In a recent tweet, former Metallica bassist Ron McGovney explained James Hetfield’s first band lineup.
A user recently asked the musician along with a photo, “Is this photo Ron Veloz? What became of him? In any scene bands after Obsession?” McGovney replied by saying, “Richard Veloz was the drummer. Jim, James, and Ron Veloz traded off on lead vocals. David Marrs was a roadie. I just kinda hung out at band practices. I did let them use my guitar amp sometimes.”
Hetfield started piano lessons when he was nine, then played drums for his half-brother David before picking up the guitar at 14 with Robert Okner. As a teenager, he was in bands like Leather Charm and Obsession.
So, his first band was Obsession, where he jammed with the Veloz brothers and Jim Arnold. It was with Obsession that Hetfield first played with McGovney. However, Obsession didn’t last long, as Hetfield moved to Brea, California, after his sophomore year in Downey.
In Brea, Hetfield started a new band called Phantom Lord. The band included Hugh Tanner on guitar, Jim Mulligan on drums, and Hetfield as the vocalist and guitarist. After graduating from Brea Olinda High School, Hetfield moved back to Downey, and Phantom Lord ended for him.
Back in Downey with McGovney, Hetfield started a new band called Leather Charm. This time, Hetfield focused on singing while McGovney, Mulligan, and Tanner played. One of the songs they covered was Iron Maiden’s ‘Remember Tomorrow,’ which Metallica later covered as well. When Leather Charm broke up, Hetfield saw an ad in a newspaper from drummer Lars Ulrich.
Even without a full band, Ulrich had an offer to record a demo for a Metal Blade Records compilation. Hetfield joined to play guitar and sing. The song he wrote, ‘Hit the Lights,’ became a key part of thrash metal history. It debuted on ‘Metal Massacre’ on June 14, 1982, just a year after Metallica was formed. This was the start of Hetfield and Metallica’s rise to metal fame.
