Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-84

Shockwaves/HardRadio podcast #56 featuring a very special Interview with Dave Mustaine from MEGADETH!!

2012-01-04T23:14:00.001-10:00

Bob Nalbandian hosts this great interview with Dave Mustaine on Shockwaves/HardRadio!

http://www.hardradio.com/shockwaves/podcasts/podcast56.m4a
www.hardradio.com

Thanks to Katherine Li Tsang-Orr of the British Broadcasting Corporation for sharing this photo taken at the Metallica Headquarters

2011-12-12T10:31:00.002-10:00

"Spotted Bill's book in Metallica HQ today. You might want to send him this as this is way cool and in the bands lounge area!"

Thanks to Trebuchet for this great interview and promotion for Metallica The Club Dayz and Megadeth Another Time, A Different Place

2011-11-28T08:46:00.013-10:00

Capturing the Moment – Bill Hale Interview

26th Nov 2011 in Culture, by Kailas Elmer

Photographer Bill Hale speaks to Trebuchet about 30 years snapping Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and...

For over 30 years Bill Hale has captured the hairs and prayers of a generation of rock and roll players. He was there and captured the beginnings of the Metallicas, the Megadeths, the Slayers as well as hundreds of other bands that rocked as hard.

After the success of his book Metallica: The Club Dayz 1982-1984 Hale is set to release a second compilation in march. Featuring the other side of the thrash coin Megadeth: Another Time, a Different Place captures Mustaine and co at their fiery best. Bill Hale’s unequalled access to musicians is really a gift to music fans everywhere, especially those who might have been too ‘elevated’ on a particularly historic evening. Talking to Bill you know you’re speaking to one of the warmest and most genuinely positive people on the planet and a photographer par excellence.

bill hale metallicaTrebuchet: What first inspired you to take photos?

Bill Hale: When I was nine or ten my dad gave me a stereo 3d camera, it was very funky, It used 35mm slide film and split the frame in half for the 3d effect. I only took a few rolls with it, mostly on family outings. The first trip was to an orchid farm in Santa Barbara, only two shots really came out but there was one of a palm tree at sunset that was like, WOW! You know that time of day when the sunlight just makes everything "Glow”

The next shot that kept me on the path was on another family trip to Las Vegas. We had made a side trip to the Hoover Dam and made a 3d photo of a warning sign. I don't remember what the sign said exactly but the sign was mounted a bit over the edge, this made for a great 3d shot!

bill haleWhen you were taking those first shots what did taking the photo mean to you?

Bill Hale: It was like "Cool, I took this" but I came to realize what a photo really was; a moment preserved in time, a memory frozen, something that you came to revisit on a cloudy day….

a photograph is not just an image, but what that image can evoke

One of the first concepts I got a hold of at a very young age was that a photograph is not just an image, but what that image can evoke: sadness, happiness, any emotion really. It's truly a great and powerful media!

How did you feel once you saw you’re first prints developed?

Bill Hale: Ha... First, it was like how much did this cost! You know being a kid, money was like, "Mom can I please have some change to get some candy" but when you are talking about 10, 15 or 20 bucks to buy film and then get the roll processed… You better start making sure that you get something on the roll!

I really had no ideal of "f stops" or "shutter speeds" I just matched the needles up and pointed the camera at what I thought was cool.

What was your connection to those early bay area bands (Metallica, Megadeth, DRI)?

Bill Hale: I had a few buddies in High School that always tried to drag me to concerts. Finally I gave in. That was April 1979 and the band was Triumph. It was the loudest thing ever!

I had checked out the school's camera and got two rolls of film, one colour negative and the other was Tri X.

April 1979 and the band was Triumph. It was the loudest thing ever

bill hale 2011The shots were horrible BUT the buzz was awesome! The next year (1980) my (same) buddies and I were talking about how lame the American Rock magazines were becoming. They had no clue about all the cool bands coming out of England at the time you know all that N.W.O.B.H.M. stuff that Sounds magazine covered. We loved all that; Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Saxon, Angel Witch, all that stuff.

So we decided to start our own mag. We called it Metal Rendezvous Int. (1981-89 and 100,000 issues worldwide).

we knew Lars before he formed Metallica

We went to a bunch of gigs, big bands and small bands around 82, a lot of bands my age were starting to play out. You know when you have a mag all the bands are your friends. I mean we knew Lars before he formed Metallica.

He would call the office and keep us posted on the band's going-ons and what not.

We heard the development of their first tune "Hit the Lights" as it was being worked out. All the new and up and coming bands looking for press called on us.

We were like one big gang, the bands, us and the fans. We were all living the Heavy Metal dream! There was a ton of bands in the Bay Area, I think we covered most of the good ones. The Megadeth connection came about when Dave got fired from Metallica. Dave and I were good friends and I had more in common with Mustaine than Lars. I went on to photograph Megadeth up until ‘87ish!

bill hale mustaine Did you realize that you were capturing history with those early shots or was it that you shot as many bands as possible and couple of them got big?

Bill Hale: Yes, not to sound egocentric, but I was a big fan of rock mags and Rock & Roll photography in general. Knowing Jim Marshall's work or Baron Wolman, Henry Diltz and all the great 60's and 70's British photographers (Ethan Russell, Mick Rock, Fin Costello…) and knowing the impact that they and their work had done for their era… This was my generation's time and I felt that I had to do my part and try to make the best images possible! Also being on staff of an up and coming mag didn't hurt.

How did the books come about? Why now – was it from the interest piqued by the exhibitions?

Bill Hale: Everybody I knew from way back in the late 80's would always hound me to do a book. When I left MRV in 1990, I moved to LA to get away from it all. Took some time off and tried to make sense of the last ten years and organize all my photos. That took a few years and I spent a lot of time in my darkroom! Around 1998 computers started to catch up with me and I bought a scanner and scanned and scanned and I'm still scanning. However, I did come up with a retrospective called "PowerSurge". Nobody in the publishing world got it.

Like how could Tom Petty and Slayer be in the same book or Neil Young and Celtic Frost. So I put "PowerSurge" on the back burner and around 2008, Tari received a response to a query in an email from an literary agent asking if we had placed "PowerSurge" yet.

She had a publisher that she thought would be ideal, so that's how ECW Press got involved. Mr Jack David asked if I could cut "PowerSurge" down in half and I did. Then Jack asked if I could produce an all Metallica photo book and I did. So really a lot of the Metallica book credit goes to Jack David over at ECW.

Jack, I don't think is a Metallica fan, and I know for sure that he could not have seen Metallica's "rebirth" as it was! I do know that Jack does have great timing and a great gut feeling as ECW does have some cool titles! Jack is also the one who got the Megadeth book rolling but they passed on it… Shawna, my agent, took this book straight to MTV and they loved it.

The gallery showing at Proud came as a result of the Metallica book and that was my first gallery exhibition! Luisa and the good people at Proud took a chance with my Metallica photos and cheers for that and we even sold a few prints! …and yes, it's very cool to have your hard work listed among some of the greats.

bill hale metallicaSince those early days you’ve taken pictures of many subjects, can you give us a quick run through of what you’ve taken pictures of at various time of your life till now?

Bill Hale: As a boy it was whatever caught my fancy. My teenage years I was a Boy Scout, so trips to camp, Arizona, New Mexico, NYC.

I really got serious in High School… That is also the time when the R&R bug bit me. Spent ten years as the Chief photographer of MRV! The 90s I really got into diversity. Lots of travel shots and I got to explore landscapes again, late 90's I tried my hand at product shots. I produced images for catalogs and such, but I always had a band to shoot.

Most of the 2000's was spent working with Henry Kapono! Henry is a Hawaiian Rock and Roll Legend. I shot a few cd covers and a ton of stuff for his web site and all that social media stuff.

bill hale 2011The last few years I have been keen on Sunsets! Waikiki Beach has some of the best Sunsets in the Late Fall and Winter months. With technology raising the bar on computers and cameras, I can really let my imagination go. I don't see in a single frame anymore when it comes to my land or seascapes. I'm putting out prints that are 19, 20, 25 inches long and consist of 3 to 9 images all complied in photoshop! I like making the large images that are "noise" free! Noise is the film grain of digital photography and is prevalent when a frame is blown up way too big.

What have you learnt about photography from each subject?

bill hale 2011Bill Hale: Aside from a ton of technical stuff… I always have mantras. In the 80's I had three:

“Don't take NO for an answer!"

"I belong here…"

and the most importantly

"If there is a will, there is a way"

Really, starting out as a teenage rock photographer wasn't easy. When you deal with bands your age… ok… but when you come in contact with some salty old road manager, you need all the help that you can get!

when you come in contact with some salty old road manager, you need all the help that you can get

Now it's more like be open, you can plan and set up shots etc., but until you are there clicking away… be open to other possibilities. I'm always pushing my vision, trying to get that much more out of an image. Be open to what the subject has to say and what is calling past the view finder. Really just being open with your eyes, ears and mind… Who knows, you just may get the masterpiece that you were aiming for!

Your recent shots of coastal landscapes are quite calm, as someone known for shooting rock bands what drew you to this subject?

Bill Hale: WOW, thanks Kailas. I really started off looking towards landscapes but the Rock & Roll bug bit me hard. Lately, I have been doing a lot of morning walks and I have a few cool beaches within walking distance so when life gives you beaches….

What are trying to capture in your photography?

Bill Hale: Just what ROCKS to me. Whatever I capture, I want that feeling of WOW! If I don't feel it, I will not show it. I don't photograph for anyone else but me (unless of course, I'm commissioned to).

What is the Bill Hale element in your photography?

Bill Hale: Great question! I want the viewer to feel like they are right there, either up front at a concert or walking on that beach…. If you are going to take the time to view my photos then I really need to put forth the best images possible, right? But the shot has to rock me first.

Do you ever try and play with the composition of your shots?

Bill Hale: Yes, all the time! All the greats that came before me like Edward Weston and Ansel Adams did.

You really want to do all you can for the image at the time of clicking the shutter, as in framing or cropping and exposure. But in "post" editing that is where I can add tone, density and such.

Ansel Adams put a ton of work into each print… dodging, burning and spotting out dust spots

Most people tend not to know, but Ansel Adams put a ton of work into each print… dodging, burning and spotting out dust spots, so I don't understand when some people frown on using photoshop.

For you what is the difference between live band shots and landscapes, and what is the same?

Yes, they are about the same; when you shoot a gig you have to find parking, check in and hope all your passes are in order, gather the band and find a space that looks cool for a group shot, check out the photo pit etc. Then depending on how well you know the band check out spots on the stage to shoot from.

For the Landscapes; finding locations that are less travelled. Getting to your destination a wee bit early, that's if you are doing a shot of a sunrise or sunset and you need to take in account for the time of year, when and where the sun will rise and set.

The Waikiki sunsets are phenomenal as the sun sets right over my favourite spot!

bill hale 2011Is there an area of photography that you’re drawn to at the moment but haven’t investigated till now?

Bill Hale: Yes, want to explore working with models. I told myself when I turn 50 that I could start shooting models. With "Rock Stars" they know and have their own look, right! But to draw this out of a model seems a lot more difficult. So that's what I'm leaning toward next. Anyone can put a model in front of a camera and say "Smile" but to take that and make it visually appealing that's where the magic lies!

Thinking back on your past work, what is it like to revisit those shots taken by a young photographer of young bands?

Bill Hale: Ha! Its twofold. First is how and where did we get the nerve to think that we could pull off this rock and roll thing? We, the bands, the fans and the writers, were all in the same gang so to speak. Especially in the early days, it was not like we are the band and you are the fans. We were all living the heavy metal dream! We were all on the same side. Secondly, it was so organic or pure really we/everyone has no precursors… We just went out and rocked and ROCKED AS LOUD AS WE COULD!

We, the bands, the fans and the writers, were all in the same gang

Have those bands kept in touch with you over the years? Or have you reconnected again recently?

Bill Hale: Oh yeah, with all the social media sites. I'm in contact with a ton of old pals and a few of my heroes in the photography world as well. It's very cool to get to interact with these legends because I'm still a big fan/student of photography and Photographers! (Hey Baron, What's up?)

There seems to be a huge energy captured in those shots, what do you think made those times particularly special?

Bill Hale: We knew no boundaries! We wanted not just to make a name for ourselves but also make a big dent in Rock and Roll… to use a surfing term… It was Our Wave!

Who is Bill Hale outside of photography?

Bill Hale: I'm very much a family man. Have an amazing wife who puts up with me and four children that I lovingly refer to in my postings as "da Kidz”. In producing all my photo books, I can work from home. Tari and I had an ideal that one of us would always be with da Kidz. I still keep up with the music scene. I Love music. With the web nowadays I can find new bands and keep up with old ones, even living on an island. That's so cool to just sit down and see what is going on in the music world.

What does the future hold for you? Next projects, projects outside photography?

Bill Hale: Next photo book is on my photographs of Megadeth and that will drops March 2012 via MTV Press.

I'm knee deep into book #3 tentatively it's a Thrash Metal book but it could be a LA Metal/LA Glam book…

Hopefully get a bit of traveling in also.

Many thanks for the interview.

Bill Hale: Mahalo nui. Thank you very much… this was a very cool interview!

All Photos by Bill Hale.

Thanks To Curt King and Demolish Fanzine for this promotion!!

2011-10-24T08:39:00.002-10:00

We'd like to thank Curt King for his support and this promotion of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 and Megadeth Another Time, A Different Place!!

It's Official! Contract For Book #2 Signed with MTV Press!!

2011-10-21T08:58:00.005-10:00

It's official! The contract with MTV Press has been signed for Megadeth Another Time, A Different Place!! Now when you go to amazon you can actually see the cover : ) Visit our facebook group or other blog for a complete list of where you can pre-order your copies!!

Facebook group

Megadeth Another Time, A Different Place blog

Myspace

Thanks to Classic Rock Magazine for using our photo from Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-84 in issue 160!

2011-09-18T01:07:00.004-10:00

Thanks to Rock Hard Magazine in Germany for including our pics from Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-84 and promoting the book!!

2011-09-18T00:52:00.006-10:00

Thanks to Classic Rock Germany for including our photos from Metallica the Club Dayz 1982-1984 in their article and for promoting the book!

2011-09-18T00:44:00.007-10:00

Thanks to atmospheric magazine for sending us a copy and for the interview with Bill Hale on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984!

2011-09-18T00:23:00.008-10:00

Bill Hale's 2010-2011 scenic Hawaiian photography portfolio is now available for viewing and ordering prints!

2011-09-17T07:47:00.005-10:00

Portfolio 2010 - 2011

_________________________________________

I am very pleased to announce the unveiling of my 2010 - 2011 photography portfolio.
This collection of photographs represents the most inspired and complex body of my work to date. I started shooting for this portfolio back in October 2010. The Fall and Winter sunsets are over Waikiki Beach, mostly on Sunday afternoons and early evenings from Dukes Waikiki, while Legendary Hawaiian super star Henry Kapono performs his weekly gigs there…

Most of the images contain 3 or more photos in a panoramic composite and are lager that the traditional 8X10 format.
For the first time I'm offering print sizes of "12 X 12", "16 X 10" and "18 X12"!
All photos are printed on Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper by myself to insure the highest quality.

The 12 X 12 series consist of 6 prints. All taken in or around the East Oahu coast line. All are multi-layered images compiled in photoshop for a seamless/timeless photocomposition. Why 12 X 12, you may ask? I wanted to reprise the days when I was shooting 120 roll film. I miss the square images that the 2 1/4 negatives would produce.

The ten photographs that make up the 16 X 10 prints are my collection of stunning Waikiki Sunsets and beautiful seascapes from the area surrounding the stretch of beaches from Diamond Head to Kahala/Waialae beach!

The paragon of this collection is my Panoramic photographs…
These are some of my favorite images that I have ever created!
Pulling from my early photographic influences such as Ansel Adams, Edward Weston and Henry Gilpin (Mr. Gilpin was on of my photography instructors when I attended Monterey Peninsula College in Monterey, California). I have infused the classic styles of these master photographers with the technology of today. Where I can envision images, capture them, and in photoshop, compile, size and tone what my mind's eye saw…These extraordinary and remarkable images will be a great addition to any collection.

I also have included in this years portfolio 20 8X10 photographs. These photos represent what I see day to day here in Hawaii. Ranging from stellar sunsets to marvelous ocean coast lines that make up this part of the Island...

All images are to have a print run of 10 numbered additions (1 -10) for public acquisition and 4 letter additions (A - D) for private use.
These photographic images are limited to this collection and will not be made available in this form/style/paper/printer/configuration again…
All photos are signed and numbered by the artist/photographer and come with a corresponding Certificate of Authenticity.

To purchase prints or for more information please contact Tari at photosbybillhale@gmail.com

Peace and Much Aloha
Bill
Sept. 2011

media web links:

Blogspot:
http://photosbybillhale.blogspot.com/
Metallica photos
http://metallicatheclubdayz1982-84.blogspot.com/
Megadeth photos
http://megadethanothertimeadifferentplace.blogspot.com/
Twitter - @PhotoByBillHale
flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/photosbybillhale/
Facebook groups:
My Metallica book...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/124692970945718/
My Megadeth book…
https://www.facebook.com/groups/204336022942441/
Tumblr:
http://photosbybilhale.tumblr.com/

Thanks to Kory Grow and Revolvermag.com for including Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 in this article!

2011-08-15T09:59:00.003-10:00

Thanks to Kory Grow and Revolvermag.com for including photos from Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 in this article "The Story of the Big Four: Metallica and Slayer, in the Beginning…" and for promoting the book!!

Thanks atmospheric magazine for this great interview with Bill Hale about Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984!

2011-08-11T08:58:00.002-10:00

Thanks atmospheric magazine for this great interview with Bill Hale about Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984!

Thanks to atmospheric magazine for this cool review of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984!

2011-08-11T08:55:00.002-10:00

Thanks to atmospheric magazine for this cool review of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984!

Thanks to musicomania for this review of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984!

2011-07-25T10:26:00.003-10:00

Metallica - The Club Dayz 1982-1984

Metallica - The Club Dayz 1982-1984 (2009) (by Bill Hale)

In the early 1980s, a metal band from Los Angeles moved to San Francisco to join its new bass player. This band was the now famous Metallica and the bassist was the legendary Cliff Burton who was going to die a few years later in an accident. At that time, the quartet was completed by Lars Ulrich on drums, James Hetfield on guitar and Dave Mustaine on guitar. Mustaine would be fired some time later to be replaced by another virtuoso, Kirk Hammett. Mustaine would then form his own band, Megadeth, which would still remain the great rival of Metallica on the Californian thrash metal scene. This book features photos of the band’s debut which quickly became the headliner at the San Francisco clubs. The photographs are offered to us by Bill Hale who was part of the entourage of the band at that time. The comments associated with each photo are very interesting and allow us to immediately grasp the evolution of Metallica over the years. In addition, the introduction of twenty pages even better describes the group at that time and we understand the essence of the band and the environment in which it evolved. Given today's the status Metallica reached in the world of music, it's really interesting to see the environment in which it all began. (February 2011)

112 pages, softcover

ECW

Thanks to Polish fanzine!

2011-07-23T10:03:00.002-10:00

Thanks to this Polish fanzine for promoting both Megadeth: Another Time, A Different Place and Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 on their site!!

Thanks to Atmospheric Magazine in Poland for this interview in issue #17!!

2011-07-15T09:21:00.003-10:00

Before we will talk about METALLICA and your book „METALLICA: Club The Dayz, 1982-1984 ”, first I want talk a bit about your person, professional work, curious facts. In the beginning tell, how has been begun your adventure with rock and metal heavy? First fascination, sort of music, favorite band, album, concert...?
Yeah… where to start… I have always loved to photograph, always dug music and always stared at magazines =) So when I was old enough to put all three together… I was a very happy person! The Rock scene of the 1980's gave me the means to do what I loved at the time… ROCK OUT, HELP PROMO BANDS and TAKE A BUNCH OF PHOTOS!!!

And tell about start of your photographing of stars of music? I think, that you started work in „Metal Rendezvous Int.” so fast, am I right? And in this magazine you take a photos professionally, by long years?
To put it in a surfing term… It was Our wave and when the "Big One" comes ya got to ride for all it's worth!!! MRV was at the right time BUT we knew that and wanted to put out the best mag EVER… The timing was right and we had a blast!!!

In this time, when you work in this popular magazine, market of musical press crawled in USA... What do you remember from that those times? It was not internet, informations of music and bands we was dried from radio and magazines like „Metal Rendezvous Int.”. Probably this magazine was very popular and mass reading, respected magazine in USA, hm?
Yeah, it is a real important question! Metal Rendezvous Int. was formed from the need to have a magazine to promote Heavy Metal in the USA… I believe Ron Quintana had Metal Mania a few months before MRV popped out… Brian Slagel had his"The New Heavy Metal Review" before he started Metal Blade, that lasted for 12 issues… But MRV was the HR/HM mag… We really wanted to push all the bands that we loved!!! Yes, before the internet the print word RULED...

Later you worked with other big magazines - „Kerrang!” or „Metal Mania”. Tell about specificity of cooperation with these titles? There were many common features definitely, so can you mention about significant differences?
MRV (Metal Rendezvous Int.) was my main gig… I would see Ron Quintana at gigs and he would ask for pix.. The stuff I did for the other mags was really to help promote the bands I felt were cool and needed a push!!! I really kept my work for my mag...

I`m curious, in your career, you has taken a photos only on concerts and backstage, or also in studio during recording, or in completely private situations (for example on some party), or you took other „affectation” photos for front cover of albums, for press?
Yeah I did the whole lot… album covers, Promo shots… BUT shooting bands, that's what I thought was cool!!! If ya dig deep you will find my work apart from my work with (MRV) Metal Rendezvous Int.

You photographed many known bands, not only METALLICA - BLACK SABBATH, DEEP PURPLE, QUEEN, AC/DC, WHITESNAKE, DORO, ACCEPT, MOTORHEAD, IRON MAIDEN. Work was with which one was for you the biggest honor, challenge, fun?
Being on stage with Whitesnake at a huge out door show in front of 75,000 screaming fans was a real trip!!! I did a photo session with Doro in LA on top of her recording company building that was COOL and so was Doro… she's great!!! Sabbath with Ian Gillan!!! Bon Scott and seeing Phil Lynott in Thin Lizzy TWICE was amazing!!! It was just great to be able to photograph this time!!!

Or maybe work with some band / person was really hard for you? And you didn`t remember this well? You know, some stars are very strange, eccentric, freakish:- ).
Metal Rendezvous Int. was a very cool mag. Almost every band wanted to be in it… So all the bands were great to work with! It was fun to be on staff with that mag!!!

I think, that you are a friend of this all musicians. With who you had the bast personal contact? About who can you say: great guy, pal, not star of rock? You know, I wonder for example... If Freddie Mercury was such too eccentric beyond the stage? If Alice Cooper is the same crazy guy like in stage show? If Ozzy Osbourne in private life is possessed by devil included:-)? And if some other guy from metal bands is churl and aggressor?
Well, Paul Baloff was the craziest "MOFO" ever!!! No one could match him in the "Over The Top" department!!! I still talk to Dave Mustaine, mainly via email.
Alice Cooper was to cool and very intelligent. David Prichard of ARMORED SAINT was one of my best friends… A very sad day when he died… But, as a whole, all the bands back then were very cool!!! Katon from Hirax… he's like my brother!!! Myspace and Facebook has brought many of the 80's rockers back in touch with me… that's cool to get an email from Graham of Saxon or Pat from the Mama's Boys!!!

METALLICA: The Club Dayz, 1982-1984” was out in 2009. Why exactly now, but not e.g. on some jubilee of the band, or anniversary of your work? Why did you published this old, rare photos after so many years?
Actually the timing was perfect! But I did not intend it that way… ECW Press (publisher of this book) had asked my to produce a book of my Metallica photographs. We started in 2008 and worked for an April 2009 release date. I did not know that Metallica was going to be inducted to the Rock and Roll hall of Fame… or the their latest album would be so good… The Metal Godz just smiled on this project…

If all this photos lies on your private archive and even the band dozen`t has them? Do you have also something else? Other unpublished materials about METALLICA?
Just a few… I will use them in a upcoming Bay Area Thrash book…

Probably emotion squeezed your faces, when you choose this photo, hm? E.g. this from 8.12.1986 with Cliff... Memory came back to you, I think, because you participated in births of legends, so? Do you have some favorite photo(s)?
Yeah, that pic that you are talking about of Cliff and Dave Mustaine… Really, I am the only photographer to get Cliff and Dave together by themselves… twice!!! My face is the one I took right after the last show at the Stone before Dave got "Fired".. Cliff, Dave and I were just walking about, when that photo bug hit, and I snapped two shots off!!! I will not tell you who the girl is in those pix but those in the know, know who she is… I have a lot of face shots… way to many to talk about… That's why I'm putting them in the book form, to share them with the rest of the Metal World…

What it was happen in whole, that you was on this first 6 concert of METALLICA and took a photos? Are you a hobbyist photographer, as somebody from newspaper or in other else way?
I was on assignment from my mag Metal Rendezvous Int.. We knew Lars way before he started Metallica… He would call the office and talk about his new band, when they wrote "Hit The Lights" they (Metallica) played it over the phone for Us. Finally when it came time for the band to gig in San Francisco, We were there. Metallica had that Metal "Spark" and the Bay Area insiders all knew that!!! It was way cool to watch the band grow over the next few months to the Monster band that Metallica became!!!

On this old photos we can see young boys, not older then fans. How they were then? Privately, beyond stage? Timid, with inferiority complex? Or they were proud and determined for success? How got back you then?
HA!!! Lars knew that he wanted to be a ROCK STAR… and just went out and did it!!! James was the shy one, Ron was the normal one, and Mustaine was the Metal one. In fact, Dave put the "Metal" in Metallica!!!

Bill, tell some anecdote about early period of activity related with METALLICA. Probalby you was witness of countless exciting situations with the band, musicians. So tell polish fans something, that anybody knows about that and what aren`t in biographies of the band, hm?
YEAH, BUT then I would have to kill ya, ha… The guys in Metallica were the real thing… What you see was what you got. They lived for Metal. The guys were the same off stage as they were on stage… No posing, just METAL!!!

Probably in the last years you meet face to face guys from METALLICA, in more or less official situations, so? How looked these meetings? You sat down, drank and with smile on mouths reminisced the past?
Saw the band a lot in the 80's… James and Lars a few times in the 90's.. saw Kirk the most… Hammett lives here on Oahu but I have not seen him, we have some mutual friends... It's funny that I last saw the band, all in one place, at a UFO gig in 1996, just before "Load" came out and all the "Glam" hair stuff...

I`m sure that you have your favorite album of METALLICA, write the title... I guess that the biggest sentiment do you have to oldest albums and really thrash period of activity, am I right? Did you follow far the next albums and successes of the band? What do you think about all changes in METALLICA music? Do you accept, tolerate it stylistic changes? Because many old fans completely don`t follow now with the band...
Well my fave is "Master of Puppets". That album is the best album of that time period… "Ride" is great BUT "Masters" just rules!!! A band has to grow and they can really only write songs about the "Head Space" that they are in at the time… Metallica has had a great career! Some fans might not like some albums BUT that's life and the band has to to what they feel is best at the time!!! So cheers to Metallica for lasting this long and STILL KICKING A$$

The autobiography of Dave Mustaine „A Heavy Metal Memoir” was out on early june. With your photos too (22). How pleases it it this publication? What is your opinion?
It's cool, Mustaine's cool… I had photographed him from almost the beginning of his career so it's cool… Dave is one of the founders of his type of Heavy Music, Now he is a Metal God, so, that's cool too….

Do you have other in your publishing possessions other albums with photos? If so, you can advertise it now:-)
As of now, I am in negotiations for my 2nd Metal photo book… it's on Megadeth… I should have six, in total, from my 80's metal vaults…

Now, 30 years later you are on deserved pension surely...? Maybe sometime you still in contact with music world, cooperate with some musicians, take a photos on contacts?
Ha… I never though of that… "Heavy Metal Pension"… I still work with bands right now, I mainly work with Henry Kapono. He is a legendary Hawaiian Rock Star! His latest album is called "The Wild Hawaiian"… Image Jimi Hendrix growing up here in Hawaii, full blooded Hawaiian!!! Check him out http://www.myspace.com/henrykaponothewildhawaiian

What do you think about modern musical scene? Something seems me, that you still like old psychedelic rock bands, and newest bands like KULA SHAKER, hm? However, do you listen from time to time some new albums of young bands? What do you think, if now exists the bands with so charismatic leaders like in `70 years? Do you like someone from young generation of musicians?
I dig new bands like Glyder (Ireland), Muddpiggs (Houston) and The Starz (France) and of course Henry Kapono (Hawaiian Super star)… I'm still on the look out for new bands… but good metal bands that can compete with Megadeth or Metallica or even bands like Deep Purple or UFO are far and few... Ha KULA SHAKER… Crispian Mills (lead Singer) is the son of actress Hayley Mills and his aunt is Juliet Mills so he comes form British acting Royalty and the band was cool…. as well, dig the Australian band The Church amigos others ...

I have found information on your profile MySpace, that you live live on Island in the middle of the sea (Hawaii). Tell something more about this fabulous place. How this place affects on your mind, perception of world, relations with other people?
Hawaii is a real cool place! The people, it's culture, the weather and yes the beaches… To borrow a phrase… It's a "Place" with a capitol "P"... We do have a few metal bands one of the best is Corrupt Absolute (http://www.facebook.com/corruptabsolute)

Thanks for interview. All the best for you!
Cheers for the time… Here's my blog spot… http://metallicatheclubdayz1982-84.blogspot.com/ Keep it Heavy ~ Make it METAL

Atmospheric Magazine on myspace

Atmospheric Magazine on myspace

Thanks to Jason Houston for this interview promoting the Fade To Black exhibit at Proud Galleries!

2011-07-11T07:48:00.003-10:00

Download the free online magazine to read the article on p. 38-39.

Thanks to Rock Hard Magazine for including our photos in their special Metallica issue!

2011-07-02T10:48:00.001-10:00

Thanks to Trebuchet Magazine for this review of Fade To Black: Metallica by Bill Hale

2011-04-01T18:56:00.005-10:00

Fade to Black by Bill Hale 1982-84

14th Feb 2011 in Art, by Scott J.Ryan
Metallica have been the kings of hard rock for three decades and are still kicking ass and taking names the way they did as fresh faced metallers all those years ago.
It's a testament to their legacy that even now; people of all ages still loftily revere them with the credence they deserve having sold over 150 million albums world wide. They still fill stadiums to breaking point and severely test the neck strength of metal heads all over the world.

Bill Hale - Metallica
So off to Proud Camden I sauntered with the heady notion I was about to be transported back to a time when the only thing that mattered was to bang the head that did not bang. The gallery has a collection of photos taken by Bill Hale during 1982-84 when the band was in its infancy. He was fortunate enough to capture the band at the start of their musical odyssey and also witness and document changes in the band's line up.
The photographs on display show the band both on and off stage and exude a real sense of energy and excitement. James Hetfield roaring at his flying V amongst a swirl of smoke whilst his blonde, manic main flails around him captured in black and white makes you want to time travel back to The Stone in San Francisco, just to scream right back at him.

Bill Hale - Metallica
As a confirmed Metallica sycophant I was in my element. The pictures carry an almost ethereal vibe due to their youth and current image being so vastly different and the fact the line up has been changed so drastically; through choice and of course the tragedy of Cliff Burton's sudden death in 1986. Fresh faced with bullet belts, greasy hair and battered equipment are as far away from Metallica now as is possible. And to see Dave Mustaine and Lars Ulrich with huge smiles on their faces and beers in their hands is quite a poignant image.

One of Cliff Burton's very first pictures as an official member of Metallica brought up mixed feelings for me; on first sight I was amazed at how such a talented bass player and obviously cool guy couldn't see that the double denim look is wrong whatever decade you're in and sadness because he wasn't given enough time on this planet to really make his mark. Of course he is rightfully praised but just imagine if he was still around today.

Bill Hale - Metallica

So after a load of free cava and a trip round the gallery twice the question "do I want to buy one?" popped up and was drunkenly considered for all of two minutes. They are a little pricey for my tastes but if things were different for me fiscally I would have gladly handed my money over and bought as many as I could lug home on the overground. The enormous global brand that is Metallica has very humble roots and Bill Hale was lucky enough to capture them at their angst ridden and speediest best. Back then it was all about sweat, blood and beers. Today it's mostly about making sure Lars doesn't collapse from exhaustion during 'One' and this exhibit brings that home with a thumping beauty.

Proud Camden Gallery
03/02/2011 – 03/04/2011
Complete catalog available by request. All prints available for purchase online through 4/2013

Thank you to weheart for this review of Fade to Black: Metallica by Bill Hale

2011-04-01T17:43:00.016-10:00

Fade to Black: Metallica by Bill Hale

new exhibition celebrates raw energy of the fledgling superstars...

Music
Fade to Black: Metallica by Bill Hale

February 2nd, 2011

Back in the early 80s, before pyrotechnics, orchestras and 24 month world tours, Metallica were tearing apart the ‘bay scene’, punishing audiences in California with their super-fast, raw metal. Photographer Bill Hale was in the right place at the right time and, celebrating 30 years in the business for heavy metal’s biggest band, Camden’s Proud Galleries have been granted unique access to Hale’s archive of Metallica between 1982 and 1984. Opening tomorrow (3rd February), this is the latest in a long line of inspirational exhibitions shown at Europe’s most popular private photography gallery and we’ve got an exclusive look at just some of the blisteringly powerful images on display…

Fade to Black runs at Camden’s Proud Galleries from 3rd February until 3rd April, all photographs © Bill Hale
Fade to Black: Metallica by Bill Hale

Cliff Burton, a friend and Dave Mustaine, “I remember Cliff, Dave and I walking out of the Stone after the show. The Photo bug hit me and I asked the guys to pose for a photo. Little did any of Us know that Dave would be asked to leave the band in a couple of weeks and Cliff would be gone forever in a few short years!”
March 19th, 1983. The Stone, San Francisco
Fade to Black: Metallica by Bill Hale

Backstage at the Old Waldorf. “Ron, James, Lars and Dave, my last attempt at a group shot with McGovney still in Metallica. It was clear that Ron was too normal for the rest of the band. So, Dave spilled beer on Ron’s jeans…”
October 18th, 1982. The Old Waldorf, San Francisco
Fade to Black: Metallica by Bill Hale

“Looking back, it was fun to see the band progress. Not just as musicians but as people… With down time between the tour in support of Ride the Lightning and a couple of months before the band was to start recording for Master of Puppets, I found Lars hanging out after an Iron Maiden gig. Lars had gone from a major fan of the music to signing autographs himself!”
July 3rd, 1985. San Jose Civic, San Jose Ca.
Fade to Black: Metallica by Bill Hale

James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich & Dave Mustaine back stage. “In retrospect, this image can speak volumes… Was Dave already getting on Lars’ short list? Was the tension between the two coming to a head?? Or just young Bulls being young Bulls???
Later that night Dave got his “revenge” so to speak in a post gig photo session…”
March 19th, 1983. The Stone, San Francisco
Fade to Black: Metallica by Bill Hale

Cliff Burton and Dave Mustaine “Now playing bass for Metallica… I give you Mr. Cliff Burton. Hamming around backstage just before Cliff walked on stage and into Heavy Metal History!!!”
March 5th, 1983. The Stone, San Francisco
Fade to Black: Metallica by Bill Hale

James on stage
March 5th, 1983. The Stone, San Francisco

Thanks to Ju Tschamler for these pics of Bill Hale's Fade To Black exhibit at Proud Gallery in Camden!

2011-03-13T08:09:00.004-10:00

Thanks to Classic Rock Magazine!

2011-02-15T10:01:00.002-10:00

Thanks to Classic Rock Magazine for using our photographs for the "Metallica-the early years" article in this months issue (p.68-73) and for promoting our exhibit at Proud Galleries in Camden 2/3-4/3/11!

Fade To Black: Metallica an excerpt from The Guardian UK

2011-01-29T11:31:00.002-10:00

Fade To Black: Metallica

Bill Hale was hanging out with Metallica back in the day in the lead up to their debut Kill 'Em All. His photographs and recollections are exhibited in Fade To Black: Metallica at Proud Camden

Cliff Burton, Lars Ulrich, Dave Mustaine & James Hetfield back stage. I needed to get a "good" group shot. The 1st shot of this session was "typical" Metallica... Yelling and flipping off the camera!!! I asked the guys to keep it "cool" for just one shot... they did and here is the result... A smile Metallica! March 19th, 1983, The Stone, San Francisco

To view more pictures available at Proud Gallery go to the link in the title above and click on the icons below the main picture in the article by The Guardian UK

Metallica: The early days in pictures by The Guardian UK

2011-01-29T11:25:00.004-10:00

Metallica: The early days in pictures

It's the wilds of 1982 and Metallica are on the up, working towards their acclaimed debut Kill 'Em All. An exhibition of photographs by Bill Hale at Proud Camden in London looks back at that period

Ron McGovney, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and Dave Mustaine backstage at the Old Waldorf, San Francisco, 18 October 1982 – Bill says: 'My last attempt at a group shot with McGovney still in Metallica. It was clear that Ron was too normal for the rest of the band. No, Dave spilt beer on Ron's jeans ...'

To view more pictures available at Proud Gallery go to the link in the title above and click on the icons below the main picture in the article by The Guardian UK

Thanks to Louie Bones of Big Wheel Online Magazine for this review of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984!

2011-01-25T08:30:00.001-10:00

Metallica: Club Dayz 1982-1984 by Bill Hale

January 24, 2011

Metallica: Club Dayz 1982-1984 by Bill HaleLongtime rock concert photographer Bill Hale’s collection of sought after Metallica photos have finally seen the light of day in his new book; Metallica: Club Dayz 1982-1984. Bill’s involvement with the band stems back to their earliest incarnation, a time when the boys of Metallica were hardly old enough to buy beer, though would still proudly earn the nickname “AlcoholicA“. This rare and very intimate look into the world of Metallica captures the 4 horsemen live in small club settings, amateur promo shots, and candid photos taken backstage at concerts in the San Francisco bay area. Bill Hale’s ability to transform himself from front row concert photographer into fly on the wall makes for a most interesting look at one of Metals longest surviving bands.

The book opens with anecdotes from long time Metallica associates involved in the early 80’s thrash scene. Bill Hale explains his fascination with capturing the very explosive band that took the heavy metal world by storm overnight. In those days and in small clubs photo passes and safe photo pits were non existent, so if a photographer was interested in getting “the right shot” one would have to get very up close in personal with the very violent head banging crowd. The visual experience gained is a tremendous effort and prime example of a photographer suffering for ones art. Brief descriptions of each photo with locations and dates are provided giving a band timeline. The first photos of Cliff Burton as a member of Metallica are here along with Dave Mustaine’s first and last photos as a member of the band. Kirk Hammet even makes a few appearances here, first as a member of Exodus hanging backstage with Dave Mustaine (who Kirk would replace). These photos are as rare as they get in the Metallica world!

Many esteemed photographers like Ross Halfin and Anton Corbijn would shoot Metallica in their later years and capture them in all their success fame and glory, though what makes this book more interesting to the casual or hardcore Metallica fan is that what’s captured here is pure metal and nothing more and nothing less (112 pages to be exact!). There aren’t private planes, fame, ego maniac’s or sold out 75,000 seater stadiums here. What we get here in “Club Dayz” is a raw look at a band that had drive and determination to play music and work hard on the club scene night after night in front of a growing army of fans.

Being a fan of Metallica, I’m glad that Bill Hale was there at the right place at the right time with his camera shooting away. This happens to be the earliest account of photos to surface on this bands early period, the innocence captured here is complete opposite of what the majority of fans would later come to see, and because of that this book is a must have for the true Metallica fan.

Here is a source for the book:
Metallica: Club Dayz 1982-1984 from www.amazon.com

-Louie Bones-
Big Wheel Staff Reporter

Fade To Black: Metallica by Bill Hale

2011-01-18T09:16:00.003-10:00

Invitation to the private viewing of Fade To Black: Metallica by Bill Hale

PRESS RELEASE: PROUD CAMDEN PRESENTS Fade to Black: Metallica by Bill Hale Running: 3rd February - 3rd April, 2011

2011-01-04T07:52:00.007-10:00

Classic Rock Blog

VooDoo RocknRoll

Proud Gallery Presents Bill Hale's Metallica exhibit 2/2-4/3/2011

2011-01-02T13:43:00.002-10:00

We are pleased to announce that Bill Hale will be having his first gallery exhibition Feb. 2- April 3, 2011 at Proud Gallery in Camden featuring 30 prints from Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984, along with others that have never before been released. Happy New Year!!

Thanks to Mick Wall for including Bill Hale's photos in his latest release "Metallica: Enter Night: The Biography"

2010-11-12T09:59:00.002-10:00

Thanks to Mick Wall for including Bill Hale's photos in his latest release "Metallica: Enter Night: The Biography" Available now only in the UK!

Thanks to James Martin and Abdul Fazrul for their reviews of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 at amazon.com!

2010-11-12T07:10:00.002-10:00

Thanks to James Martin and Abdul Fazrul for these reviews of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 at amazon.com!!

5.0 out of 5 stars Metallica...Garage re-re-re-visited, November 12, 2010
By
Abdul Fazrul (Malaysia)

This review is from: Metallica: Club Dayz 1982-1984
This book is totally awesome. If you are a Metallica fan, you must buy it. The story is cool. But the pictures are freaking cool. Made me feel I was there.

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes you feel like you were there!!, October 14, 2010
By
James Martin (Los Angeles, CA USA)

This review is from: Metallica: Club Dayz 1982-1984
Miss the "good ol' days" or are you to young to have been there? Then this little book brings you the romance and glory of music for musics sake. You feel like a member of Metallica while looking at this book.

Thanks to Leslie David for this interview with Bill Hale on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984!!

2010-10-26T00:10:00.003-10:00

2010. október 22., péntek
Metallica: The Club Dayz: 1982-84 written by William Hale

This year you released a very cool book about Metallica titled Metallica: The Club Dayz 1982-84, what was the background of this book? At which point did you decide releasing this book?
I was shopping my 1st effort called PowerSurge and nobody understood or got the point of a photography book that had pix of Slayer backed with Tom Petty or Neil Young and L.A. Guns!!! My manager got an email from a Litary agent asking if we placed PowerSurge and if not she knew of a publishing company that would be interested… Well as it turned out they did not see PowerSurge as a money maker either… But they did ask to see if I could produce an all Metallica photo book.. I did and here it is Metallica: The Club Dayz… available at Amazon dot com or other fine online retailers!
How often did Metallica play in the Bay Area before the release of „Kill ’em all”?
In my photo book, Metallica: The Club Dayz... I photographed all but one show, and that was a benefit for Metal Mania. Six gigs... 3 with Ron McGovney... and two with Cliff and Dave Mustaine... One with Kirk, but they had the album done but not released...
As I as know, the reason of their relocation to Bay Area was, that they wanted to have Cliff Burton (Trauma) in the band, since he was the most headbanging bassplayer back then and was a very talented bassplayer as well, can you tell us more about it?
Hum... Cliff was good! but the most talented... I think Lars had asked Joey Vera first but Joey would not leave Armored Saint... Lars also asked John Bush to be the lead singer, also, but Bush would not leave Armored Saint, either… Cliff was a great friend.. I saw Trauma open for Saxon... Cliff was good but he came into his own in Metallica!!!
Is it true, that Cliff Burton initially declined the offer, by the end of the year (1982) he accepted on the condition the band move to San Francisco?
Yeah, Cliff did not want to move down south to LA...
Metallica's first live performance with Cliff Burton was at the nightclub The Stone in March 1983, and the first recording to feature Burton was the 1983 Megaforce demo, what do you recall of that period?
Yeppa... This is well documented in my book Metallica: The Club Dayz... I believe there is a demo called " The KUSF" demo... Only two song "Whiplash" and "No Remorse"... This was Mark Whitaker's school project. Yeah... The Whole Bay Area Metal scene was out at this gig... I got pix of Cliff backstage tuning up before the show... Dave and Cliff hanging out... James and Dave drinking… and a few super cool group shots!!! Metallica, at this time, was the most dangerous band on the planet!!! Better than Sabbath, Purple or Zeppelin!!!
Metallica’s line up became complete, when the band members decided to kick Dave Mustaine out of the band due to drug and alcohol abuse and violent behavior and Exodus guitarist Kirk Hammett flew in to replace Mustaine the same afternoon…
YEAH... NO!!! Dave was the most METAL of all of the Metallica guys... Dave wrote a ton of the riffs... Dave talked to the crowd, because James was too shy!!! Dave was the IN YOUR FACE guy!!!.. We all drank!!! To say Dave was more is a JOKE!!! With Cliff, the band was the best band on the planet... But when Cliff came on... Cliff and Dave were more musically equal then Lars... Lars saw the band becoming a democracy with 4 parts not just one...So Dave had to go... I was great friends with Kirk, but Kirk would be on Lars' side and not against him... Dave put the "METAL" in METALLICA!!!
All of the photos that are in the book were photographed by you during the years, aren’t they?
Yes, all the pix were taken by me during my years with MRV!
Could you tell us detailed about the book?
Yes, Metallica: The Club Dayz… is a collection of my photos of Metallica's 1st six official gigs in the Bay area. Three show with the original line up. James, Lars, Dave Mustaine and Ron Mcgovney. The two awesome gigs with Cliff Burton and Dave at the Stone!!! and Kirk's 1st show with Metallica in the Bay area… Plus I have include a ton of backstage and hanging out pix!!!
Does the book contain previously unreleased photos? From how many photos did you pick out those ones, that were published in the book?
Yes. many of the images are perviously unpublished and some have NEVR EVEN BEEN PRINTED!!! I have know ideal how many pix I shot but if I was to guess around two hundred or so…
Did it really represent Metallica’s early days? Were they a hungry, kick-ass band back in the day?
Yes, I think is does! The book really sets a tone and shows in photos how James came about being the lead singer we know and how the shift of power in the band with Mustaine and then with out him...
Do you still remember how and when did you meet them? Were they straight type of guys or…?
Yeppa, We were all young and hungry! Metallica weren't the "bad boys" just yet!!!
In your opinion, how much role did they have in changing the Bay Area scene and sound? Did they pump a fresh blood in the early ’80s Bay Area scene? Did they inspire a lot of Bay Area outfits to play faster and more brutal music?
Not really, You must remember that The Bay Area already had a great scene with many bands!!! Also keep in mind the Lars, Dave and James where there a short time before they got sign and before Dave left!!! What Metallica did do is to change the way the fans got in to the music… But Anthrax brought the MOSH PIT to the Bay Area, so there ya go..
Did their demos help a lot the band to increase their popularity in the scene?
Yes, the tape trading… Again remember Metallica was not the first to do this BUT Lars took full advantage of this! We (MRV) got demos all the time it just the Lars made a bigger noise than most...
What do you think about Metallica’s career? Did they follow their developement/career during the years? Are you still in touch with them by the way?
Like all bands that last this long, they have to progress even if the fans don't understand. You can only write songs that relate to you at the time or it's just fake trash, isn't! Metallica has done well for them selfs. They are one of the biggest bands ever aren't they! The band really have not strayed that far from… You can not be 21 for ever know can you! Have not talk to the band in a while, Kirk lives here in Honolulu, we have some of the same friends but I haven't seem him… But they all dig the book!!!
Bejegyezte: Leslie David dátum: 3:26 0 megjegyzés
Fanzine History - Metal Mania and Metal Rendezvous

Legendary photogapher William Hale talked about both fanzines.

So Bill, when and how did you get in touch with Metal music? What made this kind of sound so attractive for you?
Hum, great start Leslie.. I have always been into music, since birth… My Dad always had music on all the time. When I got older and could change the radio station, it was ROCK & ROLL!!! At age six I heard Jimi, Janis, The Doors, The Beatles, The Stones, The Who, Deep Purple's Hush was a biggie… As a teenager in the mid 70's it was Thin Lizzy, Deep Purple, UFO, Status Quo, Aerosmith, BTO, Slade, Sweet, of course, T.Rex, Kiss, Nazareth, a new band called AC/DC… A little bit later some punk slipped in.. The Pistols, The Clash, Nine nine nine,you know that sort… 78-79 brought Lovedrive by Scorpions and Overkill by Motorhead!!! Now these two albums changed EVERYTHING!!! Loverdrive gave all the European bands like Accept, Halloween, Gamma Ray something to shoot for as did Overkill and then Bomber gave the English bands… So naturally all the N.W.O.B.H.M. was to follow and boy did we all jump on that!!!
For how long have you been involved in metal?
That all depends what You call "Metal"… For me "Metal" was some Jimi, some Stepping Wolf, some Cream, some BOC, Purple, Budgie… There was a group in 1975 lead by ex Yardbirds singer Keith Ralph. The band was Armageddon and they where HEAVY!!! But in covering the scene… for the start of the "New Breed" that would be 1980 when MGS played the Oakland Civic center… All that were going to be a major player in the Bay Area scene was at that gig!!! That's the night I met Gary Holt, Paul Baloff, Mike Borden, Dave Starr, Mike Coons and so many others including Cliff Burton!!!
What were the first songs, records, shows etc. that had the biggest effect on you and you decided dedicating your life for the metal scene?
I really think that I was born into this! Just about everything I did leading up to me documenting the Bay Area Scene… As for prime moments… It starts with Hey Joe, the Jimi Hendrix version. I must have been six and heard it on an Am station called "KMBY" in Monterey's Cannery Row… Fast forward to 1979 and Judas Priest - Unleashed in theEast. Gillan - Mr. Universe, Riot - Narita, Electric Sun - Earthquake… 1980 and Budgie - Power Supply, Saxon - Wheels of Steel, the 1st Iron Maiden album!!! Motorhead - Bomber...and all that Neat Records stuff!!!
You were born and growing up in the Bay Area, do you still remember, how did the whole Bay Area metal scene start and develope step by step? How about the early footsteps of the Bay Area scene, with bands such as Metal Church, Anvil Chorus, Blind Illusion, Sinister Savage, Exodus etc.?
You really have to understand that the Bay Area has ALWAYS been a hot bed of bands… The 60's and the 70's bands paved the way for the 80's bands!!! All the clubs were already in place… The promoters like Bill Graham and Bobby Corona (the Stone) were already in place.. And the Bay Area fans were already there as were the older Rock writers, who gave the newer bands press…So it was a matter of time… All the "Metal" bands had a place to gig and fans.. so is was not like "BANG" one day all this stuff just appeared out of thin air...
When it comes to Bay Area metal, Ron Quintana and Ian Kallen are one of the founding fathers, how do you view it? Does it also mean, that they were big catalysators of what later was becoming the famous Bay Area scene?
Ron flew the "flag" but was not the leader… The scene has many "players" and all have there place… The club bookers had a ton of stuff to do with all this… If they don't book your band then… and the independent record store owners who took a chance on stocking the import vinyl which fueled the fire had a ton of stuff to do with the scene… Jeff Weller, the managers of Laaz Rockit, had a big impact… Jeff brought Metal Bands from LA to San Francisco… Mike Varney (Shrapnel Records) had a ton of influence… Metal Mania did not cover a lot of the Bay Area shows… Ron was partial to Motorhead, The Scorpions, Yngwie and Anvil Chorus..
Ron is the man, the myth, the legend, have supported the Bay area metal scene since 1981 when he founded a renegade radio show called Rampage Radio, he was the first Bay Area metal DJ to promote underground bands through his radio show on KUSF and as the editor of the Metal Mania fanzine, how did the whole Metal Mania and KUSF start exactly?
A couple of key points about KUSF… KUSF is the University of San Francisco radio station, it started in 1961… When Ron started there You could only get the signal if you were in a 5 to 10 block radius… It looks cool on paper… but a lot of "young college" people started to play "Metal"... Stred co hosted a radio program in Monterey and there was few others…
Was the whole metal scene in its infancy at this point?
Yeah, this could be said…
Do you agree with, that it wasn’t anything until Metallica’s relocation to the East Bay Area? I mean, did the scene start and get bigger after Metallica relocate to the Bay Area?
Ha, there will be a ton of bands after You for that Statement!!! The scene was why Metallica moved from LA… The Bay area was in full metal swing when Lars and James moved in!!! There were so many metal bands!! not just Thrash… please remember Metallica were "Speed Metal" until Xavier Russell coined the phrase "Thrash Metal"… Vicious Rumors, Steele, Griffin, Hexx, Winterhawk, Brocas Helm, Trauma, Overdrive, Laaz Rockit, Tyrant even Death Angel had started…
So, they seemed to be very influential for the whole scene, right?
Metallica only played five official gigs before they left for New York and three of those show where when they were still based in LA… In all truth.. Lemmy had a bigger impact on all of Us, even Metallica!!! But most of the bigger bands were already formed and gigging...
You became the photographer of Metal Mania, how and when did you join them? Did you also do interview, write reviews and stuff?
I was trying to get my mag off the ground and Ron would ask for pics… since MRV was not out yet I gave him some photos in hopes by doing that I would get interest for my mag...
Did the staff consist of Ron, Ian and you or were there other members too?
Yes Metal Mania was Ron and a gang of correspondents and pen pals… Lots of young writers had articles in MM… Bob Naldandian wrote the 1st Metallica piece, Bernard Doe, K.J. Doughton, Harald O, Brain Lew (Whiplash) and Tim Kort just to name a few…
Do you still remember, how did you get acquainted with each other? Did you have a common musical interest and taste?
Yeah Ron was just like John Strednansky (Chief Editor Metal Rendez-vous Int.) and I… We all were "Up" on the rock scene world wide!!! We hung out at all of the same clubs and dug all of the same bands, and yes we are the same age... I think that Ron and I are a month apart!!!
One of Ron’s more notable moment in metal history is when he asked a not-so-famous friend of his, Lars Ulrich, to help him pick a name for his new fanzine, Lars looked the list over, spied the name Metallica and told Ron to call the fanzine Metal Mania, is that correct?
Yeppa that's about how that story went… Funny, I do not know if Lars and Quintana knew about the book "Encyclopedia Metallica" which predates this event by a year or so…
Were you aware of, that by the mid-1960s, several fans active in science fiction and comics fandom recognized a shared interest in rock music, and the rock fanzines were born and Paul Williams and Greg Shaw were two such SF-fans turned rock zine editors?
Hum… no I did not???
Are Williams’ „Crawdaddy!” (1966) and Shaw’s two California-based zines, „Mojo Navigator” (full title, „Mojo-Navigator Rock and Roll News”) (1966) and „Who Put the Bomp?” (1970) among the most important early rock fanzines? Did you know these fanzines at all?
I never read these but was somewhat aware of them… We or at least I was really into Joel Selvin the music editor of the San Francisco Chronicle… He covered the Bay Area scene forever!!! But mainly we were into the British press.. Mick Wall, Malcolm Dome, Paul Suter and the MIGHTY Geoff Barton!!!
Did you know, that „Crawdaddy!” quickly moved from its fanzine roots to become one of the first rock music „prozines” with paid advertisers and newsstand distribution, while „Bomp” remained a fanzine, featuring many writers who would later become prominent music journalists, including Lester Bangs, Greil Marcus, Ken Barnes, Ed Ward, Dave Marsh, Mike Saunders and R. Meltzer?
No I did not… But this goes to show that You have to start somewhere!!!
Bomp was not alone; an August 1970 issue of Rolling Stone included an article about the explosion of rock fanzines: other rock fanzines of this period include „Flash” 1972, edited by Mark Shipper, „Eurock Magazine” (1973-1993) edited by Archie Patterson and Bam Balam, written and published by Brian Hogg in East Lothian, Scotland, beginning in 1974, and in the mid-1970s, Back Door Man and denim delinquent, so would you name it the start and the turning point of the underground scene?
For Stred and I, we started MRV because no US mainstream mag was keeping up with what the English press was doing!!! When we got MRV off the ground it was to cover all the bands that we were into and not what "Corporate America" was paying for… (Side note to history… Metal Rendez-vous was up to 100,000 issues… Metal Hammer, today is only 50,000 and Metal Mania never did those numbers…)
Metallica went on to become a household name and Metal Mania became a staple in the underground, introducing metal fans to unsigned bands across the country, as well as exposing them to a large dose of punk, hardcore, and New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, does it mean, that Metal Mania became the very first heavy metal fanzine in the States?
Well, Leslie, Brian Slagel had the 1st fanzine. It was called the New Heavy Metal Review and I think this was 1980… BUT it was really Sounds and Kerrang that made a bigger impact!!!
The early Bay Area bands (including Metallica too) were highly influenced by the NWOBHM, that started at the late ’70s/early ’80s, were you aware of the existence of that scene? From where did you get informations, news etc. about what’s going on in Europe?
YES!!! WE ALL LOVED THE N.W.O.B.H.M.!!! Sounds, and to a leaser extent, NME and Melody Maker brought it all to Us!!!Then of course Kerrang Topped them all!!!
You mentioned above, that a gang of correspondents and pen pals including Bernard Doe wrote for MM, is he the guy, who established Metal Forces later on?
Yeah, one and the same... lots of pen pals became major writers in their own right...
Was it easy for you guys to get the new Iron Maiden, Diamond Head, Judas Priest, Motörhead etc. records or tapes? Were all of you fans of that legendary NWOBHM movement?
Yes, Leslie, The NWOBHM was HUGE for Us... We all scoured all the record stores for all the latest imports... Ron even worked at The Record Vault at one point...
At this point in Germany started a big metal boom as well, with acts, such as Accept, Scorpions, Grave Digger, Stormwitch, Steeler etc., were you familiar with the bands too?
Yes. The Scorpions were the first... Stred was in to them way back in the mid 70's... But we were into the other 70's German bands like Lucifer's Friend, Night Sun, Epitaph, Guru Guru, Birth Control and Jane... Then came Accept. Warlock, Holy Moses and the others...
How do you view, that along with Tampa, Florida, New York and Los Angeles the Bay Area scene was widely attributed as a starting point of American thrash metal?
San Francisco had the club scene already and it was a very large one... That's why the Bay Area ruled... The Clubs were there and great clubs they were!!!
Do you agree with, that as different thrash metal scenes began to develop starting around the early/mid-80's each had their own distinct sound that differentiated the bands from other bands on the scene?
Yeah, it's a geo-political, sociological aspect of life... Bands need some thing to sing about... Guitar tones come from the street... If you live in a house with a basement... Bands seemed to be more complex... If a band lives in the inter city, they tend to be more raw and "punkish"... Anthrax, Overkill and Hades all have that NYC punk edge, as the early Metallica and Megadeth were more complex...
The scene’s earliest bands like Exodus, Metallica, perhaps best examplified the early straight up NWOBHM meets punk style of the scene and albums that very much highlighted this era of Bay Area thrash included Metallica’s „Kill Em All” and Exodus’s „Bonded By Blood”, right?
Well, they were not the 1st bands, per se… Bands like Steel, Laas Rockit and Vicious Rumors had it going on way before... Please remember that Metallica had all, but two, songs written in LA before they moved and Exodus' 1st album came out late in 85... The Bay area was pumping way before then...
Would you say, that Slayer’s „Show no mercy” had also a very important effect on the developing of the American thrash scene?
I would say Riot's "Fire Down Under"... First because it came out in 1981 and the controversy around the album... secondly everyone got it and played it to death... It may not be "THRASH" by definition, but very very influential.. Just play the title track!!! Slayer was big, but there were others...
In your opinion, were there any borders between the styles (black, thrash, death etc.) back in the day or was it a common underground scene? Would you say, that the rise of the extreme metal began with acts, such as Mantas/Death, Massacre, Possessed, Slaughter, Death Strike/Master etc.?
The whole thing was great, until it got to be a parody of it self...
Were you familiar with fanzines such as Decibel Of Death, Kick Ass Monthly, Violent Noize, Blackthorn etc.? Were there any fanzines there were a kind of examples for you how has a fanzine to do? I mean, which fanzines have had the biggest influence, effect on you? Which papers did you know or like back then?
I knew of a few,BUT it was Sounds, NME and the Melody Maker that did it for us... I think that the "Major Rock mags here did more for us in what they would not print... This made all of us work harder to cover "Our Music"... My mag Metal Rendezvous came out just after Ron's 1st issue..
Did you have enough material for each issues? Were there any materials that left out?
Yes, there were a ton of bands... and No, I do not recall the bands that we did not cover.. way too many years have gone by..
What were the criterias for choosing the bands to feature in Metal Mania?
Any band that rocked!!!
Were you concentrating on supporting the underground scene?
Yes... But you had to balance the coverage...
Did you often get demos and rehearsals from underground groups?
ALL THE TIME!!! and from all around the world...
Were you aware of the newer bands via flyers or…?
Yeah, bands would give ya flyers all of the time… and demo tapes and free tickets to their gigs...
How did you do the issues of the fanzines and how much did take to do each issues?
We'd get together and just start hashing out the layouts... I would size all my pix and Stred started to type away...
Did you do the issues with typewriter? What about the production of the fanzines as a whole?
We learned as we went along and made it up when we could...
What were the early issues like and how were the responses to them? How many copies did you print and was it hard to get rid of them?
The 1st issue was xeroxed at a print shop... I photocopied the next few at my Moms office and finally we were professionally off set printed!
Did you also try to get in touch with labels as well? Do you still remember what were the labels that you got in touch with?
Yeppa, out of all of the "fanzines" We got to be the Major Labels' favorite!!! We really did our best to be professional...
Did they start sending you promos? On what kind of format did you get the advance or promotional stuffs?
Yeppa, our mail box was stuffed full of promos...
How many copies of all these single issues were sold at all? How many copies are/were printed from each issue?
I think issue #1 was a run of 50... Our last few issues ran 100,000 copies world wide!!!
What do the issues cost back then? Did you also change, trade with other fanzine editors?
$1.50 for the 1st ones and $2.00 or $3.00 at the end... here is a link to a Facebook Gallery I have set up for some of the covers.
How did you distribute, spread the fanzines? Were you in connection with penbangers from all over the world?
Yeah, Pen pals and record shops...
What about the promotion of Metal Mania back then? How and how much promotion did you make for Metal Mania? I mean, did you sell it alone or was it available at shows, record stores etc.?
Not much promo going on… I think Ron really did not get into that "Sales Man" vibe. But at MRV we did a lot of cross promotions with Bands and record labels… Stred was king of all that!
Did you send from the paper to those bands, which were interviewed in the fanzine?
We tried to send all of the bands copies but fell short… So, sorry guys!
As for the ’80s, both the tape trading scene and running fanzines were very popular, they were at their peak those times, would say, that running fanzines was a chain reaction back then? I mean, the editors draw inspiration from each other or…?
Not really… Stred and I just wanted to put out the best metal mag ever!!! We had our own style but I saw a lot of copy cats out there… but none of them lasted long...
Was a competition between the fanzines editors or was a unity among them? With which fanzine editors were you in touch back then? Which fanzine was the best back in the day in your opinion?
Not really… At MRV we were way too bizzy and I could say the same of Ron… We were like the 1st…
Do you think that fanzines played, play and will play an important role in the Metal scene? How can mags/’zines support the career of bands?
Yeah back then before the internet… Print was king!!! Now I really have not seen the internet "Break" a band yet… But, it helps some bands along the way.
As fanzines were produced in ever greater volumes and developed into new areas of subject matter, a form of culture also developed around them, a "fanzine scene" is referred to by zine producers, do you agree with it?
I really don't know how to answer that one… I was way too busy to step back and look at what we did… I went to a gig, shot the band backstage, shot some live pix and then hang out after… then drive back to Monterey get some sleep and processes the film and make some test prints and head down to the office and layout meetings… Then get back to my darkroom and make master prints to send off to the printers… We never really looked at this as anything else but getting the Metal news out...
What do you think about, that a major problem that fanzines have is their seclusion and isolation away from the general public?
No, the major problem with most 'zines were that they were run by people that did not know what they were doing and did not know METAL… MRV lasted of ten years or so and was up to 100,000 issues!!!
Back to a little bit to Bay Area, the scene started changing in the mid ’80s, more and more thrash bands appeared, but Possessed would bring a turning point to the genre with 1985’s „Seven Churches” regarded as the first album to cross over from thrash metal to death metal for the largely "growling vocals" and subject matter dealing with horror and the occult, how do you explain this?
Don't know about that… You should ask Tom from Slayer that…. Slayer was 1st and all the rest were incomparable!
As I mentioned above, around the mid-80's the sound of the scene changed considerably; virtuosic musicianship (particularly lead guitars) had become a defining characteristic of the scene, correct?
Don't know about that either… Yngwie has always been Yngwie as well as Mustiane being Mustaine so I would say Metal always was about great playing...
The second wave of bands coming out of the scene, led by Testament, Death Angel, Forbidden, and Heathen, played a style of thrash considerably different from their predecessors; this new brand of thrash featured longer and more harmonically and rhythmically complex songs, with often neo-classical styled dual lead guitar playing highlighting the album…
Heathen had Doug from Anvil Chours, that band was all about dual guitars… The Bay area was really all about great playing… Vicious Rumors and Laaz Rockit were main stays…They set the "pace" as much as Exodus and Metallica…
Would you say, that the songs also borrowed more from NWOBHM vocals and melodies?
Any Diamond Head tunes… But Motorhead was and still is the band that set the bar for all to aim for… Cheers Lemmy!!!
A progressive rock influence became apparent for the first time in the genre and the punk influence that was once crucial to the genre was now almost completely absent and this sound, highlighted by albums like Testament’s „The Legacy” and Death Angel’s „The Ultra-Violence”, both released in 1987, was the style that many would associate with the classic Bay Area sound, what are your views on it?
If Cliff was still here he would have something to say about that… The 2nd Metallica album was all that, but the bay area had bands like Griffin and Dammaj that were playing that way long before those bands… Funny, how some bands stay and others fade…
This is often attributed to the fact that guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani lived in the Bay Area and often instructed a number of guitarists who would go on to play in some of these bands (some of these guitarists would include Exodus’s Rick Hunolt, Testament’s Alex Skolnick, and Metallica’s Kirk Hammett), do you agree with that statement? Did Such really a help a lot those guitarists becoming better and more professional?
WOW… Don't say that to Mike Varney… His U.S. Metal lp's did way more than Joe did!
So Bill, how long did you work for Metal Mania? How would you sum up the years that you sent by Metal Mania?
Not long… But, I always there for Ron when he needed some pix
What made you to join Metal Rendezvous? Did you part ways on a friendly term at the end? Did you remain in touch with Ron and Ian after you left Metal Mania?
MRV was started by John Strednansky and myself… Ron got MM out 1st but Stred and I took a little longer to find our design… I still talk to Ron, email mostly, due to the fact that I now live in Hawaii… We did a podcast last year and Ron wrote a cool bit for my Metallica photo book…
After twenty years on the air and through myriad fanzines, Ron continues to promote the local metal scene and introduce new music to his legions of fans. It means, he is still enthusiastic, metal is his passion and metal runs in his veins, right?
Ron has more of a wide taste now a days… But he still is Ron… God bless him for that!!!
To which extent were you familiar with Metal Rendezvous? Did they already exist at this point or was it a really new mag/’zine?
No, we started out as a fanzine and grew up… Stred and I saw a place for a great US Metal mag.. We were big with all the record labels so we needed to be more professional, but we still ROCKED!!!
They were based in California, correct?
Monterey, the same place that Jimi and The Who made there US debuts...
As for the musical taste of this paper, did they specialize in thrash metal or simply in metal in general?
We were Hard Rock and Heavy Metal BUT I NEVER LIKED LABELS… IT WAS REALLY ALL THE SAME...
What about the staff of MR? Did you become photographer like by Metal Mania?
Well, I was one of the founders. Stred wrote and I snapped away… Come to think about it John and I were the only writer & photog team out there...
How many issues were released from MR during the years? How would you describe each issues? How often was MR released?
We lasted 10 years and at 1st our output was not that great but after 87 we were like every 2 months...
Did it succeed for the mag in doing a name for themselves or influencing other ’zine writers? I mean, do you consider an influential and successful mag?
We wanted to write about the bands we liked! If other writers like it that was cool, but we really were there to push the music.. The funny thing was, that a lot of big mags did stories on MRV… From Rolling Stone, Kerrang and even High Times all wrote stories on MRV… So to answer that question yes, but I really did not care. We were there for the MUSIC!!!
When and why did stop MR its activities? Did you relocate to Honolulu Hawaii, after MR was off?
Stred and I put MRV to "sleep" in December 1989… I was living in LA and was just tired… Really, for the last ten years I photographed bands up and down California. If not the rest of the US… I WAS WIPED OUT… I was the one who had to go out and deal with bands… Hell, most of the writers just picked up the phone… I had to be there in the clubs…I slept for two years before I started to hang out again… I moved here, to Hawaii, almost ten years ago and I still work with bands… The main one is Henry Kapono. Henry put out a cd called "The Wild Hawaiian" just think if Jimi Hendrix grew up hawaiian and that's what you got!!!
Since you are in the scene since 1979, how much did change the music industry compared to the late ’70s/early ’80s? What do you think about the present metal scene as a whole? What are the bands that you prefer or often listen to these days?
The whole monster has changed!!! That's a good thing, record labels got greedy! Fat and Greedy… They charged far to much for cds when they cost less to make… I could go on but why… Now bands, if they smart and know how to take advantage of the "Steve Jobs" revolution can do it all them selves.. Really, bands should know the BIZ, all the ins and outs. Recording, legal, marketing and promotion… their are so many outlets to get your music out to the fans… Bands who do the leg work will be the next stars.. BUT remember it is a business and needs to be treated as such!!!
Are you for or against the file-sharing and mp3 things?
Let me put it this way… I always put a © on all my pix that I put up on the net… So if people want to use them you will see my copyright. I do not mind if someone reposts my work as I know others will see my name on them.. If someone takes the extra time to photoshop my name off.. they have way too much time on their hands...
What are your future plans?
To get out my next photo book.. Megadeth: Another Time - A Different Place... I'm in talks right now…
Please name your first ten all time classics! Please add your comments to them!
WOW!!! that's so hard to do but here it goes…
Scorpoins - Loverdrive
This album ushered in a big change in metal… recorded and released in 1979 great guitars, great production just listen to this over headphones and let the brothers Schenker make you a believer!!!

Motorhead - Ace of Spades
Lemmy and company where on a roll with Overkill and Bomber, this would be the crowning maters piece that would bring America to it's "Motor-Headbangers" to their feet and rise their "Iron Fist"!!!

UFO - Strangers in the night
I'm going with the live album because it contains all UFO's cool track up to than… Schenker or Paul Chapman.. who knows and who cares this just cooks up some great guitar licks!!!

Gillan - Mr. Universe
Yeah over Deep Purple!!! Ya'll need to go find this record!!! Ian really pulled this out from his heavy roots… The right place and the right time…
Mr. Universe just rules!!!

Deep Purple - Made in Japan
Purple is my favorite band!!! It's hard to pick out just one album for a group that has had some many line up changes… But Made in Japan is a great sound live effort that show cases Ritchie's Guitars and Ian's voices!!!
Highway star anyone????

Riot - Fire Down Under
This is America's first true Metal album!!! Mark Reale and the band went through hell to get this released as Capitol records said that this was too heavy… Capital's loss and Our gain!!!

Holocaust - The Nightcomers
Yeah over Maiden, Angel Witch and Saxon… This record really captures the feel of The New Wave of British Heavy Metal!! Yeah go out and find it and you will see what and talking about!!!

Metallica - Masters of Puppets
Cliff finest hour… RIP Buddy!!!

Megadeth - Killing is my business
One word "Rattlehead" =)

Y&T - Earthshaker
The Band Area's big brothers of hard Rock!!! When Dave and crew signed a new deal with A&M records their 1st record was Earthshaker and the Rock world was never the same… Almost every California based band opened for Y&T… Van Halen, Motely and yes even Metallica...

Bill, thanks a lot for the interview, any closing words for my readers?
And thank you for the time and cheers for help keeping the Metal flame burning!!! If You dig this type of music, go out and support it, Buy the cds, go to the gigs, find new bands the rule and help push them… Metal is a true fan driven music!!! It's up to all of us to help keep metal in the forefront.
Cheers and Aloha =)
Bejegyezte: Leslie David dátum: 2:54 0 megjegyzés

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Thanks to Vlad at Hard Rocker Magazine in Poland for this review of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984!

2010-09-15T10:50:00.004-10:00

Check Hard Rocker Magazine out on MySpace!!

Thanks to Phyllis Pollack of Rock Music Examiner for mentioning Bill Hale's photos in her review of Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir

2010-08-18T23:20:00.003-10:00

We'd like to thank Phyllis Pollack of the Rock Music Examiner for mentioning Bill Hale's Photographic contributions to Mustaine A Heavy Metal Memoir in her review!

Thanks to Dave for including 21 of Bill Hale's photos in Mustaine A Heavy Metal Memoir

2010-08-02T14:39:00.009-10:00

We got a copy of Mustaine A Heavy Metal Memoir today in the mail and are pleased to see they used 21 of Bill Hale's photos in this book. I'm looking forward to reading it and wanted to say thanks to Dave for including us in Mustaine A Heavy Metal Memoir!

Anybody who would like to own better quality versions of these pics (and many others) can order Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 from amazon or your favorite book store. Some of the photos in Mustaine A Heavy Metal Memoir will appear in our upcoming book Megadeth Another Time A Different Place.

Thanks to Tony and Tiffany of Metal Storm Magazine for this review of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2010-06-09T10:36:00.005-10:00

Metal Storm Magazine

Metal Storm magazine on MySpace

Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

Metallica

The Club Dayz

1982-1984

Photography by Bill Hale

Written inserts by: Bill Hale, John Strednansky, Ron Quintana and Scott Earl.

All I can say is if you are a true Metal-head you have to own this book! Pretty much everyone (whether they know it or not) has seen Bill Hale’s photographs, but not the majority of these. This book possesses some rarely and never before seen Metallica pics from the beginning. Let’s face it, no matter what regard you hold them in now, back in the early days they were the definition of thrash metal!

I know very few musicians who were not inspired by some Metallica member (be it a current or former one), and this collection has pictures of them all. Not just the posed, give me your metal face shots; but of the guys being themselves (you know…real). This is a tribute to any musician that ever played in the band, so if you favor Dave Mustaine, this is a must have. If Cliff Burton is a better match, you’ll find no more memorable photos than these.

For about twenty bucks, you get Metallica shots from their first show and two years coverage at the peak of the band’s true metal years. I think this is a necessary part of anyone’s metal history collection.

Added: June 6th 2010
Reviewer: Tiffany
Score:✰✰✰✰✰
Related Link: Photo Books Bill Hale
Hits: 11
Language: english

Thanks to Aniruddh "Andrew" Bansal and Metal Assault for this interview on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984!

2010-04-14T09:59:00.001-10:00

Check out this great interview on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 from Aniruddh "Andrew" Bansal and Metal Assault!!

Metal Assault

Thanks to this anonymous Yahoo shopper for the great review!

2010-03-24T21:42:00.003-10:00

Many thanks to this anonymous Yahoo shopper for taking the time to write this nice review!

Metallica: The Club Dayz 1982-1984
By Yahoo! Shopping User Jan 7, 2009
Pros: This book contains many never before seen pictures of Metallica when they were just beginning their career. It's the band's "baby book" and it will be cherished by every Metallica fan, old and new. R.I.P. Cliff Burton.
Cons: Not one comes to mind!
I have had the pleasure of viewing this book in it's digital form and I must say reading about the band, from friends of theirs, in the early days is a treasured experience. The story about Dave Mustaine's exit from the band from different insider's perspectives just may change the history of this band as we know it. Bill's last shot of Cliff Burton alive in this book brings tears to my eyes as I suspect it will to every fan. The photos in this book transcend time and bring the reader back to the early days of Heavy Metal in the 80's. For those of us who had the pleasure of being present it is a real treat. For those who came later, it will be an education into the early roots of a band they have come to love. ENJOY!!

Thanks to Curt King of Demolish Magazine for his interview with Bill Hale on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984!

2010-03-12T08:48:00.036-10:00

Thanks to Curt King of Demolish Magazine for this lengthy interview with Bill Hale about Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984!

http://demolishmag.wordpress.com/2010/03/11/killer-metallica-book-out-now-the-club-dayz-1982-1984/

Killer Metallica Book Out Now: The Club Dayz 1982-1984

Metallica: The Club Dayz
1982-1984
Photography by Bill Hale

by Kinger

So, have you ever wondered what it was like in the early days for METALLICA? And I don’t mean the “Black” album either folks, I am talking about the EARLY dayz! If so, then you are in for a real treat. Enter young photographer Bill Hale circa 1982, who was right there from the beginning, capturing the band before, during and after their performances. He was at every one of their early Bay Area shows, without the safety of a “modern-day” photo pit, getting crushed among the savage crowd (and lovin’ every minute of it) as they head-banged fearlessly to the music of their local heroes!

As chief photographer of Metal Rendezvous (a groundbreaking heavy rock magazine that was published throughout the ’80s), Bill Hale was given unlimited access to hang out with and photograph this then-fledgling Metal band. His job at the time was to capture the band onstage and offstage at several of their early performances, including shows with the original lineup with Dave Mustaine and Ron McGovney (bass). He even captured Metal history with shots of Cliff Burton’s first METALLICA gig! Also included are rare shots of Kirk Hammett’s METALLICA début and the bands last show with Dave Mustaine.

Ron Quintana, James & Dave 1983

This is a unique article for Demolish, as this book (and Metallica) certainly fits in with our popular “80’s Metal theme”, however, I also wanted to cover Bill’s history as a great rock photographer and to weave that in with his roots with Metal Rendezvous. Bill has been taking pictures of rock bands since his first concert back in 1979. He has taken photos of Deep Purple, Iron Maiden, Aerosmith, MSG, Whitesnake and Black Sabbath (just to name a few). Metal Rendezvous were one of the earliest Metal Fanzine/Magazines out and were causing some serious “metal” waves back in the day.

So sit back and relax as we bring you this special Triple Metal Threat all rolled into one kick ass, in-depth feature!

Part One: The Band

What was your first meeting with METALLICA like?

BILL HALE: “The first in person meeting with Metallica was the first time I photographed them live. This was Sep. 18th, 1982 at The Stone in San Francisco. They were very cool.”

1st printed pic!

What do you remember about your FIRST photo shoot for METALLICA?

BH: “The band was stoked to be giging outside of LA! As for the photo session, Metallica had the “F*CK’EM IF THEY CAN’T TAKE A JOKE attitude.”

Were the early audiences receptive to METALLICA?

BH: “The bands very first show at The Stone was cool, not too many people showed up. There was another gig that night, forgot who, but they had the draw. The next show at The Old Waldorf (10-18-82) was jam-packed and the crowd was all Metallica’s!”

Did you get to attend any or very many early band rehearsals?

BH: “Yes I did, a few for Ride The Lighting.”

I noticed a lot of black VENOM t-shirts being worn by band members…any comments?

BH: “I’m not too sure but I think James had just picked that Venom t-shirt up at the Record Vault earlier that day. I was not in to Venom, maybe James was.”

Where you surprised when they kicked out Dave Mustaine?

BH: “Yeppa!!! Big time.”

Can you offer any insight as to the inter workings of the band at the time?

BH: “Hmm, good question, Curt. Metallica was Lars’s band at first. James and Ron joined, followed by Mustaine. Dave was the “IN YOUR FACE” member of the group. Dave did most of the talking between songs as well as wrote a ton of riffs and songs! Ron was the “normal” member. Great guy! James was shy off stage but after a few beers was the budding lead singer that we all know and love. This line up was good, most of the early demos came from this line-up. Cliff Burton was the missing piece though -with Cliff in the group, Metallica became the most dangerous band in the world!”

Bill Hale pic in Kerrang

“Cliff Burton was the missing piece though -with Cliff in the group, Metallica became the most dangerous band in the world!” – Bill Hale

When you first heard their original songs, what came to mind and did you ever imagine they had what it would take to become one of the biggest Metal bands of all time?

BH: “I heard “Hit the Lights” as they were writing it! Lars would call the office (Metal Rendezvous Int. Hard Rock – Heavy Metal Magazine -ed)and say “listen to this song”… three + minutes of metal noise later, Lars would come back on the line and say something like: “What do You think?” But the first time live was just too cool. Metallica had the riffs of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (N.W.O.B.H.M.) with an American lead singer. This combo was the secret to their success. Where either US bands had a good singer but the UK bands had the great riffs. Metallica had both. Ya’ just knew that Metallica was going somewhere.”

St.Red and James @ Wolfgangs

How do you think your constant backstage presence affect the band?

BH: “If a Rock and Roll photographer is doing his job then the impact is only felt after wards when his photos are published. You need to be that “fly on the wall” and I only “posed” the band when it was time for a group shot. So, I had really no effect on the band back then.”

You seemed to have carte blanche access, was there anything that was considered “off-limits” back then?

BH: “That’s another good question! Metallica at this point trusted me and at that time we were all so quite innocent. Nothing really happened backstage.”

Those guys also seemed to really give you “hell” most of the time, what were the most challenging aspects trying to capture them during this early period?

BH: “It was all in good fun. That was Metallica just trying to act tough and look older. Please keep in mind that Lars was 18 or 19 back then! James and Dave might have been barely 21 as was I. We were all just trying to make a name for ourselves.”

Other than METALLICA, what was happening musically in the area at that time?

BH: “The whole of California -the Bay Area and LA was on FIRE! San Francisco had so many bands (both Metal and Glam) as did LA. Y&T ruled up and down the state. I do believe that almost every band from 1977 up until today has opened for Y&T. Van Halen, Motley Crue, Ratt, Laaz Rockit, Vicious Rumors and I think even Metallica opened for them. There was a ton of stuff going on.”

What’s the craziest thing that happened while backstage and or while shooting their live shows!?

BH: “The craziest incident was, funny enough, backstage at The Stone. Megadeth was opening for King Diamond. This was also that last time I had seen Cliff alive (on page 107 of my book). I was to shoot King Diamond and I had this room backstage where I would shoot group shots. I had the room blocked so no one but the band was in the room. I was talking to the band waiting for King Diamond to show up. My back was to the door, so I knew if anyone would enter. I blinked (really like that fast) and there was King Diamond… out of nowhere!!!”

Watch out for the KING!

Part Two: The Book

When did you decide to put the book together and how long did that take?

BH: “Hmm… I, at first, only wanted to put out one book of all my 80’s work. I called it “Power Surge”…
I wrapped up work on it in 2002 and started showing in 2003. I had asked my old buddy Bob Nalbandian (great metal journalist and pod-caster -ed) if he would manage the project and he hit up all the major and minor publishers. NO one could grasp the concept of having SLAYER photos backed with Tom Petty or Neil Young followed by E-Z-O! Power Surge had over 150 bands, well over 700 photos of Rock, Metal, Punk and Glam bands from this time. We put Power Surge on the back burner for a wee bit. In late 2007 (out of the blue) this agent emailed my management company and inquired if we had “placed” Power Surge and if she could work it for us. Early in 2008, Steph (my agent) came back with a publisher, but they wanted a “smaller” version of the book. Which I did some major edits and sent this off. A few days later Steph comes back and says they (the Publisher) wants to know if I would like to show them an all Metallica book! So I did and that was that. Funny thing is that I got an email from Kerrang looking for old Metallica pics. I told Steph and the very next day ECW had a contract for me to sign.”

Was it difficult selecting which pics would make it into the book?

BH: “No, it was not. This was all very natural. The hard part was that I was great pals with all the guys and I really wanted to be fair to the band members. Ron (McGovney -ed) got a lot of flack when the band replaced him and Dave got labeled as a drunk. Too be frank, Dave and Ron’s contribution to early Metallica is monstrous and the band would not be the band that they are now…”

Live photo of Metallica that is not in the book!

“Too be frank, Dave and Ron’s contribution to early Metallica is monstrous and the band would not be the band that they are now…” – Bill Hale

What are your favorite pictures in the book and why?

BH: “There are so many images in this book that are real cool! All the group shots are a blast. They just scream. But may favorites are on page 90 and 91 (they are of Cliff and Dave), the shots were taken just after Metallica played The Stone (3/19/83), which just happened to be the LAST gig with Mustaine in the Bay Area. The shots where taken a few doors down from The Stone. We were just walking and talking about the gig when the photo bug hit me and I snapped a few shots off.”

How did you go about picking the cover shot and why?

BH: “Metallica’s motto back then was “METAL UP YOUR ASS!!!” so I needed a shot that would show that “war cry”. I think that pic of James works well.”

The extra commentary in the book is great, how did that come about?

“There was so much mis-information around that time. First I wanted to set a tone for the book, to get the readers in a mind-set. Ron Quintana was/is an old friend. I did some work for his Metal Mania Fanzine. But most Metallica fans might know Ron because he came up with the name “Metallica” (yes there was a photo book out in England called The Encyclopedia Metallica but I doubt either of them had seen it). Next was getting my old partner in crime involved on this project. John Strednansky and I started MRV almost right out of High School. Lars had contacted “Stred” even before Lars had Metallica. Lars would call the MRV office and we would hear his band play their big song “Hit The Lights”. So Stred was a must and most Metallica fans would dig his insight with Metallica.” Bill states.

Rare pic with St.Red & Bill

“Finally I needed a musician’s angle. Scott Earl was the Bass player in Culprit. Culprit was a very cool band out of Seattle. They were recording their début album in San Francisco and were asked to play at the 3/18/83 Stone show. So Scott saw Cliff play! Later on, Metallica had called Scott to audition for Cliff’s spot in the band, so Scott had a great perspective on that whole musician’s thing! I really wanted to set a path for the readers to follow, these three guys were there and thankfully they shared their insights.” Bill added.

Do you have other photos of METALLICA leftover, or did you just pick the “cream of the crop” (if you will) and use those?

BH: “I kept two out. Due to the fact that they need to be published in a large format. They will both show up in my “Bay Area Thrash” book (hella’ cool, can’t wait -ed)!!”

Did METALLICA have any objections to the book or any of its contents?

BH: “Well no, due to US copyright laws, I did not have to get the band involved.”

Does it have worldwide distribution and where is it the most popular thus far?

BH: “Yes, the book is everywhere. Amazon Japan, UK, Germany, Canada and France all carry the book.

Your readers can Google the books ISBN #. ISBN-10: 1550228765 or Metallica The Club Dayz. It’s world-wide!”

I really like this one - Kinger

*Lars busy signing autographs (for fans not much younger than he is)!

Looking back, now that the book is out – what is your fondest memory?

BH: “Well this is just the first step in getting my 80’s rock vault published. I did all the main work myself -on my Macbook Pro! I picked out, scanned and “photoshopped” all the images. The main layouts are mine and the base text also. It was really a labor of love. It’s great to see the Steve Jobs “Apple/ Macintosh Revolution” work out.”

Are you happy with the way the book turned out and in retrospect, is there anything you would change about the book?

BH: “Yes I’m very happy! The good people over at ECW Press are just great to work with. Cheers to Jack and his staff.”

What impact do you think the book will have and or what are your hopes?

BH: “This is really for the Metallica fans, old and new (as well as Rock and Roll fans in general). For the headbangers who were there, it’s like now they can look back and say… “Hey I was there and I remember that show!” The newer Metallica fan can get a good glance at what it was like when the band first drove the 400 + miles to San Francisco and unto their destiny. Because, really, Metallica came into their own in the Bay Area and my book covers all the great gigs of that time!”

Part Three:
While At METAL RENDEZVOUS Mag.

James Thrashin' Live!

What do you remember the most about your FIRST photo shoot for MR?

BH: “I was still in High School and I went to shoot Triumph. Nothing came out BUT, it was such a rush. Next gig was July 4th 1979 at Oakland Coliseum. On the bill that day was The Rockets, UFO, Nazareth, J. Geils, Journey and Thin Lizzy (with Gary Moore on guitar) -great gig but still no great shots. A few weeks later I shot AC/DC when Bon Scott was still alive. Finally got some good shots!”

What was your favorite and or most memorable photo shoot during the MR dayz?

BH: “They were all great and there was so many but here was a jam-packed weekend: Flew to LA Friday night, off to the Country Club in Reseda to shoot Racer X. Saturday morning off to shoot White Lion (this was before “Pride” came out). Hopped a cab to Hollywood to photograph Pete Way, Pete’s one of my all time faves! Dinner with Armored Saint and then worked up a cover pic for MRV. Met up with Phantasm (which was Ron McGovney and Katon De Pena’s side band) for more photos. Caught a flight back to Monterey on Sunday to be in the office Monday AM for DEADLINES! But hey, we were doing what we loved.”

St.Red backstage with Armored Saint

Backstage with Hirax

Trouble with St.Red Backstage

I shot some decent pics of bands way back when, what kind of camera and or equipment did you use back then?

BH: “Nikon and I still use Nikons…they are just the best. I used to develop my own Black & White film and print my own prints. This is what set my work apart from the rest. Way more control over the images.”

How did you score the all-access gig to photograph and or follow Metallica – was it through MR perhaps? And what kind of preparation had you done beforehand?

BH: “For Metallica, they needed press. And there was not a lot of mags out that would know what to do with a band like Metallica. Being on staff at a leading Metal Mag gives you a lot of clout!”

Were you ever nervous about photographing anyone or certain band during your time at MR or career in general?

BH: “No, if you do your homework and keep your equipment well maintain then your sessions should go well. I always tried to do research on the bands that I was shooting. This makes for a better shot and ultimately great photos. Nerves can lead to regrets and I never wanted to say maybe I could have done that differently. You really only get one chance and you don’t want to blow it!”

Meet The Man Behind The Lens

You are living in Hawaii now, how did you end up in Cali when you were younger?

BH: “I was born in California, I moved here to Hawaii in 2001.”

Even Cliff Burton liked Metal Rendezvous!

How/when did you hook up with Metal Rendezvous Mag.?

BH: “One of my best friends in High School, John Strednansky (nick name St. Red) and I started MRV in Jr. College. We planned it out around 1980 and went into production late 81′. The last issue of MRV was 1989, the mag was up to 100,000 issues world-wide! Metal Hammer today is only 50,000 copies.”

How old were you during this time frame?

BH: “I worked on MRV for the whole 1980s.. so from 21 to 29 years old. It was a good run, we covered a ton of bands -new, old, Metal and Hard Rock + some punk and some glam!”

Being a photographer you are always BEHIND the lens and not in 99% of the photos, was there ever a time when you wished you were in the photo and or asked someone else to take the pic?

BH: “No! That was, and still is, my gig… I love to photograph, I’m very lucky to cover a subject that I love also.”

Have you ever ran into METALLICA over the years and or also after the book was published/released?

BH: “No, not yet. The book was released in April 09. Kirk lives on the same Island (in Hawaii -ed) as I do but I have not ran into him. I am in contact with Ron, he loves the book. James digs it also. I get feed back from people all the time.”

Do you think of the band differently now than you did back then?

BH: “Yes, they are a totally a different band now. They all grown up now, aren’t they?!”

Bill Hale

What are you up to these days? Do you still take pictures and or shoot any bands?

BH: “I’m living in Hawaii, still work with bands and working on getting my 80’s Rock archive published. The next photo book is on Megadeth. I think that there will be 6 books in all. I do a lot of work for Henry Kapono. Kapono just released a very cool album called “The Wild Hawaiian”. It was up for a Grammy. Imagine if Jimi Hendrix grew up Hawaiian!”

What do you think of the “current” Metal “scene”?

BH: “There are a lot of very cool bands out now. Some of my faves are Glyder from Ireland -they really rock! The Starz from France, again -very cool and the Muddpigges from NOLA.”

We really appreciate you taking the time to chat with us and allow us to pick your brain! Is there anything else you would like to add for the Demolish Mag. readers and or tell the Metal World in general?

BH: “Yes I would like to thank you, Curt for taking the time and for posting such a cool blog! Cheers. And to your readers: go out and support the music you like. Either by going to the gigs or buying cds, dvds or legally down loading the tunes. You, the fans, make this or any music happen. Go find new bands that rock or support the old ones BUT GO OUT AND ROCK!!! Really, it’s not about the record companies any more, it’s about the fans. You will make the next big band. I still look for out new bands and I go out at least once a week and see live music. IT IS UP TO YOU… so go out and ROCK!”

Thanks to all who have ordered, reviewed, interviewed and promoted Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984!

Cliffs first gig...Metal history was about to be made!

_

In closing, any self-respected Metal fan should own this piece of Metal history. There are so many more amazing photos in the book -I only wish it was larger and maybe a hardcover coffee table book.

There are lots of rare Dave Mustaine pics throughout, so attention all Megadeth fans -go get it! I hear he is also working on an all Megadeth book as we speak and maybe a Bay Area Thrash Metal book. I will be the first in line for that one. That’s right up my alley. Let’s all support Bill and his lifelong dedication to all things rock/Metal. Great work Bill – mega thanks for opening your photo vault!

Order your copy from Amazon here.

Other Links of Interest

http://www.myspace.com/metal_rendezvous_int

http://www.facebook.com/pbbh1

http://metallicatheclubdayz1982-84.blogspot.com/

PrLog Press release for Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2010-02-05T21:08:00.005-10:00

Check these links to see the PRLog press release for Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

Full Link, Html Version 

Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 A photo book by Bill Hale and published by ECW Press is out now!

Full Link, Pdf Version 

Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 A photo book by Bill Hale and published by ECW Press is out now!

Thanks to Brian Fischer-Giffin of LOUD AUSTRALIA MAGAZINE for his interview with Bill Hale on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984!

2010-01-04T18:52:00.005-10:00

Thanks to Brian Fischer-Giffin of LOUD AUSTRALIA MAGAZINE for this fine interview with Bill Hale on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

LOUD AUSTRALIA MAGAZINE: The new metal mag for Australia's metal community

ISSUE 3 OUT NOW! Featuring Judas Priest, Megadeth, Nazxul, Obituary, Arch Enemy, Black Asylum, Nexus, Hatchet Dawn, rock photographer Bill Hale, live reviews from the Cannibal Corpse and Slayer tours and tons of CD reviews!

Loud Australia Magazine is $7.50 inc. postage per single issue or $27.50 for four issues (Australia) OR $8.20 inc. postage or $31.00 for four issues (World). Use the PayPal widget on the left, or contact us to send a cheque. The magazine is also held by these great Aussie distros: Prime Cuts Music and Grindhead Records and also by Le Cabinet des Curiosities

All prices are in Australian dollars.

Loud Australia Magazine is offering the following advertising rates for our fourth issue due in March 2010. Get in fast as space is limited:
¼ page - $35
½ page - $50
Full page interior - $80
Inside front/back cover - $95
Guidelines for advertising:
Format: Hi-Res PSD, JPG or TIFF @ 300dpi
Colour mode: CMYK (4 colour process).
Full page: 210 x 297 mm + 5 mm bleed.
Half Page: 210 x 148.5 mm
Quarter Page: 105 x 148.5 mm

Thanks to Ron McGovney for sharing this photo of his copy of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 autographed by James Hetfield!!

2010-01-03T02:59:00.002-10:00

Special Thanks to ScorpioN for mentioning our books @ Megadeth.com!!

2010-01-02T09:45:00.004-10:00

Special Thanks to ScorpioN for mentioning both of our books Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 released 4/1/09 and our upcoming book Megadeth: Another Time, A Different Place @ Megadeth.com!!

9.21.2009 - Any books about Megadeth or Dave Mustaine?

Dear Scorpion, I've gotta simple question: will be any books about history of Megadeth and/or about Dave Mustaine? I would like to read it.

Here is the latest from Dave on his autobiography, which is completed and set for release next year:

"I finished approving my autobiography, and that was a labor of love. I got to the last page and I was so amazed as I was nearing the end, that by the time I got to the last page I started to have this amazing sense of completion. I felt like someone had finally gotten me into print, good and bad, with a sprinkling more of bad just for good measure. And by the time I got to the last two words of the book, I started to have an overwhelming wave of emotions; finally I feel like someone has looked into me; what makes me tick; why I am upset about the things that upset me; what makes me happy; why I have upsetting things in my life that I can't seem to shake; how I can continue to come back from the dead, etc., etc., etc..."

Other recent books featuring Dave and Megadeth include Metallica: Club Dayz 1982-1984 by Bill Hale, who is currently working on a photo book documenting Megadeth's early years, titled Megadeth: Another Time, A Different Place. Dave is listed at number one in Joel McIver's The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists, and a revised issue of Metallica: The Stories Behind the Biggest Songs, was released this month.

ScorpioN is now accepting questions, submit here: thescorpion@megadeth.com

Before you ask a question, read the SCORPION ARCHIVE and make sure that your question has not alreay been answered! ScorpioN will not reply to all emails, and will not be able to answer every question asked. Please only submit one question per email in an easy to read format. Check back here to www.megadeth.com/scorpion.php often to see if your question was selected! ScorpioN section is updated every Monday.

Thanks 2 Morning Show Central for this great interview about Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984!

2009-12-03T09:43:00.001-10:00

Thanks 2 Morning Show Central for this great interview about Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984!

Thanks 2 Domonic @ Maximum Threshold for hooking us up!

( http://podcast.maximumthreshold.net/podcast/?p=160)

If you weren't able to catch the interview you can listen to the podcast here:

http://www.morningshowcentral.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1734&Itemid=2

Thanks to Sakis Nikas and Rock Pages.gr for this review of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-11-30T18:12:00.002-10:00

Bill Hale
Metallica, The Club Dayz 1982-1984
ECW Press

Bill Hale is a photographer who worked for a music magazine and had the privilege of capturing in film some of the best shows that took place in the Holy Land of San Francisco when a new movement was about to emerge best known as “Bay Area Thrash”. This specific book possess an archival interest as it is full of photos cued from various Metallica club shows in an era when Ron McGovney and Dave Mustaine played bass and lead guitar respectively. Naturally, there are photos of the first appearances of Cliff Burton and Kirk Hammet with Metallica on stage while it is quite funny that Hale tried his best to make the band pose backstage with…mediocre results. After all, Metallica wasn’t famous back then for their “easy-going” character when it came down to photo-shooting!

Bill Hale’s photos may not have the quality or the perfect standards of Ross Halfin or Neil Zlozower but nevertheless he had succeeded in time-travel us to a time that seems (and is in many respects) far distant. Those were the days were Metallica had no money, were virtually unknown and tried to make it to the top having as their big weapon the compositions that laid the foundation of the thrash metal genre.

“The Club Dayz” is a book that is published mainly for the devoted Metallica fans and we must underline that it doesn’t feature many details for the legendary band. This is a book or even better a special time capsule with the unique characteristic to bring out special emotional charge to all those who have the luck to take a look through it.

Highlight: The famous Ron Quintana has written an introductory 3-page note.

Sakis Nikas

Copyright 2003-2009 Rockpages.gr

Thanks to Panthro @ Heavy Metal Cosmos for this review of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984!

2009-11-28T10:07:00.003-10:00

Thanks to Panthro and Heavy Metal Cosmos for this review of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984!

Metallica - The Club Dayz 1982-1984

Author:Bill Hale
Publisher:ECW Press 2009
Distributor:IPG (Independent Publishers Group)

While Metallica is now one of the biggest bands in the world having approximately 100,000,000 albums sold worldwide, few of the millions of fans were lucky enough to see them live at the begining of their careers. Then Metallica begun at their magnificent course at various clubs. However the photographer Bill Hale was there and shows us an amazing photo album of the band with very rare material that deserves to see everyone. The Club Dayz is a collection of photos of the legendary band shot between 1982 and 1987. Among others you will see many pictures from the first season of the band with Dave Mustaine, Ron McGonvey (the first bass player of Metallica), Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield. You can also see Kirk Hammett kid still in Exodus, rare photographs of Cliff Burton, photos by other bands of that era and other real emotionally charged pictures. Also through the 112 pages of this wonderful book you will learn many unknown aspects of the complex. In a remarkable the excellent layout, but also the many great personalities who talk like John Strednansky of heavy rock-metal magazine, Metal Rendezvous, which brought the band into contact with Cliff Burton.

Panthro
Average: They gave us 10 flames!!

Thanks to Martin Popoff for his review of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-11-25T09:43:00.001-10:00

Metallica - The Club Dayz 1982-1984
Goldmine, May 8, 2009 by Popoff, Martin

"Metallica - The Club Dayz 1982-1984" by Bill Hale: Photographer Bill Hale was right there at the germination of this mega-band and many others, and in these rare photos, he's captured the raw metal energy of those early sweaty shows - six of them to be exact, but including a ton of cool backstage hijinks to make the book flow with a smile pasted across yer face.
Actually, what adds a great richness to this slim tome is the heady insiders' text from Ron Quintana, Scott Earl and John Strednansky, all mere boys and buds of the band and making their own (mostly journalistic) impacts along with this band that just might go somewhere some day. Additional pro wordsmithing is by Bob Nalbandian (now of the Shockwaves podcasts), who was also part of the gang, making this a near-complete, friendly, alcoholic singalong to a magic past - missing is only Metal Blade's Brian Slagel.
Dave Mustaine's here, as is original bassist Ron McGovney, there's Kirk Hammett's first show, the now-deceased Cliff Burton's first show, even shots of Hammett with Exodus and one Jason Newsted playing the beery Jon Lord. And if that ain't enough, spot all the other musicians and biz folk from those crazy days, usually bathed in sweat and beer with a leer with someone giving the finger near.
(Softcover, 112 pages, $19.95. ECW Press, www.ecwpress.com)
- Martin Popoff
Copyright Krause Publications May 8, 2009
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved

Bibliography for: "Metallica - The Club Dayz 1982-1984"
Popoff, Martin "Metallica - The Club Dayz 1982-1984". Goldmine. FindArticles.com. 25 Nov, 2009. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7550/is_200905/ai_n32206251/
Copyright Krause Publications May 8, 2009
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved

Thanks to Matthew Moyer of Ink 19 for this GREAT review of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-84

2009-11-22T19:58:00.003-10:00

Metallica: The Club Dayz 1982-1984
Photography by Bill Hale
ECW Press

More than humdrum recent albums like St. Anger and Death Magnetic, zine photog Bill Hale's portraits of a young-and-hungry Metallica are exactly what the band needs to burnish their image and re-establish their underground bonafides. Before the Napster debacle, before tearful therapy sessions splashed all over the big screen, before Bob Seger covers, before being rendered down to loony caricatures in some video game, in The Club Dayz we hearken back to a time when Metallica actually mattered. In direct contradiction to most band/celebrity photobooks, Metallica (whether they know it or not) NEEDS Bill Hale's photos to see the light of day more than Bill Hale needed them to be seen. Funny, that.

The various forewords are in turns vaguely amusing, vaguely informative, and in the case of Ron Quintana, laugh-out-loud funny -- though not in the way he intended. Quintana pulls out every metal-press-release cliché in the book to the point where it actually deadens the visceral impact of what he witnessed. And make no mistake, what he witnessed was epochal. Early Metallica could be a life-changing epiphany, a communal celebration, in the way that the Sex Pistols or Bad Brains or Who gigs were. They basically remade metal in their own sweaty, manic, delinquent image, mainlining the primal adrenaline of Motorhead and Venom and Discharge; making metal dangerous and taboo again as the Sunset Strip scene was setting the tone for mainstream metal. A scene sprung up around them in San Francisco, kids who would turn their backs to hapless opening acts with denim jackets covered in NWOBHM patches, and peer bands like Exodus and Testament, for whom there was no such thing as too fast and too loud. It was heady stuff.

Club Dayz is also the ultimate redemption of Dave Mustaine, long dismissed as inconsequential to the Metallica sound in the official version, and a loose cannon egomaniac at that. (Not helped by his own behavior with Megadeth in the succeeding years, did you see him skydiving on Headbangers Ball?) But whereas James and Lars and even Kirk look terribly gangly and awkward, Mustaine just oozes star quality. He hits all the iconic poses, shirtless, clad in a leather vest with one of those unfeasibly spiky guitars. His curly teenage metal hair ends up looking cool instead of goofy, ditto the blindingly pale skin, and from the visual evidence, he was an important focal point for early Metallica. Check out the shots where the fans at the front actually stop headbanging for a moment, so they can watch him dive into another solo. The backstage shots, on the other hand, make him seem most likely to make your life miserable. Believe it.

Most importantly, this book humanizes Metallica: they're kids, man. Zitty, greasy teenagers in the first flush of metal fandom, clad in crisp Motorhead and Venom t-shirts, bullet belts, tight jeans, and ludicrous white high tops. Their hair is still growing out, fer chrissakes. In other words, crucially, they look exactly like the faithful crammed at the front of the stage, headbanging insanely. Their eyes shine enthusiastically and almost innocently, the whole thing seems so pure and full of promise. Metallica, and peers like Exodus and Armored Saint, really wanted to conquer the world for metal. And coming from a lapsed Metallica fan, this reminds me why I was drawn to them in middle school.

Remember what I said about them being human? That doesn't go for late bassist Cliff Burton. Cliff Burton wasn't human, he was lightning in a bottle. Looking like a member of Crazy Horse or Saint Vitus or a '60s Hells Angel beamed right into the thick of the Frisco thrash scene, he was every inch the icon. Clad in denim, bell bottoms, Cuban-heeled boots, and shoulder length hair with porno mustache -- Burton thrashed away at his bass with joyous abandon. Who the fuck else could get away with the first extended bass solo in thrash metal without being run out on a rail a la the end of O Brother Where Art Thou? He's utterly incandescent in every one of these photos, and much missed.

It ends fittingly with Exodus guitarist Kirk Hammet's first gig with the band, Dave Mustaine already sent packing off to Megadeth, resentment, and heroin -- and world conquest beckoned. Hale's shots -- damn, he was just a kid too -- are top-shelf, crisp, clear, colorful, and kinetic. Some remind me of Ross Halfin. He had full access backstage and wasn't afraid to wade into the pit to get crucial shots from the front. He has a good eye for the pose, and his fan's eye view allows him to capture shots that more experienced and blasé snappers might pass up. Some of these shots have been pilfered for various Metallica releases and the pages of US metal zines and the hipper UK mags like RAW, but this is the first airing of the entire collection. A slim volume but very much worth it for all serious students of metal. And I'm not even a fucking Metallica fan!
ECW Press: www.ecwpress.com
Matthew Moyer

Thanks 2 Marc for sending us a pic of him with his copy of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984!

2009-11-20T14:31:00.002-10:00

me & my book, bookmarker & backstage pass.

got my copy autographed by the man himself..Bill Hale!

if you haven't seen this book yet..get a copy!! it's amazing & will bring back memories of Metallica..dosen't matter if you saw them in 1982 or lastnight.

Thanks to Classix Metal for the interview and cover photo!

2009-11-12T23:44:00.007-10:00

Thanks to Classix Metal from Italy for using the Club Dayz photo as their cover on this issue and the interview!!

Classix Metal on MySpace

http://www.classixmetal.com/

New Banner for Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-11-05T14:58:00.005-10:00

Feel free to copy and share!

Thanks 2 U all for your support!!

Thanks to Paragon Music Magazine for this great review!!

2009-11-04T08:39:00.002-10:00

Big thanks to Paragon Music Magazine for such a thoughtful review from a fellow photographer!!

Maximum Threshold Radio Show Interviews Bill Hale 10/10/09 @ 10 PM EST

2009-10-10T01:01:00.002-10:00

Maximum Threshold Radio Show will interview Bill Hale on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 Saturday 10/10/09 @ 10 PM EST Log in and listen if you can!

Thanks Fran for taking and sharing this pic!!

2009-10-05T15:02:00.001-10:00

Thanks Fran!!

Oct 5, 2009 2:18 PM
"I saw your book on the shelves of a bookstore in Soho the other day...just around the corner from an ace rockbar (Crobar), so I left it sticking out so folk could see it when passing. ;)"

Thanks 2 Albert S. Hodge III "Thunder Tyrant" for his review of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-09-22T23:57:00.005-10:00

5.0 out of 5 stars
Bill Hale RULES!!! September 18, 2009
By Albert S. Hodge III "Thunder Tyrant" (Nola / Texas) -

Bill Hale's work in this book is amazing. As a kid growing up on the first wave of the Thrash moment I remembering seeing some of these photos in underground magazines back then. Then to put a name and a face behind the lens was amazing! Bill Hale has some of the greatest moments in Rock N Roll History documented on film. This is just the tip of the iceberg! There is alot more to come! Cheers Bill for such a great book!

Check out the Mudpigs on MySpace

Read the review @ Amazon

Thanks 2 JROCK HOUSTON for his great interview on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-09-12T12:00:00.002-10:00

Check out the latest issue (5) of Chaotic Riffs Magazine and read the interview with Bill Hale by JROCK HOUSTON on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 on pgs. 5-7.

CHECK US OUT!! (literally)

2009-09-08T21:00:00.003-10:00

Follow this link to find libraries that carry Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984!!

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/276644441

We've made it to Harvard!

Thanks 2 Rusty Conner & Lone Star Metal Magazine for this review on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984!

2009-09-08T12:20:00.003-10:00

Check out the lastest edition of Lone Star Metal Magazine online and read the review by Rusty Conner for Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 by clicking here or follow instructions below.

Lone Star Metal Magazine is a free online magazine!

http://www.lonestarmetalmagazine.com/

Go to Interviews and click on Honorary Texan

or

http://www.lonestarmetalmagazine.com/honorarytexan.html

Check out Lone Star Metal Magazine on MySpace by clicking here or using this link:

http://www.myspace.com/191423013

Rock Sound Review for Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-09-02T15:37:00.003-10:00

Rock Sound Review for Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

Rock Sound on MySpace

Infernal Rock Radio interviews Bill Hale on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-09-01T08:36:00.001-10:00

Texas Beth of Infernal Rock Radio has rescheduled her interview with Bill Hale about Metallica: The Club Dayz 1982-1984 on Wednesday, 9/2 @ 9pm EST

Log in and listen @ http://infernalrockradio.net/

SLAUGHTERAMA MAGAZINE review of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-08-31T10:11:00.004-10:00

Thanks to Brendon Williams of Slaughterama Magazine for this review of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984.

Download the entire magazine for free @ http://www.houseofnoizz.com/slaughterama.php
Check them out here on MySpace

Thanks 2 Pat in the Hat for the review @ Amazon for Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-08-30T09:42:00.005-10:00

Thanks 2 Pat in the Hat for this review he wrote @ Amazon.com for Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

I Bought This Book..., August 28, 2009
By
PtH "Nearly-Famous Harmonicator & Bluesologist" (Honolulu, HI) - See all my reviews
...for the same reason I don't "read" Playboy. I admit it: I am a voyeur. Bill Hale must be one too because he takes an awful lot of pictures. Metallica (at least in the days that most die-hard fans I know lament) must have approved of "voyeurism" because they didn't seem to mind being looked at. In fact, the unique relationship they exhibited with their one-man, personal Paparazzi is what sets this collection apart from any other, aside from the rarity of the subject matter.
I don't own a coffee table, but when the hard-bound version gets released, this may be the impetus I need to justify going out and buying one to accommodate my many voyeuristic friends.
Aloha.

Anthony Kuzminski of antiMusic Network reviews Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 in The Screen Door

2009-08-28T08:30:00.005-10:00

Special thanks to Anthony Kuzminski of antiMusic Network for this sweet review of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 in The Screen Door

Metallica: The Club Dayz 1982-1984 Photo Book by Bill Hale
.
In a world obsessed with fly-by-night celebrities it's rare to find a picture book that transcends its subject. Bill Hale's Metallica: The Club Dayz 1982-1984 is one of those few books that are more than developed film on paper, but a time machine in book form of the mightiest metal band the world has ever known; Metallica. Bill Hale was a photographer for Metal Rendezvous and he happened to be at the right place at the right time and captured Metallica's birth, infancy and childhood period as a band and he has now published it for the world to relish in. I wasn't old enough to appreciate these early days and even if I was, I am half way across the country from where all the real action was taking place in California. Despite never being able to see the Metallica line-up with Dave Mustaine or Cliff Burton's first show as I paged through Metallica: The Club Dayz 1982-1984 I felt like I was there. Anyone can gather pictures together but can they weave a story and tell a tale? Hale manages to do this with a chronological sequence of pictures from a variety of shows he shot mostly between 1982 and 1984.
Picture books are a tough sell, especially in this day and age where they are a dime a dozen. Anyone these days who has a digital camera thinks they are a pro. Yet what most people miss out on that there's more to a picture than good light and a good angle. Back in 1982 and 1983 when Hale captured these shots of Metallica, not everyone with a Polaroid considered themselves a professional photographer. In fact, few would want to bother with carrying the equipment with them for a whole evening, but Hale did. Overlooking the book, one can see that Hale always managed to get the shots he needed regardless of whether he was in the photo pit or not. Capturing the band in all their youthful innocence is a joy to see. His pictures leap off the page and breathe. Whether it is a goofy James Hetfield transforming into an onstage demon, or childlike Lars Ulrich wailing away on his drums, Hale captures their evolution from a very raw garage band to the San Francisco areas defining metal band and well…you know how the story ends. It's refreshing to look at pictures where the artist being captured isn't self conscious. As people grow older and become more aware of a camera, there is a certain level of pretentiousness that invades the space. They know they are being photographed or even worse, they are being shot for a very specific purpose. People are worried how they may look. A certain angle can be unflattering, you may look heavier or older depending on the angle, how you looked at the lens and it may capture you at a moment that is not your best. I've always preferred a documentarian style of picture taking and all of Hale's Metallica pictures are raw and in the flesh capturing their free and unyielding spirit.
Hale's pictures seizes one of the mightiest of metal bands at a profoundly unique time in their life; the beginning of their career. Capturing an artist of Metallica's stature during this time is like capturing lightning in a bottle. The band is youthful, full of innocence and seeing glorious color shots of the band as they began to crawl and walk is nothing short of incandescent. Including photo's from shows at The Stone and The Old Waldorf in San Francisco. Hale captured the band on stage and off. The beauty of these pictures is he captures them in informal moments that they would never allow today. In truth, I wouldn't allow anyone to take pictures of me like this. There's a shot of Lars Ulrich in his underwear that made me chuckle because it shows that these were just a bunch of friends who got together to make music. It's these candid moments that make you feel like you were there. There are numerous shots of the band saluting Hale whenever he tries to get them to pose and even a picture mere weeks before Cliff Burton died with an old friend (sorry, I won't reveal this one, you need to buy the book to discover who he was with). Another unique aspect of Hale's book is that he manages to capture the band with Ron McGovney and a few short months later with Cliff Burton at his first gig. There are even shots of Exodus with a young Kirk Hammett. He even manages to grab a shot of both Hammett and Mustaine backstage together, talk about being in the right place at the right time.
Metallica: The Club Dayz 1982-1984 is full of eye-wide innocence, yet it also showcases a band who was defining not just their own sound but metal's overall. I have seen pictures similar to these plastered across net, never before have I seen a book that transcends the way this one does. Bill Hale is to Metallica as Astrid Kirchherr was to the Beatles. Kirchherr captured those legendary shots of the Beatles in Hamburg that are a testament to their first steps into a much wider world. Both Hale and Kirchherr caught these respective bands in a distinctive time and place that can never be replicated.Metallica: The Club Dayz 1982-1984 is more than a mere picture book but a historical document of one of Metallica's early days. These pictures leap off the page at you and finally give one perspective as to what it would have been like to witness Metallica with three distinctive line-ups over a short period of time. It's a one of a kind book that captures one of the world's great bands, highly recommended.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network and his daily writings can be read at The Screen Door and can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com.

Dirty Rock Magazine reviews Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-08-24T18:57:00.002-10:00

Thanks to Dirty Rock Magazine (http://www.dirtyrockmagazine.com/) for this review of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984!

Read it here or go to their website and download the entire magazine for free!!

Fran with his copy of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-08-24T13:57:00.001-10:00

Put down your bibles people and grab yaself a more relevant book for these rock n roll times...Metallica: The Club Dayz 82-84 by Bill Hale.

GLORYDAZE Music Review for Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-08-13T10:06:00.006-10:00

Site: GLORYDAZE Music (www.glorydazemusic.com)

Thanks To GLORYDAZE Music!!

ARTIST: Metallica
BOOK The Club Days 1982-1984
PUBLISHER: ECW Press
AUTHOR/PHOTOGRAPHER: Bill Hale
SERIAL: ISBN-13-978-1-55022-876-2
YEAR: 2009

WEBLINKS: http://metallicatheclubdayz1982-84.blogspot.com

Background
It was an interesting time for sure. Ronald 'Ray Gun' Reagan was the president. America was surging forward into a decade of excess, no one had any idea who Al Qaeda were or who the Taliban were. In some ways, those early years of the 80's decade were an innocent period. Perhaps not so innocent as the bright and breezy pop era of the 70's. But by 1982, the rock world was about to be turned upside down by a handful of upstarts - originally from L.A but resettled in San Francisco - going by the name of Metallica. As time and history would reveal, this band would go on to conquer all sorts of achievements right up until the current day. It's not the modern day Metallica we're focusing on here.. but more their earlier days, before they found mega-stardom. Back in 1979, a young fella called Bill Hale would start off his working life as a photographer. He eventually became the chief Photographer for Metal Rendezous International, a magazine dedicated to hard rock and heavy metal. It was during this time that he was exposed to all the big guns of the HM world, and managed to photograph many legendary figures before they passed on, including Phil Lynott, Rory Gallagher, Bon Scott and Freddie Mercury. Bill's other knack was building a port-folio of many bands before they made the big-time, and this is where his new book 'Metallica - The Club Dayz 1982-1984' kicks in.

Details
This mainly photographic book, published by Canadian book publisher ECW Press, takes a historical look at Metallica's past through the eyes and lens of Bill Hale, focusing on the 1982-1984 timeframe when they were first starting out. The band, at their earliest point includes photos with then guitarist Dave Mustaine and then bassist Ron McGovney. Nearly all of the photos displayed in the book have never been released into the public domain before, and are a sometimes intimate and private look at the band during this formative period. Bill has captured photos at various gigs during this timeframe, including Metallica's first few shows in San Francisco upon moving there, the first show with Cliff Burton onboard, the last show with Dave Mustaine, and the first show with Kirk Hammett. Some of these photos are raw, primal, energetic, cheeky and illuminating, capturing the various moods of the band members before, during and after their shows. There are also some interesting shots with well known people in the industry at the time, including Ron Quintana, Mike Varney, Uli Roth, plus members from metal contemporaries Armored Saint, Exodus, and Laaz Rockit.

In Summary
For any rock biographer or collector of rock publications, 'Metallica - The Club Dayz 1982-1984' is an essential photographic guide of perhaps one of heavy metal's most important bands. It's not everyday that a publication like this is released, and certainly makes for good spot reading on a cold and rainy day while listening to Barry Manilow! lol!

Infernal Rock Radio interview with Bill Hale on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-08-11T09:05:00.005-10:00

Texas Beth of Infernal Rock Radio will be interviewing Bill Hale about Metallica: The Club Dayz 1982-1984 on Wednesday, 8/12 8pm CST

Due to technical problems this interview had to postponed and we'll re-post when we've re-scheduled.

Previously unreleased photo of Cliff Burton and friends

2009-07-31T08:56:00.002-10:00

This photo does not appear in Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 and until now is previously unreleased!

Andy LaRocque (King Diamond)
John Strednansky ( Editor and Chief of Metal Rendezvous Int. Heavy Rock - Metal Magazine)
Cliff Burton
Timi "Grabber" Hansen (Mercyful Fate/ King Diamond)
08/12/86
Backstage @ The Stone in San Francisco

The Sporadic Gazette review of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 by Goreripper

2009-07-27T14:41:00.002-10:00

Metallica: The CLub Dayz 1982 - 1984 reviewed by Goreripper
Bill Hale is a Hawaii-based rock photographer who was lucky enough to be where plenty of us probably wish we could have been 27 years ago: hanging out on the San Francisco metal scene. He got to see, and document, the birth of one of the greatest bands metal has produced. Regardless of your opinion of Metallica, without them it's unlikely metal would have become the institution it is today, and in this book Hale captures the embryonic days of a band that has since become one of the world's biggest musical acts.

The first few pages are reminiscences from some of the others who were there, John Strednansky from Metal Rendezvous, Ron Quintana, the zine editor from whom Lars stole the name Metallica, and Scott Earl from a band called Culprit, whose drummer got into a fight with Dave Mustaine at Cliff Burton's second ever Metallica gig: "Mustaine basically threw my guitarist's pedals into the corner in a big ball of duct tape. I guess we weren't getting out of their way fast enough."

These tales of the band's early days, in which Mustaine features very prominently, are pure gold. But the good stuff - the great stuff, the stuff that really shows us how it began and what it was like - that all really begins on page 25, with a series of shots from a gig in September 1982, when Metallica was still based in LA and opening for Bitch. There's Hetfield, wearing a bullet belt and a Venom shirt, flipping the bird. Later on, there's a bunch from Burton's first gig, headlining over Laaz Rockit and Exodus, with Cliff in his bell-bottoms, clutching his Rickenbacker, another from backstage of Hammett and Mustaine side by side. Further on, Kirk's in the band as they open for Raven and near the end, a slightly blurry candid picture of Dave and Cliff, hanging out after a Megadeth show in August, 1986, six weeks before Burton was gone forever. What strikes you the most is how fresh-faced, fun-loving and rebellious everyone is: in a backstage shot with Burton, Mustaine's wearing an inverted crucifix in his ear, elsewhere there's Lars yakking it up with Gonzo Sandoval from Armored Saint.

There isn't much "art" to Hale's shots, and almost none that can be called "posed". Even the publicity pics were of shirtless, beer-swilling reprobates with cheesy, cheeky grins and enormous pitchers of amber fluid. Just like the music the band was making back then, Bill Hale's photos are raw, urgent, immediate and vital, capturing the young Metallica's very essence. For anyone who was there, or wishes they were, this is a great book.
9.3

- Goreripper

Ron McGovney Reviews Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-07-21T07:49:00.001-10:00

Great pics Bill. If I wasn't on stage , I would have been clickin my Canon AE-1! You know those famous posing shots of Metallica in 1982 and I am wearing the Motorhead shirt? I took those! We moved the pool table , I set my AE-1 on a tripod. We took the posters off the wall and I set up a garage work light. I told everyone where to stand and I had ... Read Morea friend stand in my spot. When it looked good , I went to my position and my friend took the first picture. I then had us do several different poses. Somehow , those negs disappeared when they left for San Francisco!

Ron McGovney

Tastes Like Rock! Music Magazine review for Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-07-07T16:05:00.003-10:00

Bill Hale's Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984
By Michael Meade

Metallica Club Dayz cover
Courtesy Photography by Bill Hale

Bill Hale is one lucky guy! In the early 1980s he was assigned to photograph an up and coming metal band by the name of Metallica. He was there as they found their stride as a band, through the early problems (replacing Dave Mustaine with Kirk Hammet, and Cliff Burton's far too early death).
Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 is of course a must own for Metallica fans, but should really be a part of every music enthusiast's collection. Hale has shared some truly amazing, never before seen candid photos and great anecdotes of the band that helped bring metal past metalheads to the forefront of rock. Not to mention cementing speed metal's place in North America.
Hale's humorous recollections definately form the soul of this book. The introductory stories of Metallica memories from John Strednansky (Editor and Chief of Metal Rendezvous Int. Heavy Rock - Metal Magazine), Ron Quintana, and Scott Earl (bass - Culprit) gave that much more heart to it; not that it lacked any for even a sentence.

The true heart of the book is of course Hale's photos. Backstage or down in the pit (the mosh pit, Bill worked all six shows presented without the safety of a photo pit), he captured moments of time in the lives of Mustaine, Hetfield, McGovney, Ulrich, Burton, and Hammet that countless fans would kill to have seen and experienced live.
There are many to choose from, but this writer's favorite shots are on pages 90-91; Burton, Mustaine, and a female friend sitting on a small stoop a few doors down from the Stone in San Francisco on March 19 1983. Not only for the fact that Dave would be out of the band soon and the coming tragedy of Cliff's passing, but also the emotions displayed on their faces; much the same sentiment Bill Hale says he feels about these two particular photos.
My next favorite is on page 107, Hale apologizes for the quality of the shot, but it's a rare photo of Cliff Burton and Dave Mustaine together after Mustaine was replaced on lead guitar by Kirk Hammet. It's a candid taken on August 12 1986, Megadeth opened for King Diamond at the Stone, without a trace of the Metallica/Megadeth animosity between them; this was also the last time Bill Hale saw Cliff Burton alive.

This piece, though shorter the book deserves, turned out a review/article hybrid but Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 goes beyond any score, Bill Hale truly presents a priceless collection of photographs in a little documented part of the history of perhaps the biggest band metal will ever know.

Photographer Bill Hale
Courtesty Photography by Bill Hale

Bill Hale started photographing rock bands in 1979 at the age of eighteen. In the 1980s, Bill was the chief photographer for Metal Rendezvous International Heavy Rock-Metal Magazine.
While on staff he was able able to shoot many of the top bands of the day including Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Riot and UFO. Bill was fortunate enough to photograph many legends before they ascended to "rock and roll heaven" - Phil Lynott, Bon Scott, Freddie Mercury and Rory Gallagher are on that list.

Metal Rendezvous gave media coverage to some of metal's biggest legends including Anthrax, W.A.S.P., L.A. Guns and Armored Saint. Bill's work has appeared in such metal magazines as Kerrang!, Enfer and Metal Mania.

Bill now lives in Hawaii and still works with rock and rollers.
(Biography courtesy Photography by Bill Hale & ECW Press)

Visit metallicatheclubdayz1982-84.blogspot.com, www.myspace.com/photo_books_by_bill_hale, and ecwpress.com for more on Bill Hale and to order your copy of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

M.I.B. Show podcast on Hard Rock Radio Live: Interview with Bill Hale on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-07-03T10:06:00.008-10:00

Click here to listen to the M.I.B. Show podcast on Hard Rock Radio Live and interview with Bill Hale on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

hardrockradiolive

Thanks to Dj Badslayer and Dj Wrathchild for the great interview and sharing this podcast with us!

Robert Fraioli's review for Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-07-02T15:30:00.002-10:00

Robert Fraioli (St. Thomas Aquinas) wrote
at 2:38am on June 25th, 2009

This has to be one of the best books on Metallica's early days, if not the book on this topic. There was only one left at my local Barnes and Noble and I made sure that I grabbed it before someone else did.

Thanks to Joni-Lee James for including us in The Surfrider's Foundation Event!

2009-07-02T14:41:00.001-10:00

Thanks to Joni-Lee James for including us in The Surfrider's Foundation Event!

We hope you're recovering quickly from your accident on Maui.

Mr. Mendoza on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-06-29T10:33:00.002-10:00

Just got metallica the club days yesterday, fucking awesome man! Any fan of metallica should own this book.

Mr. Mendoza

Stephanne Dennis "Agent, Reviewer" for Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-06-28T13:59:00.002-10:00

5.0 out of 5 stars A unique glance into metal history, June 27, 2009
By Stephanne Dennis "Agent, Reviewer" (Southeastern US)

Bill Hale has managed to "wow" me with amazing, exclusive, and unique photos documenting Metallica's early years that lead to their insurmountable fame in Metallica: The Club Dayz 1982-1984 [ECW Press, 2009]. Metallica, likely the most popular and legendary band in history for their genre, is accurately captured and provides readers with a glimpse of real history. Hale has managed to bring this megastar band a level of humanity and innocence (if that is possible?) that I have personally never encountered. This work allows the hundreds of thousands of us who `missed it' to be follow along as the metal monsters did their time in the club scenes. With a generous mix of photo pit and candid photography, Hale proves himself an artist in a class of his own.

Fans of Megadeth also find themselves enamored by Club Dayz, getting a glimpse of a young Dave when he was still part of Metallica. Bill, looking forward to the next snapshot of history that you allow me to accompany you through!

(Of note, as I know the author I'm a little biased)

Shelf Life reviews Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-06-28T01:19:00.001-10:00

"Fans of Metallica will love this intimate look at the band, from more than two decades back. Bill Hale takes us on that journey, offering a massive dose of heavy metal mania." —Shelf Life

Thanks to The UK Torn for including us in their 2009 Metallibash!

2009-06-23T09:12:00.003-10:00

We'd like to thank The UK Torn Official Metallica Chapter for befriending us and including us in their upcoming 2009 Metallibash! We are proud to be able to donate 5 books for the event to help with their chosen causes.

The UK Torn on MySpace

The UK Torn Facebook Group

Sacramento Book Review for Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-06-18T16:06:00.002-10:00

4.0 out of 5 stars Road to Rock Domination, June 17, 2009
By Sacramento Book Review "SacramentoBookReview.com" (Sacramento, CA) -

(TOP 500 REVIEWER)
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then photographer Bill Hale is hoping that fifty or so previously unpublished pictures of Metallica is worth a couple hundred thousand dollars. Hale snapped the pictures in //Metallica: The Club Dayz// between the years of 1982 and 1984, when the fledgling Metallica was still playing clubs in their native San Francisco. Hale, a veteran rock photographer for past three decades, says "I was in Oakland [in 1981] at a Judas Priest concert when my life changed..."--his first encounter with Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich. The two hit it off, and thus begins the photo history of Metallica's early days and the changes to the original lineup.

Hale captures the edgy essence of the young band; the aura that would later lead them to world notoriety as one of the greatest and most aggressive rock `n roll bands ever to emerge from North America. If you are a serious Metallica fan or just a purveyor of rock history, this book is a must-see. From their humble beginnings to their multi-million-dollar enterprise, Metallica is truly a force to be reckoned with.

Reviewed by
Joe Kopaczynski

Badslayer interviews Bill Hale on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 6/20 @ 1:00 PM EST

2009-06-15T16:26:00.001-10:00

Badslayer of Hard Rock Radio Live will interview Bill Hale on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 on 6/20/09 @ 1:00 PM EST. Log in and listen if you can!

KTOR interview w/ Bill Hale on Metallica The Club Dayz

2009-06-10T13:01:00.000-10:00

Greg Michaels of KTOR

Thursday, June 11th @ 10:00 A.M. PST Greg Michaels will interview Bill Hale about Metallica the Club Dayz 1982-1984 on KTOR. Greg has copies of the book to give away to listeners all month, so if you're in the areas stay tuned!!

99.7 Lake Almanor

99.3 Susanville

96.9 Quincy

96 Rock Cincinnati's Pure Rock Interviews w/ Bill Hale on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-06-09T08:34:00.009-10:00

Thanks 2 Karen, Gamble-N-Fin!!

96 Rock Cincinnati's Pure Rock interviews w/ Bill Hale on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

Thanks to Karen, Gamble-n-Fin at 96 Rock Cincinnati's Pure Rock for the 2 interviews with Bill Hale on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984! You can check out these interviews online @ 96 Rock Cincinnati's Pure Rock in the Gamble-n-Fin section at the bottom in the section for recent podcasts or by clicking here on the podcast archives to download the interviews.

The most recent interview:

May 7, 2009
Rock photographer Bill Hale on his new book "Metallica- the Club Dayz"

The original interview:

Wednesday Dec 3 2008
Rock photographer Bill Hale

2009-06-09T00:03:00.004-10:00

Gypsy Poet Presents Bill Hale: Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-06-07T10:07:00.007-10:00

Listen here as Bill Hale talks about Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 with Sophia The Gypsy Poet!

Check out this great poetry book!!

Badslayer of Hard Rock Radio Live interviews Bill Hale on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-06-06T13:43:00.003-10:00

Badslayer of Hard Rock Radio Live will interview Bill Hale on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 on 6/20/09 @ 1:00 PM EST. Log in and listen if you can!

REMINDER

Listen on 6/7/09 at 11:00 AM as photographer Bill Hale talks about his latest publication, Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 Life, love, peace and more!!

Gypsy Poet Radio

Jason Saulnier from Good Time Metal Oldies radio show on CIFA 104.1 FM reviews Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-06-01T18:27:00.004-10:00

Check this link to read a review from Jason Saulnier of Good Time Metal Oldies radio show on CIFA 104.1 FM on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984. Jason has been kind enough to post some of our links on his own blog!

Chapters/Indigo display of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-05-31T10:50:00.003-10:00

Thanks to John for sending us this pic of our book Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 on display in Chapters Indigo Bookstore in Canada!

Nick's review of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-05-30T11:07:00.001-10:00

I just got your book today in the mail, i read it in half and hour and it was killer!!! Im from Castro Valley and am a mega CLiff Burton Fan!! I got the same tattoo of the crimson ghost on my right arm in memory of him. SO it was awesome reading some stories i havent heard and seeing picts ive never seen of Cliff! Im going to tell Bob you sent me when i go to Monterey to check out his store. Anyways just wanted to give you a thumbs up on the awesome book!!

-Nick

Andrea Hughes reviews Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-05-26T11:59:00.002-10:00

I feel like a teenager again! Like those times when a new album from your favorite band was coming out, and you waited and waited, then it finally came out and you had to be the first one to get it....the overwhelming giddy feeling you felt when you finally did get it....you know what I'm talking about.....and it's all thanks to a wonderful photographer, Bill Hale!! His new book, "Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-84", is an absolute MUST for ANY Metallica Fan, Dave Mustaine Fan, Speed Metal Fan, as well as anyone who is just an admirer of wonderful photography!!!

A good photographer can capture the "mood" of the moment, and capture the "mood" Bill did!!!! From beginning to end, "Metallica The Club Dayz", draws you in, and holds you there. Keeping you in a state of excited nostalgia. You can almost hear the "head-shredding" guitar, feel the pounding of Lars' double-bass, and taste the passion and frenzy in the air. It's as if Metallica reaches through the pages and shoves "Metal Up Your Ass!" By the time I finished the book, I felt like I had just witnessed an amazing concert! (Exhausted and ready for more!!!) I knew this book was coming out before it actually did come out, and I had many conversations with Bill's wife about what photos would be in the book, but nothing prepared me for the actuality. "Metallica The Club Dayz" is so much more than I could have ever imagined!! I AM ABSOLUTELY BLOWN AWAY!!!

Thank you sooooo much Mr. Hale!!! For your talent, your insight, and most of all for sharing all of that with us!!! I know we haven't seen the last of you yet!!! (in fact, I'm hoping you're coming out with a Megadeth book next!)

I could go on and on about "Metallica The Club Dayz", but I think I'll go flip through book again, only this time, I'll be listening to "Kill 'Em All!"

GO GET YOUR COPY NOW!!!!

Tom Trakas reviews Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-05-23T15:52:00.004-10:00

Tom Trakas has posted a very cool review of Metallica: The Club Dayz as well as Joel McIver's new book about Cliff Burton on his blog page.

Check it out by clicking here or in the title!

Thanks to Justin for your review!

I bought your book its amazing.Its the best metallica book I've ever read.You kick ass!!

Justin Steele
17 / Male
Bondurant, Iowa, US

Shockwaves Skull Sessions interview w/ Bill Hale and Joel McIver is up NOW!

2009-05-20T10:08:00.004-10:00

THE 100 GREATEST GUITARISTS IN METAL

This special episode features two great segments; the first features a conversation with author Bill Hale regarding his new book Metallica: The Club Dayz 1982-1984 along with author Joel McIver regarding his latest book To Live Is To Die: The Life and Death of Metallica’s Cliff Burton.

The second segment of this episode features a balls-out debate between author Joel McIver and host Bob Nalbandian regarding Joel’s other recently released book The 100 Greatest Guitarists In Metal. In this no-holds-barred debate the two butt-heads about the true meaning of Metal! This is easily the most heated and controversial Skull Sessions debate so far! A must listen for metal guitar fanatics!

Shockwaves Skull Sessions on MySpace

Gypsy Poet Radio Presents: BILL HALE!! 6/7/2009 11:00 AM CDT

2009-05-20T08:58:00.005-10:00

Listen on 6/7/09 at 11:00 AM as photographer Bill Hale talks about his latest publication, Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 Life, love, peace and more!!

Gypsy Poet Radio

Thanks to Pedro of Metal Militia Metal Shop in Portugal for this review!

2009-05-07T23:33:00.003-10:00

I have already got your Metallica book!!
I can't believe how awesome it is!! All i can say is that is everything i have desired to be!!
And it's a precious adiction to my Metallica colection!!

It's a very important piece of Metal history, you have witnessed and documented, you must very be proud to witnessed first hand the musical revolution that Metallica was creating in the very begining, and you also met Cliff Burton!!
That is as great as it gets!!

Keep up the good Work!

All the best.

Pedro
Metal Militia

Sister Karen has books to give away tomorrow @ 9 A.M. !

2009-05-06T08:51:00.002-10:00

Tomorrow morning (Thursday 5/7/09) at about 9:00 A.M. EST Sister Karen and Tom Gamble will interview Bill Hale on 96 ROCK - Cincinnati's Pure Rock! about Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984. They have a couple copies of the book to give away to listeners and anyone can listen to the show online by going to www.purerock96.com and clicking on the banner that says Listen Live.

If you don't have a copy this is a great opportunity to win one!

To order your own copy visit Amazon here: Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

Bob Nalbandian of Shockwaves Skull Sessions interviews Bill Hale and Joel McIver

2009-05-05T08:58:00.003-10:00

Bob Nalbandian of Shockwaves Skull Sessions has interviewed Bill Hale on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 and Joel McIver on To Live Is to Die: The Life and Death of Metallica's Cliff Burton. The podcast will be up to listen to later this week at the link above. If you haven't already ordered your copies Amazon has the best prices and you can do so now by clicking on the links in the titles above.

I'll post another blog to let you know when it is available!

Thanks to all who have ordered, reviewed and promoted!! Send us pics of you with your copies and reviews and we'll post them on our blogs!!!

Sherry with her copies of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-05-03T20:36:00.003-10:00

Thanks to Sherry for sending us a pic of her with her copies of Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 and letting us know how much she loves them!

May 2, 2009 5:51 PM
I LOVE MY BOOKS!!!!!!
THANKS .)

Stone and Double T interview w/ Bill Hale on Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-04-27T23:47:00.001-10:00

Thanks 2 Sister Karen for including Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 in her blog!

2009-04-27T08:14:00.012-10:00

Check this link below to read what Sister Karen from 96 Rock Cincinnati's Pure Rock has to say about Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984...

Sister Karen's Blog

Bill Hale was interviewed by 2 angry guys on the morning show at 96.5 - Cincinnati's Pure Rock about Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984 and you can check it out online from their website by clicking on the link below and searching the archives for the Dec 3 interview with Bill Hale.

Thanks Karen and the angry guys, YOU ROCK!!

Aloha from the "little Island"

2 angry guys' podcast vault Bill Hale Wed Dec 3 2008

96 Rock Cincinnati.com

Sister Karen's Myspace page

96 Rock on MySpace

Peter Rod reviews Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-04-26T11:01:00.001-10:00

5.0 out of 5 stars Cheerz to the Old Dayz!, April 10, 2009
By P. Rodriguez "Peter Rod" (New York)

In 1982 there was an underground movement in San Francisco that was born on the concepts of the NWOBHM, but taken to a whole new level, and Bill Hale was there to document it. Most people have heard the tales and stories of Metallica during the early years, but only have a few pictures and a grainy video to go on. If you were lucky enough to have been a fan in those dayz, Master of Puppets dayz, Black Album dayz, or have just discovered Metallica today, this book is a MUST! The pictorials are so real and raw, that it would even have "The Old Bridge Militia" jaws dropping with amazement. The book is based around 6 gigs starting in September of 1982 to September of 1983. Five out of the six shows are with Dave Mustaine on guitar and the first three are with Ron McGovney on bass and it kind of makes you wonder, "Hey Bill where are the shots with Lloyd Grant?"(Just Kidding). Some of the live shots that he took of the crush of the crowd against the stage, especially at The Old Waldorf show are so intense, that he actually captured a moment in time that makes you feel the energy and passion that Metallica had created between themselves and the Bay Area Faithful....Simply Amazing! One of the special moments in the book is the photo documentation of Cliff Burton's first gig with Metallica. Bill Captured the bell bottomed free spirited bass player back stage moments before he took the stage for the first time! That is not only Metallica history, but that is Rock & Roll history! "The Young Metal Attack" was just about to be transformed and ready for takeoff and it was all caught on film. Another very notable shot, which is almost like catching KISS without their makeup on in the 70's, is Dave Mustaine and Kirk Hammett backstage together, when Kirk was in Exodus and they were opening for Metallica. The beginning of the book starts with a few memoirs, most notably with Ron Quintana from "Metal Mania" fame. This is the man who coined the term Metallica, which now is a household name. It was great reading his recounts on the early dayz. Lastly, this book is just as much Rock & Roll history as when The Beatles played The Cavern Club all those times in their early dayz, but the only difference is, unfortunately for The Beatles, Bill Hale was not there to document the ride!

Thank You Bill Hale for opening up your vault! MUYA!
Peter Rod-New York

Phyllis Whitten reviews Metallica The Club Dayz 1982-1984

2009-04-26T11:00:00.000-10:00

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Excellent!!!!, April 16, 2009
By Phyllis D. Whitten

Really enjoyed this book and pictures. Kept referring to it while wathching their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Well done and strongly suggest everyone purchase it.

Steve Brownlee reviews Bill Hale

2009-04-26T10:51:00.000-10:00

I can't WAIT to get my copy....and I'm not even a Metallica fan! But I am a fan of the work by Mr. Bill Hale! Having known Bill for well over 25 years (pushing 30 almost...yikes)and knowing his work....let's just say "Bill, you da man!" Your photos are pure art! What an eye! Your live shots capture every ounce of manic power...every drop of blood, sweat and tears. Your band portraits are the aces, mate! One of the best photographers on the scene! Proud and honored to call you friend.

Steve Brownlee