In a recent series of tweets, Metallica’s original bassist, Ron McGovney, reflected on the early dynamics within the band, crediting Lars Ulrich with seeing the band’s potential long before anyone else did.
McGovney started the conversation by posting a nostalgic photo of Metallica from March 1982, expressing his astonishment at the band’s early days. When asked about the better composer between James Hetfield and Dave Mustaine, McGovney praised both equally for their songwriting abilities, saying:
“Equal. Both are great songwriters.”
Identifying The Visionary
However, the discussion took a turn when he was pressed to identify the true visionary of the band at the time. Without hesitation, the musician named Ulrich as the ‘resident genius,’ writing:
“Lars. He saw the potential of the band that the rest of us were oblivious to.”
Hetfield’s Frontman Role Clarified
In addition to his recent comments, McGovney previously addressed misconceptions about the band’s early lineup and roles. Specifically, in January 2021, he took to Twitter to clarify that Hetfield has always been the lead vocalist of Metallica, even when the band was experimenting with different vocal and guitar combinations. He stated:
“I’ve been getting a lot of questions about who sang vocals when we played live when I was in Metallica. James Hetfield. That’s it. Dave Mustaine did talk in between songs because his guitar wouldn’t stay in tune. Dave sang backup vocals on Killing Time. That’s it.”
Reflecting on Metallica’s evolution, McGovney shared his pride in Hetfield’s growth as a musician. In December 2022, responding to a video about Metallica’s upcoming album ’72 Seasons,’ the bassist expressed his admiration for Hetfield, noting his pride in having witnessed Hetfield’s development from playing in local bands to forming Metallica.
See Ron’s tweets below.
Equal. Both are great songwriters.
— Ron McGovney (@RonMcGovney) March 2, 2024
Lars. He saw the potential of the band that the rest of us were oblivious to.
— Ron McGovney (@RonMcGovney) March 2, 2024
