This past weekend, Rock history was made. The four bands acknowledged as the most influential in the history of Thrash Metal assembled to recreate that which was seen on their double-platinum selling DVD: The Big 4.
The all-day festival featured the so-called "Big Four" bands of 1980s thrash metal — METALLICA, SLAYER, ANTHRAX and MEGADETH — sharing the stage in the U.S. for the first time ever, drawing an estimated 50,000 people.
"This is history tonight and you're part of it," Metallica frontman James Hetfield told the crowd Saturday at the Empire Polo Fields in Indio, California. "Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer and Metallica as one — with you!"
Hetfield, Mustaine and Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian all referred to the event as "history" during the seven-hour concert. The backstage area was packed with members of bands like Alice in Chains, Sum 41, Dream Theater, New Found Glory, Throwdown and Fireball Ministry along with former MTV "Headbanger's Ball" host Riki Rachtman, MMA fighter Josh Barnett, comedian Brian Posehn and all three hosts of VH1 Classic's "That Metal Show" — Eddie Trunk, Don Jamieson and Jim Florentine.
In introducing the members of the other three bands immediately prior to the "Am I Evil?" performance, METALLICA frontman James Hetfield said, "Can you believe it? Thirty years, man. I don't know how many of you have been around that long, you know?! It doesn't matter; you're here right now to see the 'Big Four,' and we're getting this prepared for a big jam, alright? It's pretty important.
"We just wanna take the time to say 'thank you' to all of you metal fans out there who have supported all the bands — not only the 'Big Four,' but the big however many out there. There's many, many other bands that have been around as long as us, and, unfortunately, broke up because of business or some other crap. There's a lot of great bands out there and we'd like to celebrate all of them, and especially the 'Big Four', getting out here and jamming, and just saying 'thank you' to the world of metal fans for just giving us your support, giving us your heart and giving us your passion, man, 'cause that's what it is for us."
Metallica headlined the big show and began their set with "For Whom the Bell Tolls," a great start to their 2-hour set. Hetfield and co. played a lot of their most popular songs and included other surprises, like the long instrumental "Orion." The set wrapped up with "Nothing Else Matters," of course. Then, for the encore, Hetfield brought most of the day's players out for a giant rendition of "Am I Evil?"
Hetfield looked out into the crowd during the last song and mused, "Can you believe it? Thirty years, man. I don't know how many of you have been around that long. It doesn't matter. You're here now."
Regardless, with the rally towels on full spin cycle, the Sharks entered the ice through the yeah-it’s-a-little-dated-but-it’s-staying-so-save-it smoking shark mouth to “Seek and Destroy,” which had to please none other than James Hetfield himself who was sitting rinkside.
If that doesn’t convince you that Mangin has metal cred, then how about an endorsement from a metal god? In 2008, Rolling Stone Magazine asked Metallica front man James Hetfield, “Who are you listening to?” His response surprised even Mangin.
“There's a DJ on [Sirius] named José who is so in love with metal – he's like a friggin' firecracker,” Hetfield said.
All four bands have many successes to celebrate, but Metallica clearly have earned their headlining slot. Their 1991 self-titled "Black Album" has sold over 15 million copies in the U.S. alone, and their appearance at the Big 4 event boasted fireworks, fire, a two-story stage and an extra video screen that were all absent during the previous three acts' performances.
James Hetfield is a fantastic metal singer. He created that gravelly metal voice that fans and musicians all love.
James Hetfield is the voice among other things of Metallica's songs, but it wasn't always planned that way. In the early days Metallica tried a few different vocal/guitar configurations.
Metallica rock star James Hetfield, who two years ago stirred controversy by erecting a fence blocking a popular trail that cut across his 600-acre Rocking H 2 Ranch, wants to subdivide the lower part of his Lucas Valley property to provide 34 home sites.
Some of the experiments included adding another guitar player, or having then lead guitar player Dave Mustaine play the sole guitar. John Bush from Armored Saint was even asked to sing for the band at one point. Hetfield was born to a truck driver and light opera singer on August 3rd, 1963 in Los Angeles. His family's Christian Science religious beliefs are often mentioned as the root of James' "tortured soul" lyrics. Musically, he began at age 9 with piano lessons, then banging away on his brother David's drums and finally to guitar. With his guitar in hand, James aspired to become a rock star in his first band, Obsession.
The band was made up of the Veloz brothers on bass and drums and Jim Arnold on guitar. A pair of friends, Ron McGovney and Dave Marrs, acted as the band's roadies. This meant sitting in the loft of the Veloz garage running a control panel for makeshift lighting effects. After Obsession broke up, the Marrs-Hetfield-McGovney trio continued jamming together.
In "Blackened," James Hetfield touches on that lyrically. Even though they're a metal band, they talk about how fucked up the government is and they address real issues. When they played Russia for the first time, it was incredible. They were connected to it because they were writing about the man. They're a metal band with a message and deeper meaning.
Guitars are a major part of his life and he has started collecting older guitars. particularly those manufactured in 1963, the year he was born. He can also be found in his garage working on a new passion hot rods. He currently has a Chevy BelAir that he built himself. James in recent years has taken to the rock 'n' roll fashion of getting "inked" he now sports many many tattoos some of which are pictured below.
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