Early Metallica Collaborator’s ‘Hit the Lights’ Remorse

Lloyd Grant, the guitarist who performed lead guitar on Metallica’s first-ever recording, stated he’d have approached it in another way if he’d identified what it was going to realize.

Drummer Lars Ulrich was nonetheless within the means of forming the band, they usually didn’t but have a lead guitarist once they tracked “Hit the Lights” for inclusion in 1982’s Steel Bloodbath compilation album. Its success started their journey to world acclaim.

“Lars was simply determined to search out individuals he might play with,” Grant informed Steel Hammer in a latest interview. “We have been simply two guys each on the lookout for like-minded individuals, not simply somebody who might play however somebody you’d get together with sufficient to maneuver in collectively.”

Whereas the pair would meet usually and had began writing songs collectively, Ulrich was additionally working with others. “We might be jamming in Lars’ house,” Grant stated, “however he was nonetheless on the lookout for individuals to play with and so after I wasn’t there he was discovering different individuals to play with too. … I do keep in mind he introduced a man into the apply as soon as and it was James Hetfield. They’d obtained a tape and it was an early instrumental model of ‘Hit the Lights,’ however at that time there nonetheless wasn’t a reputation for the band.”

Hearken to Metallica’s ‘Hit the Lights’ from 1982

Grant thought the “Hit the Lights” demo was “proper up [his] alley” when he first heard it, and recalled wishing he’d been one among its writers. Whereas Hetfield and Ulrich had been joined by early bassist Ron McGovney, they nonetheless hadn’t recruited Dave Mustaine as lead guitarist. “We weren’t enjoying any extra, however I do keep in mind he nonetheless approached me when it was simply Lars, James and Ron to go and play with them,” Grant stated. “I went over and we went by way of it a pair instances, which was actually superior.

“After that I obtained one other name, this time to return and report ‘Hit the Lights’ – put down a guitar solo as a result of they have been attempting to get the music onto the compilation Steel Bloodbath. They actually turned a recorder on and simply obtained me doing a solo; if I’d identified simply how a lot curiosity it was going to create I’d have spent far more time on it!”

Grant’s ambition of changing into a full-time musician was by no means realized, partly as a result of he lived alone on the time and wanted a job to “maintain a roof over my head and maintain my automotive on the street.” He remained in shut contact with Ulrich for a number of years afterwards, and he’s nonetheless invited to attend Metallica occasions, together with showing on stage with the present lineup, Mustaine and McGovney in 2011.

Requested the way it felt to be a part of the band’s legacy, he replied: “It feels tremendous vital, my title showing in the identical breath because the story of Metallica. It’s fairly fascinating, however clearly on the time we couldn’t predict the longer term so no one knew what was going to occur!”

Watch Lloyd Grant Visitor with Metallica in 2011