DAVE MUSTAINE
lead guitar 1981-1983

Dave Mustaine is the most famous of Metallica's former players. Dave was Metallica's first lead guitar player and also played somewhat of the role of front man.. it was Dave that led chants of "F*** L.A." and other assorted mayhem towards lesser bands and the so-called "poseur scene."

Dave joined Metallica in early 1982, shortly after the band formed. He was hired, probably through an ad in The Recycler.. and rumored to have been hired without even playing a note of music. Seems as Dave loaded in his equipment, it was enough for the guys to see his Marshall stacks and get a glimpse of his "personality."

Dave was fired in April, 1983 after the band left California to go to New York to record their first album. It was on that long trip that his then bandmates saw the bad side of Dave and decided it was time to move on.

After Metallica, Dave formed the very successful Megadeth.

RON McGOVNEY
bass 1982-1983

Ron McGoveney met James Hetfield in high school, where they shared a passion for 'heavier' music. Ron served as a roadie for Obsession as well as some other bands James jammed with. Ron would often work on makeshift lighting rigs that had worked up. James eventually moved in with Ron into one of his parent's house that was scheduled to torn down to make way for a freeway, this house was the subject to many a party or band practice.

Ron had originally began playing bass at James' beckoning and the duo played in Leather Charm together. After Leather Charm broke up and Metallica was formed by James and Lars it was only natural that Ron fell into the role of bass player again.

Dave Mustaine was very antagonistic towards Ron, which eventually led to Metallica finding a new bass player. After many years away from music, Ron played bass in a short-lived punk band, but very little has been seen or heard of him since.

LLOYD GRANT
lead gutiar 1982

Lloyd Grant played a lead guitar fill on Metallica's first demo of "Hit The Lights" (along with Dave Mustaine), which appeared on very early pressings of 'Metal Massacre 1.'

He was never considered a part of the band.

JOHN MARSHALL
rhythm gutiar 1986, 1992-3

John Marshall was the band's guitar tech when James broke his wrist in 1986. John stepped up and filled in for James' guitar playing. He kept a low profile, despite his height, by playing behind one of the crosses on the Master of Puppets back drop, while Hetfield sang.

In 1993 John filled in again when James was burned by a pyro mishap.

John went on to play guitar for Metal Church and currently works for Mesa/Boogie.