1982

January	First demo of Hit The Lights recorded, Lloyd Grant overdubs guitar solo
March	Band records 3 song demo; one original song: Hit The Lights; and two covers: Killing Time and Let It Loose this leads to gig opening for Saxon
March 14	First Metallica gig at Radio City, Anaheim, CA
March 28	Second gig, supporting Saxon at Whiskey - A - Go - Go, Hollywood, CA
April	Band records "Power Metal" 4 - track demo of Hit The Lights, The Mechanix, Jump In The Fire Motorbreath
April 23	Only appearance as 5 - piece w/Damien Philips (aka Jeff Warner) in Costa Mesa, CA
May 25	James' first gig on rhythm guitar at Backbay (Lars') High School, Costa Mesa, CA
June 14	Metal Massacre LP released, first appearance of Metallica on record
July 6	Recording session for No Life Til Leather demo tape, songs: Hit the Lights, Seek Destroy, Motorbreath, The Mechanix, Jump In The Fire, Metal Militia and Phantom Lord; financed by High Velocity records
September 18	First San Francisco gig at The Keystone
November 11	Band plays at The Woodstock in LA, supporting YT
November 29	First headlining gig in SF, Kirk Hammett's Exodus opens
November 30	Last show with Ron McGovney at San Francisco's Mabuhay Gardens
December 10	Ron McGovney and Metallica part
December 28	Cliff Burton joins Metallica

1983

February 11-15	Metallica moves from from Los Angeles to San Francisco
March 5	Cliff's first Metallica show at The Stone in SF; Exodus opens
April 1	Kirk Hammett asked to join Metallica.
April 9	Dave Mustaine's last show
April 11	Dave given bus ticket back to Californa, requested to leave Metallica
April 16	Kirk's first show with Metallica in Dover, NJ
May 3	Metallica signs with John Zazula's Megaforce Records
May 10-27	Kill Em All recording sessions in Rochester, NY
July 27 - September 3	First tour: "Kill Em All For One" with Raven
September 24	Ride The Lightning demos recorded, "live" track of Phantom Lord and Seek Destroy recorded

1984

January 19	Bands equipment stolen in Boston MA, this event inspires 'Fade To Black'
January 20	Jump In The Fire 12" released in Europe
February 3	First European tour begins with Venom in Zurich, Switzerland
February 20	Ride The Lightning recording begins at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark
March 26	First appearance in England at London's Marquee Club
June 6	Second European tour starts in Holland with Twisted Sister
August 1	First meeting with future co - manager Cliff Burnstein of Q Prime
August 2	First Manager Megaforce (John Zazula) released
September 12	Metallica signs with Elektra Records in USA
November 16	Elektra re - releases Ride The Lightning
November 17 - 18	Trapped Under Ice played live for FIRST time in Paris.
November 18	Paris; First major European Tour begins Tank is the support act.
November 23	Creeping Death 12" released in Europe
December 20	First London headlining gig at Lyceum, end of first European tour.

1985

January 10	USA co - headline tour begins in Nova Scotia
February 9	First performance of Fade To Black in Chicago
March 9	Ride The Lightning peaks at #100 on USA charts
March 18	Ride The Lightning tour ends in Portland, OR
August 17	Metallica performs Monsters Of Rock Festival at Castle Donington for the first time
September 2	Master Of Puppets recording sessions begin in Denmark
September 14	Band plays the Metal Hammer festival in England, performs Disposable Heroes for first time
September 30	Metallica performs at Day On The Green Festival in Oakland, CA
December 27	Recording of Master Of Puppets completed
December 31	Metallica plays the SF's Civic Center, with Megadeth, Exodus and Metal Church