As far as I can tell, however, many ugly but successful people take pride in their cutting edge looks. In fact, some would even say that there is a fine line between the beautiful and the not so, especially since beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

And hell, if there are ugly but successful rockers out there, then the rest of us with obvious aesthetic short comings have a real shot at making it big, too. So for your enjoyment and encouragement, I bring you this list of the ugliest successful rockers out there. Learn, live and be proud of your ugly face.

#20: Vinnie Vincent of Kiss

He’s at the bottom of the list because, quite frankly, he’s not that bad looking. What puts Vinnie on my list, actually, is how long his face looks with so much white make up all over it. His once long, thick, curly hair didn’t make things any better, either.

#19: Ian Hill of Judas Priest

Ian Hill is another gentleman who just can’t make it at the top of the ugly list. While the deep grooves in his face combined with his small, brown eyes and ratty hair do make him quite rough and rugged in looks, Ian was once a good looking man.

#18: King Diamond of Mercyful Fate

When you wear as much make up as King Diamond does, it’s hard to tell what you really look like. This is why I’ve placed him at #18. He certainly is ugly when he’s entertaining but I wonder what he looks like fresh out of bed.

#17: Jim Martin of Faith No More

It’s difficult to see in older pictures of Jim Martin, where his hair begins and ends. And behind all that mighty mass of black fluff, there is only the unknown. So Jim goes down on my list for ugly, however talented rockers.

#16: Joey Ramone

Because he is of another generation, I won’t place Joey near the top of my Ugly Rockers list. Instead, he’ll rest gently at #16 for his incredibly long, drawn out face and dark hair, thick brows and blackened eyes.

#15: Elton John

Certainly not the ugliest man you’ve ever seen and certainly no hard rockin’ dude, but there’s still something about Elton that earns him ugly status. Even when he was young and thinner, the chubby faced blonde with that ridiculous space between his teeth is just awful. I will never understand why a man of his stature and with his wealth would never fix those teeth…or has he? I haven’t noticed.

#14: Niko McBrain of Iron Maiden

I have a profound respect for Niko McBrain because he is the nerd who actually became cool. If there ever was a smart but ugly man who knew how to thrash and wail, it’s Niko. Enough said.

#13: Lenny Kilmister of Motorhead

Not only has years of smoking and rocking hard left that old man look on Lenny’s face, but he also sports these very large moles on his face that you just can’t help but stare at. They’re mesmerizing, really.

#12: Tom Petty

I would consider Tom Petty to be one of the most gorgeous, ugly old men I have ever seen. He has the most amazing, piercing blue eyes and that soft, pale, baby skin. The truth is, however, that his skin has aged and his mouth was never pretty to begin with. Tom has large teeth that face forward a bit too much. Nonetheless, he’s an amazing rocker.

#11: Neil Young

Being of a younger generation, I will never truly know whether or not Neil was pretty when he was young. Pun intended. I do, however, know that now, he looks a bit like some leather that’s been left out too long. Never could I say that I wouldn’t stare and watch him play, though.

#10: Ace Frehley of Kiss
Does anybody really know what Ace Frehley looks like?

#9: Dee Snyder

Woah! Dee Schnauzer is more like it! He’s amazing and women love his long hair but you could probably hang a Christmas ornament from that nose of his.

#8: Udo Dirkshneider of U.D.O.

I really want to respect Udo, I do. But I can’t help but notice he looks like an Oompa Loompa. The man is just short, stout and round. It’s a good thing he’s damn good at what he does.

#7: Marilyn Manson

Being an amazing artist who is mainly self taught and bursting with natural talent does not change the fact that Marilyn Manson is hideous. That elongated face, those bones bursting through his skin and all that make up and dread make him exactly what he wants to be.

#6: Mick Jagger

If he were a god, the people could make rivers of his wrinkles. Amazing rocker or not, this man’s face displays years of abuse and trauma. I have to admit, however, that he’s an awesome performer and so much fun to watch.

#5: Steven Tyler of Aerosmith

Beautiful eyes and an exotic mouth don’t hide those lines and that beanpole face. Steven Tyler’s features are still haunting, though and almost beautiful. Which is why he sits pretty at number 5. He’s not actually ugly at all–he’s cutting edge, I think.

#4: Shane MacGowan of Pogues

While paying homage to the difficult life and experiences that Shane has gone through, we still have to put him on the list. He has told his fans that he plans to fix his teeth this year but until I see recent photos, I have to put him at #4. For all of his binge drinking and the loss of his teeth, Shane is just not a good looking guy though he is a great musician.

#3: Iggy Pop

Again with the gorgeous eyes and marked up face. Iggy looks icky and I think he’s totally comfortable with that. While it’s difficult to find photos of most ugly rockers online, there’s never an opportunity missed for an Iggy photo.

#2: Michael Jackson

It had to be done. Michael, though his music does not fit the genre of Rock and Roll, had to be at the top of my Ugly Rockers List. Years of rumored genetic degrading skin conditions combined with far too many surgeries has left the musician mutilated and looking like an alien. It’s devastating, the affect of the aesthetic pressure on entertainment industry professionals.

#1: Billy Milano of S.O.D./M.O.D.
Because I’m told that his attitude and demeanor match that of how he looks, I’ve placed Billy Milano at the top of my list. With a reputation for not bathing as well as having a foul mouth without cause, Billy Milano is not a rocker to be proud of and, therefore, is the Number One Ugliest Rocker of All Time.

Reflections

No matter how ugly any of these men really are, nothing can stop the fact that they are successful and on top of the world in some way. In fact, many of the rockers on this list have been awarded for their work and are revered worldwide, still selling out on tours. So find comfort in your own skin no matter how it looks. Success does not have to be dictated by appearance

For more information about ugly rockers or for photos, do a google search on ugly rockers. Rock on!

Newsted Rings in 2001 With a Departure
On January 17th, 2001, Jason Newsted released a statement that he was leaving the Metallica band for “private and personal reasons…and [because of] the physical damage I have done to myself over the years while playing the music that I love.”

Newsted later told interviewers that he planned to work on a project with his side band Echobrain, which Hetfield was against while he was a part of Metallica. James felt that outside projects took inspiration and creativity away from the band and its vision. He even compared Newsted’s decision to work with Echobrain while a part of Metallica, to cheating on a spouse. The comments had sparked an unofficial argument in the past and Newsted blasted back at Hetfield, noting all of the outside work he had done.

The band claims that the break between them and Newsted was amicable and that there was profound respect between them but snide remarks have, over the years, been noted on both ends. Newsted now admits that the other band members of Metallica often hazed him and ridiculed him. The band’s behavior against Newsted has been attributed amongst some fans to being caused by their pain over Cliff’s death.

In April of 2001 Metallica became part of a film project. Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky, two reputed documentary filmmakers, recorded the making of the band’s next album. They wound up with over 1,000 hours of footage but on July 19th, before the project could be released, Hetfield entered rehab for alcohol and drug addiction. The recording stopped and so did the band’s future.

December 4, 2001 marked the band’s new beginning. They went back to the studio and Hetfield returned to work with them part time. The finished project Some Kind of Monster, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and made moderate waves. The most notable portion of the documentary for some, was Jason Newsted’s decision to put his former band members down, using expletives and name calling, for hiring a therapist in trying to solve their problems.

New Bass for Metallica
2002 was pretty much hiatus for Metallica. They unofficially toured Some Kind of Monster in Sacramento and San Francisco from June 4th, 2002 to May 22, 2003 in 7 single shows. They also threw a party for 100 contest winners but all in all, stayed relatively close to home, something that many attribute to James’s need to be near his family.

2003 held better days as Metallica held auditions for Newsted’s replacement in the band. They recorded St. Anger with Bob Rock but it was time to get someone who would stick around for the long haul. They auditioned Pepper Keenan, Scott Reeder, Eric Avery, Jeordie White, Danny Lohner and Chris Wyse and, of course Robert Trujillo.

Robert has had quite a career himself as you can see in Soundetta’s Metallica biography. He was bassist for Suicidal Tendancies and Ozzy Osbourne’s band as well. The irony is that Jason Newsted joined Vovoid, a Canadian metal band but also replaced Trujillo in Osbourne’s band for the 2003 Ozzfest Tour. Even more interesting is that Vovoid also performed at the Osbourne shows.

June marked the occasion of Metallica’s 8th album being released. They, as you know, named it St. Anger and though it reached number one on the Billboard 200, many fans weren’t happy. There were noted dislikes for the aggression in the album, the crisp sounding snare drums which were overdone and the lack of guitar solos, which Metallica has been known for in the past.
Some enjoyed the album, however, and the title track won a Grammy for Best Metal Performance in 2004. It was also featured as the official theme song for the WWE’s 2003 Summer Slam.

Big Messes Little Successes for 04 and 05
The 2004 Download Festival in England was interesting for the band. Ulrich wound up in the hospital with an illness the band would not talk about and was unable to perform. Hetfield replaced him with Dave Lombardo from Slayer and Joey Jordison from Slipknot, both whom had volunteered.

As it turned out, Lombardo performed Battery and The Four Horsemen while Jordison picked up everything else. That is, with the exception of Fade to Black, which was performed by Flemming Larsen, Ulrich’s drum technician, which was awesome. I would imagine that if I were a drum technician and had the opportunity to play on stage for Metallica, I would do it happily, permitting my nerves would let me.

2005 was nothing special for the band. They spent most of their time with friends and family, which has been noted by both the band mates and hard core fans. Metallica did, however, perform two shows, both opening for the Rolling Stones on November 13th and 15th that year.

From 2006 to Now
Change is likely something the members of Metallica feel very used to. After 15 years with the band, Bob Rock decided against producing Metallica’s next album and instead, the band worked with producer Rick Rubin. Rubin has produced albums for Danzig, System of a Down, Slipknot and Slayer and holds quite a reputation in the metal industry.

Though the band wrote a couple of new songs, Trujillo was seemingly skeptical about them. Instead of releasing an album at that time, Metallica released a DVD of all the music videos they were responsible for from 89 to 04. They named it The Videos 1989-2004 and sold 28,000 copies in it’s first week out. It reached the Billboard Top Videos chart at #3 and their cover of Ennio Morricone’s The Ecstasy of Gold won them Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the Grammys.

On February 9th, 2007 the band released a statement confirming that they were finished with pre-production on their 9th album and that recording would begin shortly. On March 12th, they were back in the studio and in December they sat with their new producer polishing the album.

The band has said that they want to release the album in September which seems to have some fans upset over the constant waiting and others uncaring with a lack of faith in them currently. The buzz is, however, that there will be more guitar solos, harder ripping, longer wailing and more melody, too. Apparently the band has decided to listen up to what fans want and I’m anxious to see the outcome. Be sure to check out the tour that’s coming up as another milestone in the history of Metallica. Rock On and get more Metallica information from Soundetta’s Musician Biographies.

Let’s continue with our Metallica biography, here come the nineties.

1990

It has now been a few years since the death of Metallica bassist Cliff Burton. The glam rock era is long over and Metallica has opened up the world of metal and served it to the public like a hot meal.

Their next step: Create an even bigger portal to metal music for the mainstream world to enjoy, all the while building the Metallica empire.

Metallica: The Black Album

Despite it being their 5th album and not their 1st, Metallica dubbed their next music creation self titled. And since the name Metallica didn’t stick as the album’s name for the public, it became known as The Black Album.

Produced by Bob Rock, who has also worked with The Cult, Motley Crue and Bon Jovi, the band began recording the project in One On One Studio in North Hollywood. The process, however, took much longer than anyone expected. It was remixed at least three times, cost over a million dollars and became a wedge between many people, as time consuming projects usually do.

Finally in 1991 the album was released and it sold over 600,000 copies in it’s first week. KROQ, an infamous rock station out of Los Angeles began happily playing the songs on the radio and the album wound up going platinum. The result was their Wherever We May Roam Tour which lasted 14 months and took them through countries like the U.S., England and Japan.

1992: More Touring and Bad Luck

I sometimes wonder if it’s coincidence that metal and heavy metal performers often have a streak of bad luck due to delving into the macabre. On August 8, 1992 Hetfield suffered second and third-degree burns to a good portion of his body. Apparently the pyrotechnics system caused confusion on stage and Hetfield ended up walking through a 12 foot flame while singing to Fade To Black. The incident once again took the guitar out of Hetfield’s hands. This time John Marshall came to the rescue and helped the band finish their tour.

1993

While Hetfield continued to heal and tour with the band through 92, the end of 93 marked the release of Live Shit: Binge & Purge. Live Shit is a collection of memorabilia, videos, writings, letters and other various hoopla for the fans to enjoy. Other than that and the dwindling tour, however, 1993 was rather a quiet year for the band, universally speaking.

Load and Reload

Finally finishing up their tour late 1994 with Woodstock, the band retreated to the studio to begin working on it’s sixth album. In the middle of 1995, however, Metallica took a break, only playing 3 shows and naming the event Escape From the Studio 95.

The end of the short Escape tour marked the restart of the band’s dedication to the studio. In 1996, Load was released.

Some seem to think that the envelope pushing front cover of the Load album, which is called Blood and Semen III, marks some kind of change for Metallica. I disagree. The music contained inside the release of Load is what marked the somewhat unappreciated changes in Metallica. Hetfield, having been burned, cut his hair, which was understandable. With the release of Load, however, Metallica presented themselves as a crew cut, rag tag team and wound up headlining the very alternative rock festival Lollapalooza. Though the album wound up on the Billboard 200 and ARIA Charts at number one, many fans were angered by the band’s changes and accused them of “selling out”.

During the production of Load, Metallica had written enough material for two albums, which is how Reload came about. The second wave of songs that did not make in onto Load now had a home and proudly peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200 and #2 on the Top Canada Album Chart. Nevermind the fact that the second album cover was also created by Serrano, this time using blood and urine. To promote the album, Metallica performed on Saturday Night Live in 1997.

1998 and Garage, Inc.

Finally able to release their double album, Metallica created and released Garage, Inc. in 1998. Returning to their roots, Metallica placed on the first album in the collection, covers of great songs by their favorite bands like The Misfits, Killing Joke, Mercyful Fate and Black Sabbath. The second disc was a new release of the original The $5.95 EP: Garage Days-Revisited. The combination of flashbacks along with the rare recordings of the EP took the album to #2 on the Billboard 200. The band spent 1999 both relaxing and promoting the album.

Metallica Becomes Spoiled

The year 2000 marked the controversial actions of Lars, who basically sued Napster when the band found out that their demo song I Disappear was being played on the radio. Apparently the song had not yet been released and was, in fact, supposed to be released on the Mission Impossible II soundtrack. When the band traced where the song had leaked to the public, they discovered Napster and it was all over from there. The band even went so far as to hire a consulting firm to spy on Napster and uncover it’s networking and file sharing practices.

The controversy, in combination with Ulrich’s vehement disdain for Napster resulted in it’s liquidation despite the fact that originally, the company was only ordered to remove anyone sharing music files of bands and musicians who do not want their work shared. In the end, Metallica lost some fan base and Blender Magazine called Metallica one of the “Biggest Wusses in Rock”.

A Mottled History

The years that Metallica experienced, as outlined in this article, definitely convey the kind of mottled style or genre that’s associated with Metallica. They have gone through some very rewarding moments as well as some serious let downs and misunderstandings. And though the band has lost many of it’s original die hard fans of the 80s, their current fan base has done nothing but grow and the band continues to thrive through the 90s.

1986 marked the release of Metallica’s 3rd album Master of Puppets, a dark but fun ride through the artistic vision of the legendary Metallica crew.

A relief for some from the glam rock era, it reached number 29 on the Billboard 200 and is considered one of the most successful albums in rock history. That success, however, became bitter sweet and the band faced many complications after Master of Puppets.

Cliff Burton’s Death
Devastation hit the band on September 27th, 1986, with the death of their beloved “lead bassist,” Cliff Burton. While in Stockholm on the Damage Inc. tour, promoting Master of Puppets, the band members played their usual game of cards before heading to bed in their less-than-desirable tour bus. The winner would determine who got the most comfortable bed, which that night, was Cliff, who chose Hammett’s bunk.

According to the bus driver, he hit a patch of black ice and the bus skid out of control. The bus tipped over, throwing Cliff through an open window, and then landed on him. The band was devastated and reports of the bus crushing Cliff again when the wench lifting it broke, were in the papers. Hetfield remains an avid believer that the bus driver was either drunk or too tired to drive. Regardless, the entire world of rock and roll seemed to grieve Burton’s death with Metallica and their uncertain future seemed to further damage the band.

Later on that year, with grieving hearts producing new material, and the blessing of the Burton family, Metallica went on and began searching for a new bassist. In Cliff’s honor, however, a memorial was built in Stockholm, near the crash site where loyal fans gather each year to honor his life.

1987
Taking the time to get to know their new bassist, Jason Newsted, the band kept their appearances to a minimum though they finished their tour and began developing new material. In March of 87, however, Hetfield broke his wrist while skateboarding and so guitarist Miller rejoined them for a time.

Later on that year, the band released Cliff ‘Em All, a video tribute to Cliff Burton’s 3 years with the band, including tapings of his solos, songs that he had written and other media like his home videos and photographs. They also released The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited in August to test the skills of Jason amongst the public.

..And Justice for All
1988 marked a new beginning for Metallica since Burton’s death. They released …And Justice for All, which became their commercial success. It hit number 6 on the Billboard 200 which was a first for the band. In fact, the album went platinum just nine weeks after it’s release, with hit singles like Eye Of The Beholder, Harvester Of Sorrow and One.

Despite Newsted’s claims that his bass was turned down on …And Justice for All and that his ideas and suggestions for the band’s growth were ignored, the band led their own Damaged Justice tour to promote the album which gave the band it’s first Grammy nomination.

That Grammy nomination, however, was also bitter sweet for the band. They had been told prior to the event that they would be accepting the award and that the award winner, Jethro Tull, was told not to appear since he would not be receiving the award. At the last second, however, with the band waiting aside the stage to approach for the prize, Jethro’s name was announced and the event was later labeled one of “Grammy’s 10 Biggest Upsets” for Entertainment Weekly Magazine.

When it came to breaking into the world of music videos, Metallica went into an abandoned warehouse to perform One. Footage for the video was remixed with excerpts from the film Johnny Got his Gun and when licensing issues arose, Metallica bought the rights to the film. The video was then submitted to MTV with an alternate version on the side just in case MTV refused to play the remix. But happy with it, MTV accepted the racy video, giving Metallica their first visual exposure to the world of recording. The video was voted 38 on Top 100 Videos of All Time in 1999.

Giant Baby Steps
Though the band seemed to be making only baby steps during the first few years after Cliff’s death, the amount of work and dedication that went into promoting, healing and selling the band is immeasurable.

During this time the band was improving sound and talent. And with the added stress of Hetfield’s re-broken hand and the on-and-off love/hate relationship causing tension between the band and new band member Newsted, the rough journey through it kept feuling the band’s fire. Metallica had a long road ahead of them by the end of 1989.

Their sound, however, is what makes their gear list so intriguing and as the band changes with each year, their gear does as well. That, combined with the band members private collection of instruments that they choose to play from, some of which they don’t speak to the public about, makes keeping tabs on their gear list so impossible.

I have for you, however, a great list of the known items played by the metal gods.

James Hetfield

Guitars:
ESP Guitars configured with 2 volume knobs and a 3 way toggle switch
White Explorer - middle finger inlays
White Explorer - dot inlays
Black Explorer - Wood burned Elk Skull and Barbed Wire inlays
Black Explorer - Diamond Plate
Black Explorer - Man to Wolf inlays
Black Explorer - Snake inlays
Black Explorer - Deer Skull inlays
Black Explorer - Dot inlays
Black Explorer - Eagle inlays
Black Explorer - NRA inlays
Black Double-Neck Explorer - Ducks inlays (crispy)
Black JH-1 Flying V -Red Hot Rod flames
Black JH-1 Flying V -Green Hot Rod flames w/Hot Rod stickers
Kenny Lawrence Explorer
Gibson Explorer
1966 Martin D-28 acoustic guitar
Fender reissue ‘52 Telecaster w/Parsons White
Three late ’50’s Gibson Les Paul Sunburst Gold Top Custom
1963 Gibson SG
National ResoLectric

Amps:
Mesa Boogie Strategy 400 Power Amplifiers
Mesa Boogie Mark IV
Mesa Boogie Custom Graphic E.Q. Unit
Mesa Boogie Amp Switcher
Mesa Boogie Triaxis Preamp, both stock and modified
Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier
Mesa Boogie 4×12 Speaker Cabinets
Roland JC 120
Celestion Vintage 30w Speakers

Effects and Such:
EMG PickUps
Bradshaw Patch Bay Custom
Boss SE-50 FX Processor
Juice Goose Rack Power 300
Bradshaw RSB-12 Switching System and Pedal Board
Aphex Parametric E.Q.
Morley Rack Mount
Nady 950 UHF Receivers and Transmitters
Sony 820 Wireless Receivers and Transmitters
Ernie Ball Strings
Gibson Strings
Ascot Road Cases
Pro Co Sound Cables
Ultra Case Guitar Stand
Peterson 520 Strobe Tuner

Jason Newsted (former bassist)

Guitars:
Sadowsky Bass Guitars:
4 Strings: Lake Placid Blue Vintage, Black Vintage, PJ Cherry, and PJ Caramel Sunburst
5 Strings: Vintage Black, Vintage Cherry Sunburst, 24 Fret Black w EMG 40J pickups
1981 4 String Spector NS
1958 Fender Precision
Zon Fretless Guitar
1968 Fender Telecaster Bass
Gibson EB-3 6 String
Chandler Metro Bariton Bass
1933 National Dobro
Hagstrom 8 String Bass
Parker Fly
Music Man 4 and 5 String Basses
Stuart Spector Designs 4, 5 and 6 String
Hammer 8 and 12 String Basses

Amps:

1974 Ampeg SVT head
Mesa/Boogie with SWR Heads
Gibson Skylark Guitar amp
Mesa Boogie 1×15 combo
New Ampeg SVT cabinets
Fender Folded Horn 1×18
Ampeg SVT Vintage
Ampeg SVT III
Ampeg SVT 8″x10″ Cabinets

Effects and such:
Boss Flanger
MXR Phase 100
Electro Harmonix Big Muff
Alesis Mediverb II
Korg G-5 Bass Synth Processor
BBE Sonic Maximizer
Morley Power Boost

Kirk Hammett

Guitars:

ESP Guitars
WaveCaster
M-II - Skull #1
M-II - Skull #2
M-II - Boris Karloff Mummy graphic
M-II - Ouija board graphic
M-II - F–k You
Flying V - Devil finger inlays
Eclipse
ESP Semi-Acoustic Eclipse
Fender Stratocaster SRV Black
Fender Stratocaster Natural
Gibson Les Paul Custom Black
Parker Fly
1963 Gold Fender Stratocaster
1958 Gibson Flying V
1960 Gibson Explorer
All Aluminum Roswell Randy Rhoads Flying V
Gibson Super 400
Early Gibson Les Paul Jackson Randy Rhodes V - black
Ibanez Stratocaster Black

Amps:
Mesa Boogie Strategy 400
Mesa Boogie 4 x 12 speaker cabinets
Mesa Boogie Triaxis preamp
Mesa Boogie MK IV Amp
Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier
Marshall JMP-1

Effects and Such:
Roland VG-8
Nady 1200 Wireless receivers and transmitters
ADA MP-1 Preamp
ADA MQ-1 EQ
Boss SE-50
Eventide H3000 SE
Multiple Foot Pedals Custom Rackmount
EMB Audio Remote Wah units
Rocktron Juice Extractor
Custom Audio Electronics preamp
EMB/Ernie Ball Wah Pedals-custom
Aphex Parametric EQ
Bradshaw Switching System
Marshall 4 x 12 speaker cabinets
Ascot Road cases
Dunlop pedals
Pro-Co sound cables
EMG 81 Pickups
Marshall practice amps
Whirlwind channel boxes
Rocktron RSB-18F pedal boards
Peterson 520 strobe tuner
Floyd Rose Tremelo Systems
Dean Markley strings
Ibanez Tube Screamer
R & R road cases

Lars Ulrich

Drums:

Zildjian Cymbals
14″ Z Dyno Beat High Hat
17″ A Medium Crash
18″ A Medium Crash
20″ A Custom Swish
18″ Oriental China Crash
14″ Z Dyno Beat High Hat
17″ A Medium Crash
19″ A Medium Crash
18″ Medium Crash
20″ Z Custom China Boy
Tama Drums
Star Classic Maple kit
16×22 Bass
16×22 Bass
6.5×14 Snare
9×10 Tom Tom
10×12 Tom Tom
16×16 Floor Tom
16×18 Floor Tom
Remo Drumheads
Tom Tom Batterheads D
Tama Titan Cymbal Boom
Tama HP45 Pro Beat Pedals
Tama Titan HS90 Snare Stand
Tama Titan HT90 Throne
Tama Lever-Glide HH95NL Hi-Hat
Tama X-Hat HH95XH
Pinstripes
Tom Tom Bottomheads D Ebony
Bass Batterheads D Pinstripes
Snare Batterheads D Coded Reverse Dot
Snare Bottomheads D Embassador Snarehead

Robert Trujillo (current bassist)

Gear:
Tobias Classic 5-string
Basic 5-string
Basic 6-string called “Uno Mas”
Fretless Basic 6-string
Fernandes 8-string
Music Man StingRay 5-string
Dean Markley Magnum Roundwounds
Nady Wireless Feeds
T.C Electronic Chorus Pedal
DBX 160X Compressor
Uchida Splitter Box
Ampeg SVT III Heads
Ampeg SVT810DL cabinet
Peavy 5150 Amp

Control
In the end, this is a good solid list of some very awesome equipment. And when the equipment is set up properly, learned properly and researched, what you get is a great deal of control over your art. So beef it up Metallica style and start your collection one piece at a time.

I guess you like it or you just don’t!

Say it with me. Metallica. Just looking at the word has probably already reminded you of a favorite poster, music video or perhaps the snarling face of James Hetfield himself. Metallica is a world renowned band with seemingly endless success, a lust for the crowds and a deep history.

The Band is Formed
1981, after being rejected by Metal Church, Lars Ulrich put an ad in the L.A. Recycler, advertising that he would like to meet other musicians to ‘jam’ with. Hugh Tanner and Hetfield, of then band Leather Charm, answered. Soon after the three met up, Ulrich stole the name Metallica from his friend Quintana, who was trying to come up with a catchy fan magazine name.

Despite Tanner only being with the band a short time, James, Lars and Dave Mustaine recorded their first song Hit The Lights for the Metal Massacre 1 Compilation with Lloyd Grant on guitar. Despite their name being misspelled on the album cover, Hit The Lights created plenty of PR and prompted their first live show on March 14th in 1982. At this point, Metallica had once again replaced their bassist with Ron McGovney.

Fall of 82 presented more opportunity for Metallica. Ulrich and Hetfield went to the Whisky where they saw Cliff Burton performing in a band called Trauma. Burton, who was known for his heavy use of distortion and effects on his bass, an unusual practice, displayed a natural talent. Lars and James enjoyed his performance so much, that after the show, they asked him to join them so that McGovney could be replaced. Burton originally refused but later took the job, only requiring that the band move to San Francisco. And they did for a brief while.

Money issues with the band’s label, drug and alcoholism on Mustaines behalf and a plethora of other factors forced Mustaine out of the band and welcomed Kirk Hammett. Together, the new Metallica played their first show with Hammett in April of 1983 at The Showplace in Dover. The Mustaine split caused a raucous and the band’s hard personality shines through during times like this.

Later in 1983 the band went to New York where they recorded their first official album named Metal Up Your Ass. Controversy amongst the business men at the record label and the distributors, forced the renaming of the album to Kill ‘Em All. The album was released on Megaforce Records and was a success for the band’s underground PR. This was the breaking point for Metallica and put them on the Billboard 200, though not very high.

In 1984 Metallica traveled with Venom and performed with them at the Aardschok Festival in Holland. Later that same year, they recorded Ride The Lightning in Copenhagen and released it shortly after. Ride The Lightning hit the Billboard 200 a bit higher than Kill ‘Em All and marked another mild success for the band.

Success Happens
The year: Still 1984. Cliff Burnstein of Q-Prime Management and Elektra Records director Michael Alago stumbled across Metallica at one of their random concerts. Shortly after Metallica was signed to Elektra Records and became represented by Q-Prime. Their first big tour ensued in Europe shortly after and upon returning to the U.S. they began headlining with Armored Saint and W.A.S.P.

August 1985 marked their biggest show yet with the Monsters of Rock Festival. Ratt and Bon Jovi were among the other artists that played the Monsters of Rock at Donington Park, England with around 70,000 fans. Shortly after, Metallica also played in front of 55,000-60,000 at the Day on the Green Festival.

In March of 1986 Metallica released their 3rd album, Master of Puppets. This album was marked at 29 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the charts for over 70 weeks. Master of Puppets marked the big beginning for Metallica’s long and successful career but was a bitter sweet triumph when in September of 86, the band’s tour bus drove out of control, tipping on its side and crushing bassist Cliff Burton. The band was devastated but with the blessing of his family, they replaced him with Jason Newsted and moved forward.

What it All Means
There is nothing more telling than that of a artistic human being that has come from a place of tragedy, success, failure, pain and happiness. Individually, each member of Metallica, former and current, has a unique and deep rooted story to tell. While I have only been able to outline the very beginning of their amazing lives and careers, the story does not begin or end here. History has a way of beginning and ending throughout the generations only to begin and end again. Rock on. Read on. More Metallica articles coming your way.

June 19, 2007 marked the release of Bon Jovi’s most recent album, Lost Highway. Despite mixed reviews and a seemingly upset rock fan base, the album has sold over 3 million copies in the U.S. alone and debuted on the Billboard 200.

They took the top spot on the list, a first for the band since 1988. It has also debuted at the top in Japan and was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2008 Grammy Awards, though it did not win.

In support of the album, Bon Jovi put on a 10 show mini tour known by fans as the Lost Highway Tour, which sold out in many places around the world. But let’s be honest about the songs in Lost Highway. Only a few are getting real attention and even with it’s impeccable selling record, plenty of rock fans won’t touch it. Let’s take a closer look from my rock loving point of view:

Lost Highway
While Jon’s raspy and enticing alto voice is still a welcome sound in the new album, the country twang and literal lyrics of the song leave me feeling like his role as a family man these days has quashed the ‘in your face’ attitude that we have all come to know and expect from Jovi. Maybe his positive take on the direction in his life is exactly what the generation of the 80’s needs while raising their family. I, however, missed the rock, the rifts and the screams. I craved the Bon Jovi rebel in this song but I will admit that it’s a song the kids in my family can listen to with me.

Summertime
Summertime opens with a punk/80’s rock rift that’s hopeful but the song soon drops into a fun and poppy beach picnic song. It’s definitely the kind of song that I could play at a family get together but left me feeling empty the same way that Lost Highway did.

You Want to Make a Memory (Pop Version)
This song opens with just some strings, audio effects and beat riddled rhymes that are littered through Jon’s seemingly fun lyrics. The song soon turns serious, however and eases into a ballad that’s just perfect for the sound track on a chick flick.
If it had been a sad, lonely day I could have curled up with some wine and stared off into my imagination with this melancholy tune. It is the most professional and so far, best song on the album with my stamp of approval.

Whole Lot of Leaving
Soft and crisp guitar joined by Jon’s signature voice and some soft rock tinted with that country whine seem to make Whole Lot of Leaving a warm up point for the album. This song establishes the theme and marks my beginning to feel like Lost Highway is a decent compromise between what mom and dad want to hear at your family functions and the attitude rock that you prefer.

We Got it Going On
Caught somewhere between Metallica’s rough and rugged rifts, Billy Ray’s twang and the strange sounds of the synthetic 80’s, you get We Got it Going On. This song appears to be homage to Bon Jovi’s confidence and self image. It’s the kind of song that young line dancers want to hear in their clubs but made me remember what Bon Jovi negatively said about Williams and Oasis to a popular publication.

Any Other Day
Upbeat but melodic is the best way to describe Any Other Day and if it weren’t for how redundant the clear, loud opening that Jon delivers at the beginning of each song is, this one might have been given half a chance before I hit the next button.

Seat Next to You
The flowing steal guitars in Seat Next to You combined with Jon’s overwhelming voice, start this duet which really takes me back to the sappy 80’s Jovi I appreciate. Despite it’s overly simple lyrics, the song tells a story and I was easily swept away in it for a time. Though it hasn’t made my favorites list, I enjoyed listening to this one.

Everybody’s Broke
With an opening I could swear belonged to Alanis Morisette, Everybody’s Broke starts off a disappointment but is surprisingly saved by Jon’s attempt at conveying a positive message behind the trials and pains of life’s obstacles.
Rough but structured break downs leave you wondering what’s next and feeling fulfilled in the end. This excellent song definitely lets you know that the album is in full swing. It’s a great power ballad.

The Last Night
A Choppy and awkward start melts into a typical pop love song of struggle and promises. It was not a favorite of mine and the overly used country influence made me bitter over Bon Jovi’s new sound.

One Step Closer
The sweet but melancholic intro of this song crashes into a poppy and common sound that you swear was written by a young country star for a boy band. One Step Closer left me searching for relief with the next button.

I Love This Town
This very fun country song reminds you of the last time you were drunk in Mexico with friends. It opens up fast and fun and gets to the point very quickly, making it an instant hit. This is the kind of song you want to play at a party with mixed company, though it’s nothing you would have expected from Jovi when he was more metal.

You Want to Make a Memory (Pop Edit Version)
This is an even more professional version of the song. Any country twang is completely replaced by violin, melody and soft piano accents. The chorus is much stronger in this version though the pro quo duet that eventually comes in is a little too much.
All in all, however, this song is a nice example of a modern day Bon Jovi and I enjoyed it more than the previous version.

You Want to Make a Memory Live at the Cannery Ballroom
At this point, a live performance of this song on the album it was released with, making it the 3rd copy on the Lost Highway album, tells you that the band obviously released it as a single. It also tells you that perhaps the band already knew which songs were worth while and which ones weren’t.

In reflection of the album, which I thoroughly listened to for hours over a stretch of a week, I feel that Bon Jovi could have spent more time scrapping the many duds and releasing some more substantial songs than We Got it Going on, The Last Night and One Step Closer. While I agree that a couple of the songs they’ve chosen as hits are definitely pleasant to my ears, Lost Highway is a prime example of Bon Jovi’s recipe for success: Write lots of songs, hope that some will do well.

In support of the band; When Bon Jovi makes a hit, they really make one. Their singles never let them down and usually fill the stadiums they perform at. You want to make a memory, the Pop Edit Version, has been added to my long list of favorites. Rock on with Jon.

Since the early 80’s Bon Jovi has been sharing with the world their passionate hard rock tunes and love for clean, fresh melodies.

And as the legend continues, a look into Bon Jovi’s roots gives fans and onlookers an insightful understanding of where the band started and how its members grew into the popular stars that they are today.

John Bongiovi, Jr.
In Perth Amboy, New Jersey on March 2nd 1962, Jon Bon Jovi was born John Bongiovi Jr. to parents Carol Sharkey and John Bongiovi Sr. who were both marines. They raised him in Sayreville, New Jersey and his love for music became apparent early when he first began playing instruments at around 13 years old. He favored strings and piano but specifically, John is experienced with the acoustic guitar, rhythm guitar and harmonica as well.

John began his first band, Raze, at 13 while attending St. Joseph High School, a Catholic school for boys. He later transferred to Sayreville War Memorial High school because of poor grades, early testament to the mild but rebellious attitude of Bon Jovi.

At 16 John met David Bryan and together they formed a cover band called Atlantic City Expressway. Around this time Bongiovi also played in the band John Bongiovi and the Wild Ones, who appeared at clubs and often opened for local bands.

In 1982 John Bongiovi, now an adult, left his part time retail job at a shoe store to work as a janitor at Power Station Studios in Manhattan, where his cousin was co-owner. While at Power Station John was able to make several demos, produced by his uncle, and send them out, though nothing much came of his hard work.

In 83, however, John stumbled across an opportunity to put his song “Runaway” on a compilation released by WAPP 103.5 out of Lake Success New York. “Runaway” was made possible by guitarists Dave Sabo and Tim Pierce. Frankie La Rocka was on drums for the song and Roy Brittan was keyboardist while Hugh MacDonald played bass.

Though John was reluctant about permitting the station to use the song, he allowed it and the song gained major recognition and bounced from one radio station to another. The group was underway. They signed with a popular label, who insisted they become Bon Jovi and their legend began.

With John Bongiovi in charge and on lead vocals, the band released their self titled debut in 1984 which went gold and began the long, famous journey of the Bon Jovi band.

The official band members of Bon Jovï:

• Jon Bon Jovi, Lead Singer
• Richie Sambora, Guitarist
• David Bryan, Keyboardist
• Alec John Such, Bassist
• Tico Torres, Drummer

In between touring in 1989, John himself enjoyed a brief hiatus with his new wife, Dorothea Hurley, who was once his high school sweetheart. They married on April 29, 1989 in Las Vegas at the Graceland Wedding Chapel. John and Dorothea have had four children together. Stephanie Rose Bongiovi, who was born on May 31, 1993, Jesse James Louis Bongiovi, born February 19, 1995, Jacob Hurley Bongiovi, who was born May 7, 2002 and Romeo Jon Bongiovi, the youngest, who was born on March 29th in 2004.

Bon Jovi’s Success
Bon Jovi, the band, released their self titled debut in 1984 which went gold. “Runaway” was officially Bon Jovi’s first Top 40 Hit. The hit, however, was bitter-sweet when John’s previously mentioned cousin from Power Station sued John and the band because he felt that he was responsible for the band’s distinctive sound, which was a big part of their success. The suit was later settled out of court in 1986 and never really had much of an impact on the rest of the band’s career.

From the rest of 84 into 85, the band released a couple of moderately successful albums including 7800 Fahrenheit. In 1986, however, they released Slippery When Wet which to date has sold more than 26 million copies.

In 1987 John assisted in producing Cher’s “comeback” album at the request of David Geffen. The album was titled Cher and John co-wrote her hit single “We All Slep Alone”, which he also performed back up vocals for. John enjoyed the experience so much that he later helped produce Cher’s best-selling album Heart of Stone.

In 1988 Bon Jovi released New Jersey, which sold 28 million in the U.S. alone and had 8 top-ten hit songs including 4 number one songs.
With plenty of songs, many of which were co-written by Desmond Child, Bon Jovi went on tour from 1988 to 1990 and visited dozens upon dozens of countries and countless cities. During their tour, in 1989 the band appeared and performed on the MTV Music Awards as well. Their entrancing performance there inspired the later successful Unplugged live performance show, an ongoing MTV show which Kurt Cobain later performed on.

After Bon Jovi’s long tour, the band took a break from the pop scene and both John and Richie released successful solo albums. This was also a time for the band members to have personal time, time which many of them reported to have spent with their families.

Back together in 1992, Bon Jovi released Keep The Faith, which marked turning points for the band. The melody was smoother, more calm and the lyrics now had deeper meaning, noting social and religious problems in the United States at the time. The Keep The Faith singles “Bed of Roses”, “Keep the Faith” and “In These Arms” made the Top 40 on the charts in the U.S.

1994 marked the release of Cross Road, a compilation of Bon Jovi’s best hits with 2 new, additional songs. One of the new songs, “Always”, became one of Bon Jovi’s most successful songs ever, making the album a hit.

The 1995 album released by Bon Jovi was These Days, the band’s sixth studio album. The single noted as a chart topper is “This Ain’t a Love Song”. The album sold over 11 million copies all around the world but was the last thing Bon Jovi did before their much longer break which didn’t end until 2000. This period of time was meant for more personal growth between the band members and more time spent raising families.

The band returned yet again in 2000 with the album called Crush. Though the album itself was only moderately successful, the album harbored the bands most successful song of their entire career to date, “It’s My Life.”

In 2002 the band released Bounce but the album was not much of a success. This was a turning point for Bon Jovi and many of its members began to branch out in other areas of their careers, including writing and performing for other artists.

Jon Bon Jovi as an Actor and Soloist

Over his long, successful career, John himself has become quite an actor. He has appeared in many television shows, played major roles in several hit movies and poked around a bit in low budget films as well.

John has played in…

• Moonlight and Valentino
• Destination Anywhere
• Homegrown
• The Leading Man
• Little City
• No Looking Back
• Row Your Boat
• U 571
• Young Guns II
• Vampires Los Muertos
• Cry Wolf
• National Lampoon’s Pucked
• Pay It Forward
• Ally McBeal, television
• Sex and the City, television
• The West Wing, television
• Las Vegas, television
• The Sims Superstar, television

John’s Solo Albums/Productions:

• Blaze of Glory, 1990
• Destination Anywhere, 1997

Bon Jovi Today
To date, Bon Jovi has sold over 120 million copies of their albums world wide and despite the calmness that seems to have pushed their career into moderation, the band continues to create success.

On June 19th, 2007, Bon Jovi released Lost Highway which has proven moderate success and opened the world’s door to Bon Jovi once again. Since then the band has gone back on tour, appearing mainly in Australia through 2007 and throughout Portugal this year.

More modernly, Bon Jovi is becoming known for their hits in Country Music, the genre that the band seems to have comfortably settled into in their maturity. In fact, 2006 marked the winning of the band’s Grammy for Best Country Collaboration on the song “Who Says You Can’t Go Home.”

You can learn more about Bon Jovi’s current tour in Portugal and when they plan to return to the United States on their official website at www6.islandrecords.com.

The band has only been together since 1996, just more than a decade, and they’ve already found their way into the the RIAA, going Diamond with Hybrid Theory.

From metal to rock, rapcore to alternative, Linkin Park also helps bridge the gap that separates fans into subcultures, essentially becoming the glue that seemingly allows the youth in America to identify with other youth from a different calling.

So what is it that has allowed Linkin Park such a prestigious reputation? Answer: Besides talent and hard work, the right gear…

Mike Shinoda: Front Man, Guitar, Vocals, MC
Everyone knows that Mike is the band’s front man, so it’s no wonder he is listed first. He uses a PRS Custom 24 Guitar to wail with, which is priced at a minimum of $2,000, though Mike’s is obviously a bit more. This gorgeous Maple and Mahogany laden guitar is a classic and has been in production for decades.

The PRS is not all Mike uses, however. He has been noted using the Audio Technica ATW-R73X wireless control system, very professional. To top this combination off, of course, Mike performs his vocals on the ATW-T73 wireless vocal mic. Personally, I believe there are better brands but this mic is still on the high end and is exquisite.

Chester Bennington
No one mocks the incredibly talented and useful band member, Chester Bennington. Though he only uses the Audio Technica ATW T73 Wireless Vocal Mic, Chester has brought an amazing amount of courage, self esteem and knowledge to Linkin Park with nothing more than a pen, his talent and his mic.

Brad Delson: Guitar, Back up
Delson is also a fan of PRS guitars, which couldn’t make me happier. He also uses a Custom 24, further solidifying PRS’s reputation in excellence. But Delson also uses the Terry C. McInturff Taurus Sportster Guitar. A very classy, Mahogany and Rosewood guitar with crisp, clear sound, a great pick.

For effects, Delson uses the Boss Effects Pedals, which I have never personally had the pleasure of checking out. I hear that they are precise and easy to use for the experienced musician.

Surprisingly Delson’s guitar choices don’t stop at the Custom 24 and Taurus Sportster. Aparently Brad also fancies the Ibanez line of 7 string guitars, a taste for fine tuned guitar players. And if you’re wondering how he puts it all together, he uses the Furman PL Plus Power Conditioner. This thin piece of equipment is relatively inexpensive and easily gets the job done.

Joe Hahn: Turntables and Samplers
There’s no need for an introduction to the Vestax PDX-2000 Turntables that Joe Hahn masters. Combined with a Rane TTM 54i Performance Mixer (I didn’t even know they were compatible) and a Behringer Eurorack console, this is a master MC’s wild dream.

For effects, Hahn relies on the Boss GT-5 Guitar Effects Processor and the Whirlwind Multi Directior DI for conversion. This is quite an impressive and overall pricey set up that could not let you down. Top it off with the Shure UHF wireless equipment and Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Heads and you have a set up that would inspire even the Beastie Boys.

David “Phoenix” Farrell
Bass is certainly a more necessary element in rock than the public likes to give it credit for. Which is what makes the Music Man Stingray Bass Guitars that Farrell uses, gold. The four and five string Stingrays that David uses, also follow him around in other aspects of his long career.

To insure himself a great sound every time, Farrell uses the Ampeg SVT Classic Heads amps, which cost a pretty penny but are well worth the investment. The Ampeg bass amps are very high quality and offer great range and reliability. He also uses, however, the Tech 21 SansAmp PSA 1, which I am not familiar with but hear great things about.

For compression, Dave uses the DBX 160A Compressor. DBX’s, of course, are known for their reliability and their excellent signal paths. Finish his spread off with a Demeter Tube Direct and a Furman PL Plus Power Conditioner.

Rob Bourdon: Drums
Drums are the solid ground that the house of rock is built on. In order to be the spine of Linkin Park, Rob Bourdon prefers the following:

Akai 56000 Sampler
Akai MPC2000XL Sampler
Alesis DM5 Drum Module
Aura Shaker
Ddrum Trigger
DW 5000 Kick Pedals
Furman PL Plus Power Conditioner
Gibralter Cage System
Mackie M-1400i Power Amp (An amazing amp)
Pintech Pads
Rane Headphone Mixer
Roland KD-7 Kick Trigger Unit
Whirlwind Multi Director DI
Zildjian Cymbals

There’s not much to say about a substantial studio set up like that, besides wow. What an excellent selection of high end products mixed with some of the every day equipment that novices and intermediate players like myself practice with, making these super stars just that much more human to me.

In the end, an intimate look at the largest and most used pieces of recording equipment used by the band members of Linkin Park allows us to understand their diverse and unique sounds as well as the moral message that they often convey in their music. Like their instruments and their music, Linkin Park’s talent is diverse, well worked and beneficial to the entire music industry.