Metallica is one of the most widely recognized and highly regarded heavy metal bands of all time. Though its members might not be as relevant as they once were, they continue to be important figures for the development of the industry. Here, we present our list of 15 facts you probably didn’t know about Metallica.
Number Fifteen: Lars Ulrich Was a Tennis Prodigy
Hailing from Denmark, Ulrich was an extremely talented tennis player growing up. His father and grandfather both played tennis professionally. Thankfully for the world, Ulrich decided to channel his athletic prowess into playing the drums.
Number Fourteen: James Hetfield Accidentally Burned the Crap Out of Himself
During a 1992 stadium tour that Metallica was co-headlining with Guns N’ Roses, James Hetfield accidentally gave himself third-degree burns after walking into a 12-foot flame. He misjudged the pyrotechnics display.
Number Thirteen: Robert Trujillo Was Paid to Join
When Trujillo came on as Metallica’s bassist in 2003, he was given an advance of one million pounds. Before he joined Metallica, Trujillo was part of Suicidal Tendencies, which was Ozzy Osbourne’s band.
Number Twelve: James Hetfield Was Addicted to Chocolate
In 2001, Hetfield went to rehab for alcohol and “other” addictions. Apparently, one of those “other” addictions was to chocolate. This could explain his weight gain around that time.
Number Eleven: They Made an Expensive Mistake
The name of Metallica’s second album is Ride The Lightning, and it contains a track called “The Call Of Ktulu.” However, early pressings of this album contain a misspelling that reads “The Cat of Ktulu.” Albums with this misspelling now can be sold for a handsome price.
Number Ten: Kirk Hammett Struggled With Drug Addiction
Hammett has admitted that being around Metallica fueled his drug problems. He said, “I had a bad coke problem on the …And Justice For All tour. You hang out with other musicians, and the next thing you know, you have five guys crammed into a bathroom stall.”
Number Nine: Jason Newsted Was an Outcast
Newsted joined as a bassist and a replacement for Cliff Burton, who passed away in 1986. However, the rest of the band didn’t like his sound, and his bass lines are nearly absent on the album …And Justice For All.
Number Eight: Metallica Were in an Episode of The Simpsons
In 2006, Metallica appeared in an episode of The Simpsons titled “The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and her Homer.” They appeared on the show after bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2, and REM.
Number Seven: People Still Do Not Know How Cliff Burton Died
Though you may know that Metallica bassist Cliff Burton died in 1986 when the band’s tour bus got into an accident, it is still unclear what exactly caused his death. A crane lifted the vehicle off of him, and he may have been living. However, the crane accidentally dropped the vehicle back onto him, and that may be what killed him.
Number Six: They Were Photographed by Anton Corbijn
Photographer Anton Corbijn is most well-known for taking pictures of U2 and Joy Divison. However, he also photographed Metallica in 1996 for their Load album.
Number Five: Dave Mustaine Left on Bad Terms
Mustaine was fired from the band in 1983. However, he was salty and insisted that he contributed a lot of the riffs that made his replacement, Kirk Hammett, famous.
Number Four: Lars Ulrich Can Scuba Dive
Ulrich is famously eclectic, but did you know one of his passions is diving? He has even been observed looking at diving magazines at live shows.
Number Three: Metallica Are Featured on a Video Game
And not just any video game. Metallica’s ninth album, Death Magnetic, was made available to play on Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock on the exact same day it was physically released.
Number Two: Kirk Hammett Uses Rogaine
It’s true. Hammett began losing his hair in the 1990s, but he has admitted to using Rogaine to keep his locks intact.
Number One: James Hetfield Was Involved With South Park
It’s true! In the 199 film, South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut, Hetfield can be heard singing lead vocals on the track “Hell Isn’t Good.”