Metallica: The Club Dayz, 1982-1984 Live, Raw and Without a Photo Pit!

by Hale, Bill; Nalbandian, Bob

• ISBN13: 9781550228762
• ISBN10: 1550228765
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-04-01
• Publisher: Ecw Press

Summary

Rare and exclusive photographs fill the pages of this visual history of Metallica's debut shows in San Francisco. Influenced musically by the new breed of British metal, yet epitomizing the punk rock scene, the band's loud, snotty, and dismissive attitude is evident everywhere in these photographs that document six of the legendary band's earliest performances. Tracing the band's growth, there are shots of Dave Mustaine and Ron McGovney playing together, Cliff Burton's introductory gig with the band at The Stone, the last Metallica show with Dave Mustaine, and Kirk Hammett's Metallica debut. Behind the camera is the book's author, who was invited behind the scenes to hang out and photograph the band's brazen energy in concert, as well as their crazy and unpredictable backstage antics. Shot without the safety of a photo pit, many of the photographs are close-ups of wild crowds as they head-bang fearlessly to the music of their local heroes. Perfect for browsing, the collection is interesting in its contribution to music history, for its intriguing photography, and as a documentary on the youth culture in the Bay area during the 1980s.

Author Biography

Bill Hale has been photographing rock bands since 1979. He is the former chief photographer of Metal Rendezvous International. He lives in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Excerpts

Metallica: The Club Dayzis a collection of photographs I shot of the now–legendary rock band Metallica between 1982 and 1987. This book contains rare and exclusive photographs from six of the band’s earliest performances including their first shows in San Francisco at the Stone and the Old Waldorf. The shows featured the original line up with Dave Mustaine (guitar) and Ron McGovney (bass), Cliff Burton’s introductory gig with the band at the Stone, the last San Francisco Metallica show with Dave Mustaine, and Kirk’s Metallica debut.

As chief photographer ofMetal Rendezvous International, a groundbreaking heavy rock magazine that was published throughout the ’80s, I was given unlimited access to hang out with and photograph this fledgling metal band. My job at the time was to capture the band live onstage and offstage and provide the magazine with the finest unique photographs of Metallica, whether they featured the band showcasing their brazen live energy in concert, or unveiling some of their crazy and unpredictable offstage antics. I was there with my camera at every one of their early Bay Area shows, live without a photo pit, crushed among the savage crowd as they headbanged fearlessly to their local heroes. It wasn’t an easy gig by any means but it was an experience I would treasure forever. And for the very first time I am opening up my photo vault for all of you to witness and visually experience truly one of the greatest rock bands of all–time during their embryonic stage.

Influenced musically by the new breed of British metal yet epitomizing the punk rock attitude, Metallica’s loud, snotty and don’t–give–a–f∗ck attitude is very evident in these photographs. Most of the photos in this book have never been published and many of the images have never before been revealed to the public. I had a blast going though my files and reliving these shows, and working on this book was a truly gratifying experience for me. The time I spent with Metallica back then was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I think everyone who had the fortune of witnessing this band back then knew that Metallica was going to be huge … but I don’t think anyone could have predicted exactlyhowhuge.