Metallica: The Club Dayz
by Bill Hale

Thrashers’ underground roots exposed

As photographer with cult San Francisco mag Metal Rendezvous International in the early-to-mid-80s, Bill Hale was perfectly placed to capture Bay Area thrash at its peak. There’s still a gap for a photo book covering the whole sprawling, influential scene, but Hale does a useful job of charting the rise of thrash’s most successful band.

Hale begins the journey on 18 September 1982 at The Stone, where Metallica’s pre-Cliff Burton line-up supported Hans Naughty and Bitch, telling us that this was the first show where 19- year-old frontman James Hetfield both sang and played guitar. Accompanied by axe prodigy Dave Mustaine, much put-upon bassist Ron McGovney and weeny drummer Lars Ulrich, Hetfield bashed out a set based on Diamond Head covers. How times have changed.

Continuing into 1983, McGovney is replaced by the virtuoso Burton. By now thrash was thriving and Metallica began their ascension to international prominence. It’s all good, sweaty, mostly unpublished stuff, highly amusing for anyone who can’t imagine the Led Zeppelin of our generation dressed in spandex and acne.

Extra text by the likes of industry legend Ron Quintana (who invented the name Metallica) add bang for your bucks. Until fellow Metallica disciple and photographer Brian Lew does his own book, this is the one to track down.

3 stars 3 stars 3 stars

ISBN 978155022876, 140 pages

Reviewed by Joel McIver
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