Twenty five years ago today Metallica took to the stage in Stockholm. A few hours later their tour bus crashed & Cliff Burton was killed. I'm not going to paw over the if, but or maybe of that incident, many have done so already with greater coherence than I could achieve at this moment, but I will say that Clifford Lee Burton was one of the greatest bass players that ever lived, & I don't think there can be very much doubt about that at all. The testimony of his unique talent is preserved in the bass solo work 'Anesthesia', & all the subsequent performed renditions of it throughout his career.
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20120126103906im_/http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TllwwBkezO8/ToDvgRWrYJI/AAAAAAAAAro/fIeRvkd2YNs/s320/METALLICA_CLIFF+FINGER.jpg)
I remember reading somewhere that it was he who took the Metallica songwriting & arrangement to another level, teaching them of how melodies work & interact. For me, 'Master Of Puppets' was, & still is, the highest point reached in their history. Nothing I have heard them produce since has come close to it, although I have to admit that I haven't heard any new Metallica material for years... & nor do I particularly care too. '...& Justice For All' was the greatest let down to put it mildly... Y'know, I couldn't give a rats knacker for imported snare drums & however many days getting the sound 'right', I've heard dogs puking that sound better than that LP... The first three LP's are where it's at, 'original & best'... Not unlike the man himself.
So in way of a tribute I lay before thee not one,
but three recordings that are wholly Burton-centric...
METALLICA - MEGAFORCE DEMO'83
This was the first studio recording Cliff made with Metallica. Known as the 'Megaforce Demo' as it was this recording that alledgedly drew the attention of the record company bearing the same name. As you will no doubt be aware, this is in the pre-Hammett era, & so the lead guitarist on the two featured tracks is none other than Dave Mustaine...
01 Whiplash
02 No Remorse
METALLICA - SAN FRANCISCO 05.03.83
This is Cliff's first Metalli-gig, recorded on a reel-to-reel by the band themselves. I wonder if this ever appeared on Crapster for downloading? Once again Dave Mustaine features on lead guitar, even treating us to a widdle up & down his frets for a bit all on his own. I know what it's like trying to get a legible sound out of a geetar using humble paws, but the boy did good for a Cocker Spaniel.
01 Intro
02 Mechanix
03 Phantom Lord
04 Motorbreath
05 Jump In The Fire
06 No Remorse
07 Seek & Destroy
08 Bass Solo - Cliff Burton
09 Whiplash
10 Am I Evil
11 Blitzkrieg
12 Guitar Solo - Dave Mustaine
13 Metal Militia
METALLICA - STOCKHOLM SWEDEN 26.09.86
The final gig of the fab four...
01 Intro
02 Battery
03 Master Of Puppets
04 For Whom The Bell Tolls
05 Welcome Home [Sanitarium]
06 Ride The Lightning
07 Bass Solo
08 Whiplash
09 Thing That Should Not Be
10 Fade To Black
11 Seek & Destroy
12 Creeping Death
13 The Four Horsemen
14 Damage Inc
15 Blitzkrieg
Two page article taken from Metal Hammer Magazine 1986...
...& a now not so rare Cliff Burton interview with Ken from 'Metal Fanzine' in 1984. Embedded from the place that you usually broadcast yourself re-creating pop videos very badly...