Editing Cliff Burton (section)

== Career ==
While still a student at [[Castro Valley High School]], Burton formed his first band called EZ-Street. The band took its name from a Bay Area topless bar. Other members of EZ-Street included future [[Faith No More]] members [[Jim Martin (musician)|Jim Martin]] and [[Mike Bordin]]. Burton and Martin continued their musical collaboration after becoming students at [[Chabot College]] in [[Hayward, California]]. Their second band, Agents of Misfortune, entered the Hayward Area Recreation Department's Battle of the Bands contest in 1981. Their audition was recorded on video and features some of the earliest footage of Burton's playing style. The video also shows Burton playing parts of what would soon be two Metallica songs: his signature bass solo, "(Anesthesia) - Pulling Teeth", and the chromatic intro to "[[For Whom the Bell Tolls (Metallica song)|For Whom the Bell Tolls]]".<ref name="bass player"/> Burton joined his first professional band, [[Trauma (American band)|Trauma]], in 1982. He recorded the track "Such a Shame" with the band on the second ''Metal Massacre'' compilation.

In 1982, Trauma traveled to Los Angeles to perform at the [[Whisky a Go Go]].<ref name="bass player" /> Among those in attendance were [[James Hetfield]] and [[Lars Ulrich]], both members of [[Metallica]], which had formed the previous year. Upon hearing, as Hetfield described it, "this amazing shredding" (parts of which later became "(Anesthesia) - Pulling Teeth"), the two decided to recruit Burton for their own band. They asked him to replace departed bassist [[Ron McGovney]], and since Burton thought that Trauma was "starting to get a little commercial",<ref name="interview RIP">{{cite web |url=http://www.metallicaworld.co.uk/Interviews/1986_cliff.htm |title=Cliff Burton R.I.P. Interview |publisher=Metallicaworld.com |access-date=April 26, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160829040333/http://www.metallicaworld.co.uk/Interviews/1986_cliff.htm |archive-date=August 29, 2016 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> he agreed. The idea of having to move to Los Angeles did not sit well with Burton, who said he would join only if the band relocated from Los Angeles to his native San Francisco Bay Area.<ref name="bass player"/> Metallica, eager to have Burton in the band, left to make a home in [[El Cerrito, California|El Cerrito]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.artistwd.com/joyzine/music/metallica/history.php|title=JoyZine&nbsp;— Interview with Metallica by Ron Quintana|access-date=October 9, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707165906/http://www.artistwd.com/joyzine/music/metallica/history.php|archive-date=July 7, 2011}}</ref> a town located across the bay from San Francisco.
[[File:Metallica 1983 press photo.jpg|thumb|Metallica in 1983]]
Burton's first recording with Metallica was the ''Megaforce'' demo. A demo tape the band had made prior to Burton's joining, ''No Life 'til Leather'', managed to come into the hands of Jon Zazula, owner of [[Megaforce Records]].<ref name="history">{{cite web|url= http://www.metallica.com/Band/history.asp?part=1|title= Metallica History Part 1|access-date= April 26, 2007|publisher= Metallica|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070418042156/http://www.metallica.com/Band/history.asp?part=1|archive-date= April 18, 2007|df= mdy-all}}</ref> The band relocated to [[Old Bridge Township, New Jersey|Old Bridge]], [[New Jersey]], and quickly secured a recording contract with Zazula's label.<ref name="history"/> Their debut album, ''[[Kill 'Em All]]'', features Burton's showcase, "(Anesthesia) - Pulling Teeth", which displayed his use of effect pedals, such as a [[wah-wah pedal]] and [[Big Muff|Electro Harmonix Big Muff]], which are ‍not commonly used by ‍bassists.

Metallica's debut album, ''Kill 'Em All'', was originally intended to inherit the name of one of their earlier demo releases (predating Burton's participation), which was ''Metal Up Your Ass'', but the record company did not like the title and insisted on changing it. Burton said "We should just kill 'em all, man," which gave the band members an idea for the new title.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}} The album was released on July 25, 1983, through Megaforce Records.

The band's second studio album, ''[[Ride the Lightning]]'', showcased the band's rapidly evolving musical growth.<ref name="Lightning review">{{cite web| url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r12989|pure_url=yes}} |title=''Ride the Lightning'' |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=April 26, 2007}}</ref> Burton's songwriting abilities were growing, and he received credit on six of the album's eight songs.<ref name=autogenerated1>[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r12989|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic Guide, ''Ride the Lightning'' review]. Retrieved April 26, 2007.</ref> Burton's playing style and use of effects is notably showcased on two tracks: the chromatic intro to "[[For Whom the Bell Tolls (Metallica song)|For Whom the Bell Tolls]]" (often mistaken as a guitar intro), and the "lead bass" on "The Call of Ktulu".

The band's improving musicianship on ''Ride the Lightning'' caught the attention of major record labels.<ref name="history"/> Metallica was signed to [[Elektra Records]], and began working on their third album, ''[[Master of Puppets]]'', which is considered by most critics to be a landmark album in heavy metal.<ref name="1001 albums">{{cite book |title=1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, p.548 |author=Dimery, Robert }}</ref> Among the tracks featured in the album are the instrumental "Orion" (which features a prominent lead bass section) and the [[Master of Puppets (song)|title track]], which was Burton's favorite Metallica song.<ref name=autogenerated2>[http://www.metallicaworld.co.uk/Interviews/1986_cliff.htm Cliff Burton R.I.P. Interview] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160829040333/http://www.metallicaworld.co.uk/Interviews/1986_cliff.htm |date=August 29, 2016 }}. Retrieved April 26, 2007.</ref> ''Master of Puppets'' was the band's commercial breakthrough release,<ref>[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4906|pure_url=yes}} Metallica > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums.]. Retrieved April 26, 2007.</ref> and Burton's final album with Metallica.

Burton's final performance was in [[Stockholm]], Sweden, at the [[Solnahallen]] Arena on September 26, 1986, one day before his death.<ref>[http://www.capital.net/~burton/cliffbio.html metal-george's Cliff Burton Page] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303204209/http://www.capital.net/~burton/cliffbio.html |date=March 3, 2016 }}. Retrieved April 26, 2007.</ref> The final song he performed was "Fight Fire With Fire" according to setlist.fm and the cassette included in the deluxe box of Master of Puppets<ref>{{Cite web |title=Master of Puppets (Remastered Deluxe Box Set) {{!}} Metallica.com |url=https://www.metallica.com/releases/reissues/release-5231.html |access-date=March 5, 2022 |website=www.metallica.com |language=en |archive-date=December 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207140526/https://www.metallica.com/releases/reissues/release-5231.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Metallica Setlist at Solnahallen, Stockholm|url=https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/metallica/1986/solnahallen-stockholm-sweden-53d6d759.html|access-date=September 27, 2020|website=setlist.fm|language=en|archive-date=August 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808010513/https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/metallica/1986/solnahallen-stockholm-sweden-53d6d759.html|url-status=live}}</ref> or "Blitzkrieg" according to the band's homepage.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.metallica.com/events/event-9420.html |title=1986-09-26 Stockholm, Sweden {{!}} Metallica.com<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=October 18, 2021 |archive-date=October 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018203349/https://www.metallica.com/events/event-9420.html |url-status=live }}</ref>