Cliff Burton

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Burton's musical evolution was deeply rooted in a diverse range of genres including rock, classical, country, Southern rock, blues, and jazz. Before joining Metallica, he formed his first band, EZ-Street, named after a Bay Area topless bar while still at Castro Valley High School. He later attended Chabot College with Jim Martin, forming the second band Agents of Misfortune. Their 1981 audition for the Hayward Area Recreation Department's Battle of the Bands was recorded on video, capturing early footage of Burton playing parts of what would become his signature solo "(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth" and the chromatic intro to "For Whom the Bell Tolls." In 1982, he joined Trauma, recording "Such a Shame" for the second Metal Massacre compilation. That same year, while Trauma performed at the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles, Hetfield and Ulrich heard Burton's "amazing shredding," leading to his recruitment. Burton insisted the band relocate from Los Angeles to El Cerrito in the San Francisco Bay Area before he would join.

In Their Own Story

On September 26, 1986, Burton performed his final show at Solnahallen Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, playing "Fight Fire with Fire" as the closing track. The band's tour bus traveled overnight on European route E4 (now G 557) toward Copenhagen, Denmark. Band members had complained about uncomfortable bunks; according to Kirk Hammett, he and Burton drew cards, with Burton picking the ace of spades to claim the top bunk. Ulrich claimed they drew straws instead, with Burton drawing the long one. Shortly before 7 a.m. on September 27, just north of Ljungby in Kronoberg County, Sweden, the bus skidded off the road and flipped onto the grass. With no safety restraints, Burton was thrown through a window as the bus landed on top of him, killing him instantly at age 24. His final performance was one day before his death.

Reader's Guide

Burton joined Metallica in 1982 and quickly became central to their sound. His first recording with the band was the Megaforce demo. Their debut album, Kill 'Em All (released July 25, 1983), featured his showcase "(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth," highlighting his use of a wah-wah pedal and Electro Harmonix Big Muff—uncommon for bassists at the time. The album title originated from Burton's suggestion after the original name Metal Up Your Ass was rejected by the record company. On Ride the Lightning (1984), Burton received songwriting credit on six of eight tracks, notably contributing to "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and the lead bass work on "The Call of Ktulu." Master of Puppets (1986) marked their worldwide breakthrough, featuring the instrumental "Orion" with its prominent lead bass section; it was Burton's favorite Metallica song. Posthumously, he received a writing credit for "To Live Is to Die" on ...And Justice for All (1988). He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Metallica in 2009.

Did You Know?

• Burton practiced up to six hours per day even after joining Metallica.
• He joined Metallica only on the condition that they relocate from Los Angeles to El Cerrito in the San Francisco Bay Area.
• His final performance was at Solnahallen Arena in Stockholm on September 26, 1986; the last song of the concert was 'Fight Fire with Fire', not 'Blitzkrieg'.
• The widely accepted account is that Burton was thrown through a window and the bus rolled over him, not that the bus simply 'landed on top of him'.
• In 2013, Aria released a replica of his signature bass called the "Aria Pro II Cliff Burton Signature Bass" with permission from his family and Metallica.