Check out some of the most interesting facts about the band
Formed in the 80s, the band Metallicanot only consolidated his name in heavy metal but also in the history of rock. In addition to his impressive musical career, there are several stories and curiosities that many fans may not know.
Check out some of the most interesting facts about the Metallica.
1. Origin of the name
The name MetallicaIt was almost used for a fanzine, which is an amateur magazine created by fans, usually about music or pop culture. The friend of Lars Ulrich, Ron Quintanawas creating a fanzine about heavy metal and had two name options: “Metal Mania” or “Metallica”. Ulrich thought “Metallica” was perfect for the band, and suggested that Quintana use “Metal Mania” for the fanzine and kept the name Metallica for the band name. Quintana accepted, and the rest is history.
2. ‘Alcoholica’: the nickname that marked the early years
In the early years of their career, Metallica became known by the nickname Alcoholicawhich came about because of the band’s habit of drinking large amounts of alcohol while on tour. This nickname started as a joke between fans and the band’s team, who noticed how drinking was part of the post-show routines.
3. Cliff Burton: the bassist who made history
Metallica’s second bassist, Cliff Burtonjoined the band in 1982. With his style, Burton helped define Metallica’s sound. His tragic death in 1986 was one of the most devastating moments in the band’s history.
4. ‘Orion’: almost entirely instrumental
The music Orionfrom the album Master of Puppets (1986), stands out for its long instrumental section. Originally, the band considered keeping the track completely vocal-free. However, they decided to include some parts with vocals to keep the album’s structure more cohesive and balanced with the rest of the tracks, which were predominantly sung.
5. The Black Album
Launched in 1991, The Black Album (or simply Metallica) is one of the best-selling albums in rock history, with more than 30 million copies sold worldwide. Songs like Enter Sandman and Nothing Else Matters helped the band reach an audience far beyond traditional heavy metal. In the United States, the album was certified 16 times platinum for the RIAA in 2012.
6. Turbulent recording of St. Anger
The album St. Anger (2003) came in the middle of one of the most difficult periods in Metallica’s trajectory. Before recording began, the bassist Jason Newsted He left the band because of personal and professional conflicts. Soon after, the vocalist James Hetfield He had to leave to deal with problems with alcoholism.
The process of creating the album was recorded in the documentary Some Kind of Monsterwhich exposed the conflicts between the band members.
7. Metallica in Antarctica
On December 8, 2013, the Metallica made history and was the first band to play in Antarcticato an audience of 120 scientists and winners of a promotion in Carlini Station. The performance, which was dubbed Freeze ‘Em All, was an hour long with 10 songs being played. The band became the first to play on every continent on the planet.
8. Lawsuit against Napster
In 2000, the band sued the file-sharing service Napster for allowing the free download of their music without authorization. The band discovered that an unreleased version of I Disappear was circulating on the platform before its official launch, which sparked an alert about digital piracy. The lawsuit, initiated by Lars Ulrich, sparked a global debate about copyright in the digital age and put Napster under legal pressure, leading to the closure of the service as it existed at the time.
9. Visual identity and the star symbol
The logo of star Metallicacreated by designer Turner Duckworth in the 90s, has become one of the band’s most recognized visual symbols. The star is formed by the stylized letters “M” and “A”, which represent the band’s name and can be seen on album covers and official merchandise.
10. S&M: Metal and symphonic together
In 1999, Metallica innovated by uniting heavy metal and classical music in a live album with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestraunder the regency of Michael Kamencomposer and conductor, who had previously collaborated with artists such as Pink Floyd and Eric Clapton, and was known for his ability to combine rock with orchestral elements.
The project, titled S&M (Symphony & Metallica), brought new orchestral arrangements to iconic songs such as Master of Puppets and Nothing Else Matters. The success of this partnership led to the realization of the complete show, recorded at Berkeley Community Theater. The public and critics received the project with great enthusiasm, and in 2019, Metallica celebrated the project’s 20th anniversary with a new edition, S&M2held in Chase Center in San Francisco.
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
