Veteran studio producer Flemming Rasmussen has offered a fascinating glimpse into the early internal dynamics of Metallica, revealing that late bassist Cliff Burton was the true musical anchor of the pioneering thrash metal group.
Having manned the production boards for the band’s legendary 1980s trio of albums—Ride The Lightning, Master Of Puppets, and …And Justice For All—Flemming Rasmussen recently spoke with Metal Hammer about the group’s formative years. While founders James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich are widely recognized as the driving forces behind the heavy metal titans today, the producer clarified that this hierarchy did not exist during the bassist’s tenure.
“The thing about Lars and James being the leaders of the band didn’t emerge until later. At that point it was a four-piece unit. Lars and James were the ones out there promoting the band, but Cliff was the oldest, and the one with a musical education, so they leaned on him to get s**t done,” he explained.
He further emphasized the massive creative weight the bassist held during recording sessions, stating: “[Cliff] was important to the structure of the band. He took part in all of the decisive processes. Nothing really happened in Metallica unless Cliff nodded ‘yes’.”
Despite eventually becoming one of the best-selling acts in music history, bolstered by the massive global success of their 1991 self-titled record, Metallica, the band lived in extreme poverty while crafting their earliest masterpieces. The producer recalled stepping in to ensure the young musicians were properly fed during the grueling studio sessions for Ride The Lightning.
He continued: “They’d been staying with friends when we did Ride The Lightning, and I’d seen how they lived and ate, and it was s**t. I called their management and said, ‘If we’re going to work as hard, they need proper meals. Why don’t you send me a chunk of money and I’ll have my wife cook dinner for these guys.’ And they said, ‘Yeah, sure.’”
The arrangement quickly became a daily studio ritual. “So every day started with them showing up at six in the evening at my house and we’d have dinner. The first day my wife made meatballs with remoulade sauce, which was the perfect Danish thing. Their favourite was rice porridge, which is something Danes say that the elves eat. They loved that.”
Cliff Burton initially joined the Bay Area group in 1982, replacing original bassist Ron McGovney. Armed with a deep understanding of music theory, he became a primary songwriter, earning co-writing credits on enduring anthems like “Master Of Puppets“, “Creeping Death“, “Fade To Black“, and “Damage, Inc.“. His revolutionary, lead-style bass playing permanently altered the genre’s landscape, showcased prominently on tracks such as “For Whom The Bell Tolls“, the instrumental epic “Orion“, and his distorted solo piece “Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth)” from the 1983 debut, Kill ‘Em All.
Tragically, Cliff Burton died at the age of 24 in September 1986, when the band’s tour bus crashed in rural Sweden just months after the release of Master Of Puppets. The group ultimately chose to carry on, recruiting Jason Newsted later that year. They honored their fallen brother on …And Justice For All with the sprawling instrumental “To Live Is To Die“, which features a spoken-word poem written by the late musician.
Today, the modern lineup, completed by longtime lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and current bassist Robert Trujillo, continues to tour behind their 2023 studio album, 72 Seasons. The band is scheduled to embark on a European stadium run from May to July, utilizing their popular “No Repeat Weekends” format, which features two entirely different setlists over two nights in the same city.
Metallica M72 World Tour 2026 Dates:
- May 9 – Athens, Greece – Olympic Stadium
- May 13 – Bucharest, Romania – Arena Națională
- May 19 – Chorzów, Poland – Stadion Śląski
- May 22 – Frankfurt, Germany – Deutsche Bank Park
- May 24 – Frankfurt, Germany – Deutsche Bank Park
- May 27 – Zürich, Switzerland – Stadion Letzigrund
- May 30 – Berlin, Germany – Olympiastadion
- June 3 – Bologna, Italy – Stadio Renato Dall’Ara
- June 11 – Budapest, Hungary – Puskás Aréna
- June 13 – Budapest, Hungary – Puskás Aréna
- June 19 – Dublin, Ireland – Aviva Stadium
- June 21 – Dublin, Ireland – Aviva Stadium
- June 25 – Glasgow, Scotland – Hampden Park
- June 28 – Cardiff, Wales – Principality Stadium
- July 3 – London, England – London Stadium
- July 5 – London, England – London Stadium
