Metallica
Formed during 1981, in California, USA by Lars Ulrich (b. 26 December 1963, Copenhagen, Denmark; drums) and James Alan Hetfield (b. 3 August 1963, USA; guitar/vocals) after each separately advertised for fellow musicians in the classified advertisements of the American publication THE RECYCLER. They recorded their first demo, NO LIFE TIL’ LEATHER, with Lloyd Grand (guitar) who was replaced in January 1982 by David Mustaine, a guitarist whose relationship with Ulrich and Hetfield proved unsatisfactory. Jef Warner (guitar) and Ron McGovney (bass) each had a brief involvement with the group, and at the end of 1982, Clifford Lee Burton (b. 10 February 1962, USA; bass), formerly of Trauma, joined the band, playing his first live performance on 5 March 1983. Mustaine departed to form Megadeth and was replaced by Kirk Hammett (b. 18 November 1962; guitar). Hammett, who came to the attention of Ulrich and Hetfield while playing with the rock band Exodus, played his first concert with Metallica on 16 April 1983. The Ulrich, Hetfield, Burton and Hammett combination lasted until disaster struck the band in the small hours of 27 September 1987, when Metallica's tour bus overturned in Sweden, killing Cliff Burton. 
After deciding that to stop playing would be an insult to their bassist's memory, the remaining three members chose to recruit Jason Newsted (b. 4 March 1963; bass) of Flotsam And Jetsam. Newsted never imitated Burton, but complemented the band with his own musical style, as he demonstrated at his first concert with the band on 8 November 1986. The original partnership of Ulrich and Hetfield is responsible for Metallica's lyrics and musical direction. Having worked with the likes of Johnny Zazula and, most recently, producer Bob Rock, they have retained much of the aggression and exuberance of their debut, KILL 'EM ALL, the album sleeve of which bore the legend ‘Bang that head that doesn't bang’, while maturing musically, as subsequent albums demonstrated. Their songs deal with large themes— justice and retribution, insanity, war, religion and relationships. Their music has grown from iconoclastic chaos to thoughtful harmony, and is hallmarked by sudden and unexpected changes of mood and tempo. Classed by some as being a ‘thrash metal’ band, Metallica are more than that, and Ulrich's early preoccupations with British heavy metal bands like Black Sabbath and Motörhead, offer a better clue as to the nature of their music. Indeed, the band gained much experience by touring with Ozzy Osbourne, Twisted Sister and Motörhead. Metallica thus draw,, on many musical sources, and have created their own unique style. They shun fashion and dare to put out music which ranges from fast songs to gentle ballads. To quote from Nothing Else Matters on METALLICA: "…Trust I seek and I find in you/Every day for us something new/Open mind for a different view…". This band who have a musically ‘open mind’ played their third Donington Monsters of Rock festival in 1991, and the rapturous acclaim they received there is a fitting tribute to their experimental originality and daring.