantom Lord; financed by High Velocity records
September 18
First San Francisco gig at The Keystone
November 11
Band plays at The Woodstock in LA, supporting Y&T
November 29
First headlining gig in SF, Kirk Hammett's Exodus opens
November 30
Last show with Ron McGovney at San Francisco's Mabuhay Gardens
December 10
Ron McGovney and Metallica part
December 28
Cliff Burton joins Metallica

1983
February 11 - 15
Metallica moves from from Los Angeles to San Francisco
March 5
Cliff's first Metallica show at The Stone in SF; Exodus opens
April 1
Kirk Hammett asked to join Metallica.
April 9
Dave Mustaine's last show
April 11
Dave given bus ticket back to Californa, requested to leave Metallica
April 16
Kirk's first show with Metallica in Dover, NJ
May 3
Metallica signs with John Zazula's Megaforce Records
May 10 - 27
Kill Em All recording sessions in Rochester, NY
July 27 - September 3
First tour: "Kill Em All For One" with Raven
September 24
Ride The Lightning demos recorded, "live" track of Phantom Lord and Seek & Destroy recorded
Jason Newsted forms Dogz with Kelly David - Smith
Eric AK joins Dogz, Dogz becomes Flotsam & Jetsam

1984
January 19
Bands equipment stolen in Boston MA, this event inspires 'Fade To Black'
January 20
Jump In The Fire 12" released in Europe
February 3
First European tour begins with Venom in Zurich, Switzerland
February 20
Ride The Lightning recording begins at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark
March 26
First appearance in England at London's Marquee Club
June 6
Second European tour starts in Holland with Twisted Sister
August 1
First meeting with future co - manager Cliff Burnstein of Q Prime
August 2
First Manager Megaforce (John Zazula) released
September 12
Metallica signs with Elektra Records in USA
November 16
Elektra re - releases Ride The Lightning
November 17 - 18
Trapped Under Ice played live for FIRST time in Paris.
November 18
Paris; First major European Tour begins Tank is the support act.
November 23
Creeping Death 12" released in Europe
December 20
First London headlining gig at Lyceum, end of first European tour.

1985
January 109
USA co - headline tour begins in Nova Scotia
February 9
First performance of Fade To Black in Chicago
March 9
Ride The Lightning peaks at #100 on USA charts
March 18
Ride The Lightning tour ends in Portland, OR
August 17
Metallica performs Monsters Of Rock Festival at Castle Donington for the first time
September 2
Master Of Puppets recording sessions begin in Denmark
September 14
Band plays the Metal Hammer festival in England, performs Disposable Heroes for first time
September 30
Metallica performs at Day On The Green Festival in Oakland, CA
December 27
Recording of Master Of Puppets completed
December 31
Metallica plays the SF's Civic Center, with Megadeth, Exodus and Metal Church

1986
February 21
Master Of Puppets is released in USA
March 27
USA tour supporting Ozzy Osbourne starts in Wichita, KS
May 11
Master Of Puppets peaks at #29 in USA
July 26
James breaks arm while skateboarding in Evansville, IN
July 27
John Marshall plays rhythm guitar as James recovers
Aug 3
Last USA appearance with Cliff
September 10
European leg of Damage Inc. tour starts in Cardiff, Wales
September 26
Last gig with Cliff Burton in Stockholm, Sweden; James' arm healed, plays rhythm guitar
September 27
Cliff Burton dies in bus accident in Sweden
October 7
Cliff's funeral, Castro Valley, CA
October 28
Jason Newsted joins Metallica
October 31
Jason's last show with Flotsam & Jetsam
November 4
Master Of Puppets certified Gold in USA
November 8
Jason's first gig with Metallica at Country Club in Reseda, CA
November 20
First Japanese tour ends at Sun Plaza Hall, Tokyo

1987
February 8
Damage Inc. Tour world tour ends in Zwolle, Holland
February 13
Metallica plays Aardschock festival in Gothenburg Sweden with Anthrax and Metal Church; Scrap Metal opens, consisting of roadies of the various roadies, including Metallica's Eddie Kercer and Fleming Larsen
March 23
James re - breaks arm in 2nd skateboarding accident
Band scheduled to appear on NBC TV's Saturday Night Live cancelled due to James' broken arm
July 8
Recording session for Garage Days Re - revisited begins in Los Angeles
Aug 8
Master Of Puppets ends 72 week run on USA Charts
August 21
Garage Days Re - revisited released in USA
August 22
Metallica plays Castle Donington festival
October 10
Garage Days Re - revisited peaks at #28 on USA Charts
November 5
Ride The Lightning certified Gold in USA
December 4
Cliff 'Em All home video released in USA
December 7
Garage Days Re - revisited certified Gold in USA

1988
January 15
Kill Em All re-released in USA by Elektra with Am I Evil? and Blitzkrieg as bonus tracks
January 29
Recording sessions for ...And Justice For All begins in Los Angeles
February 4
Cliff 'Em All home video certified gold and platinum in USA
May 27
Monsters Of Rock tour starts in Troy, WI with 40,000 people featuring Van Halen, Metallica, Scorpions and Kingdom Come
July 28
Master Of Puppets certified double platinum in USA
Aug 19
Harvester Of Sorrow 12" single released in UK
August 25
...And Justice For All released in USA
September 11
First show of Damaged Justice tour in Budapest, Hungary
October 9
...And Justice For All peaks at #6 in USA
October 30
Eye Of the Beholder single is released in USA
October 31
...And Justice For All certified Gold and platinum in USA
November 15
USA leg of Damaged Justice tour starts in Toledo, OH
December 6
Footage for One music video shot

1989
January 9
One single released in USA
February 5
Live radio broadcast of concert in Dallas, TX on Z - Rock radio network
February 22
Metallica performs One on worldwide broadcast of Grammy Awards
April 5
Cliff 'Em All certified triple platinum in USA
April 8
One single peaks at #35 in USA
April 21
Last show with Queensryche opening, The Cult new support act
May 1
First show in New Zealand in Auckland
May 3
First show in Australia in Adelaide
May 16
Kill Em All certified gold & RTL certified platinum in USA
June 20
2 Of One Home video released in USA
July 20
...And Justice For All certified double platinum in USA
August 18
2 Of One certified platinum in USA
September 23
Last USA gig on Damaged Justice tour at Laguna Hills, CA
October 8
Last show of Damaged Justice tour in Sao Paulo, Brazil

1990
January
Band records Stone Cold Crazy for release on Elektra 40th Anniversary album "Rubaiyat"
May
Metallica plays several European festivals; including surprise shows at Hippodrome and Marquee in London
August 13
James and Lars record 3 demo's for new album
October 6
Recording of self - titled Metallica album commences at One On One Studio in California
October 14
Records demo for The Unforgiven at Bayview Studios, CA

1991
April 29 - May 4
James, Lars and Bob Rock do minor recording at Little Mountain Studios in Vancouver
June 10
Mixing and minor recording starts at A & M Studios in Hollywood
July 7
Band leaves A&M Studios, recording and remixing of Metallica ends
July 8 - 10
Mastering of Metallica at Sterling Sound in New York
August 3
Listening party for Metallica at Madison Square Garden
August 12
Self - titled Metallica album released, debuts at #1 on USA charts
August 17
Band performs at Castle Donington Monsters Of Rock
September 28
Metallica performs in Moscow at the Tushino Airfield
October 12
Wherever I May Roam tour begins

1992
February 25
Enter Sandman performed at Grammy Awards, wins Best Heavy Metal award for Metallica
April 20
Band performs at Tribute To Freddie Mercury at Wembley Stadium; this 3 song set appears on the live Nothing Else Matters CD single that features the Scary Guy, James performs Stone Cold Crazy with Queen and Tony Iommi
July 17
Co - headline tour with Guns N Roses begins at RFK Stadium, Washington DC
August 8
James burned by pyro mishap at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Canada; Riot ensues when Guns N Roses frontman leaves stage

1993
July 4
Last show of Wherever I May Roam tour
November 23
Binge & Purge box set released
Metallica Club formed

1994
May 30
Summer tour begins in Buffalo, NY. Kill/Ride Medley and The God that Failed played live for the first time
July 3
Danzig's last gig opening for Metallica, Glenn performs Misfit's classics London Dungeon, Last Caress and Green Hell with Metallica; Suicidal Tendencies joins Metallica on So What
August 21
Last show on Summer tour; Rob Halford joins Metallica on Rapid Fire

1995
February 15
James and Lars join Long Beach/Los Angeles area radio station KNAC for its last few hours of broadcasting; Kirk does an AOL Online chat
May
Band begins recording sessions for next album(s)
August 17
Rehearsal attended by Club members
August 23
Bands performs Club Member only gig at London Astoria 2
August 26
Bands interrupts recording session to play Castle Donington Monsters Of Rock show
September
Band plays gig at Tuktoyatuk, Canada with Hole, Veruca Salt and Moist

1996
February 13
James gets his hair cut
May 21
Until It Sleeps single released in USA
May 23
Premiere of Until It Sleeps video on MTV
June 1
Load is released in Japan
June 3
Load is released in non - Japan/North America areas
June 4
Load is released in North America; Metallica plays 2 short sets on flatbed trucks at Tower Records in San Jose and Sacramento
June 9 - 10
Band plays Club members only gig in San Francisco, show appears on Internet and Fan Can 2
June 23
Band plays Club members only gig in Toronto, Canada
June 27
Lollapalooza Festival tour begins
August 3
Lemmy of Motorhead joins band onstage in Irvine, CA for Overkill
August 4
Last Lollapalooza show in Irvine, CA; Lemmy joins sits in on Overkill, Jerry Cantrell joins for For Whom the Bell Tolls; Live recordings of 5 songs from this show appeared as b - sides
September 4
Metallic