Rare Metallica Demo Found
By Laura Aguirre
It’s Metallica time! A rare demo from Metallica — one of the most successful heavy metal bands of all time – has been dug up by the people over at The Metal Den. The demo is a recording of Diamond Head’s “Sucking My Love” featuring Lars Ulrich on drums, James Hetfield on vocals, and former members Dave Mustaine on guitar, Ron McGovney on bass. Check out what Metallic historian Bob Nalbandian said about the discovery:
“For Metallica fans, this was definitely the rarest, and earliest, material to ever surface. no one knew this recording even existed, since original bassist Ron McGovney had the only copy of this garage practice session.
“The tape features the Diamond Head covers “Sucking my Love,” “Helpless” and “Am I Evil” and their very first original tune “Hit the Lights.” Recorded in Ron’s garage in March of ’82 (two months after the band was formed)by suspending a $49.00 ghetto blaster in the air, and with James sinning through the guitar amp, this is surprisingly a great recording for using such primitive means! James’ voice was very high at the time [and more than likely, so was Dave Mustaine! - Ed.] and Lars’ drumming sounds like hoof beats. Nevertheless, the band sounds tight for only being together for two months. Dave Mustaine performs all the guitar work on this rehearsal tape (James was only singing at the time), showing that he was quite advanced for a nineteen year-old guitarist from Orange County!”
I’ll agree with Nalbandian, young Metallica does sound tight. It’s crazy to think that back then they had no idea what kind of status they would achieve years later. The sound isn’t perfect, but then again it’s 1982, listen to the rare demo below:
What do you think?
Friday, March 5, 2010 1:04AM
Huge Metallica Fan and I've heard it before. Not so rare. But a great song by one of the greatest bands of all time.
Friday, March 5, 2010 1:04AM
this is not new,it was on an import.Ive had it for years.
Friday, March 5, 2010 1:24AM
WOW! It sounds way better than other ealry Metallica recordings I have hear (live from '82 etc.)
Friday, March 5, 2010 1:31AM
Wow. Nuts. And totally bad ars!! I thoroughly enjoyed : )
Friday, March 5, 2010 1:38AM
this is awesome. remember: this was recorded in a garage in 1982 with some radio shack rigging (?)… poor vocals, but, as a non-musical person, they sound pretty damn tight to me, for having been together for 2 MONTHS at the time!
Friday, March 5, 2010 1:50AM
The ONLY one that sounds good is "the general' Dave Mustaine. F U Kirk!
Friday, March 5, 2010 2:25AM
sick
Friday, March 5, 2010 2:30AM
First
Friday, March 5, 2010 2:39AM
I downloaded this almost two years ago, this isn't new news.
Friday, March 5, 2010 2:44AM
Amazing!! and they've gotten so much better…
the best!
Friday, March 5, 2010 2:50AM
That was actually really good. Too bad they don't re-record the tunes with all the original players and then add some new tunes and call it old metallica in a new day.
Friday, March 5, 2010 3:48AM
VERY cool, I've heard some of their earlier recordings, but not THAT early. They sound tight and raw, but it's a great cover tune.
Friday, March 5, 2010 4:27AM
Uhh…what's with the pick? That's Lars and James with Kirk and Cliff. No Ron. No Mustaine…
Friday, March 5, 2010 4:28AM
Great stuff.Its always cool to hear lost demos from any good band but this is the icing on the cake.
Friday, March 5, 2010 4:36AM
It's rough, but it really does show how tight a guitar player Mustaine was then and he has done nothing but get better and better. Metallica is tremendous, but Megadeth really does sometimes get overlooked a bit for as great a band as they have always been.
Friday, March 5, 2010 6:32AM
suk
Friday, March 5, 2010 6:38AM
No matter what was found. These greedy bastards still suck. Millionaire crybabies, "Napster hurts us!" F'ing babies!
Friday, March 5, 2010 6:45AM
Gotta love Metallica, they even sounded good when they had only been together for a very short time.
1982 till 2010, and still going strong,
keep on banging!!!
Friday, March 5, 2010 1:21AM
more like a live recording, demos are usually original music. So this is just an early Metallica cover song recorded live. As to the rarity, I give you that.
Friday, March 5, 2010 8:29AM
yes yes yes metllica
Friday, March 5, 2010 2:02AM
It is always cool when real , old recordings of any historic bands surface.
Sunday, March 20, 2011 10:54AM
MetallicA is the best metal band EVER for those ppl who say they suck take a minute to think if they suck would they be going on 30yrs?