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By Root 361 0

low between his bare knees, stalked the four corners of the stage as though on patrol, carrying a machine-gun through a jungle swamp. Lars and Kirk did as they always had done, the latter hunched over his guitar, the first signs of middle age, perhaps, creeping up on his steadfastly laid-back demeanour, trotting around the stage perimeter with just a little more care; the former still leaning over his kit, standing and gesticulating wildly to the audience as he always had, making it clear should anyone still be in any doubt that he had never been just the drummer, but a frontman in his own right. Most amazing for this ancient survivor from their now golden past was the sight of the band remaining on stage long after the houselights had gone up, as silver inflated balls emblazoned with the Metallica logo rained on the audience and the four band members walked around, casually chatting to their fans, kicking the balls their way and throwing out guitar picks, leaning over to touch hands. Mainly just walking around and talking to them; a welcoming echo of the days when they stood at the backstage doors of the tiniest shit-holes and waited for the dozen or so most curious fans to come and tell them where they’d gone wrong that night. It went on and on, ten minutes, twenty minutes…Never having seen any artist do such a thing – particularly not when playing in the round, when getting away from the stage at the end is usually a matter of concealed exits and absolutely no returns – I found it all quite moving.

A few weeks later, on 4 April, Metallica was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ‘It’s still somewhat surreal,’ said James, emanating pride and well-being, before adding: ‘The other part of it will be us kicking in the door a little bit. We’ve got a lot of other friends that we’d like to bring in to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. There’s a lot of heavy music that belongs in there.’ Other artists being inducted that year included rap pioneers Run-DMC, virtuoso guitarist Jeff Beck, soul singer Bobby Womack and R&B vocal group Little Anthony and the Imperials. Headlining, though, would be Metallica, who flew in straight from two shows in Paris. To help them celebrate, the band also personally invited several hundred family members, friends and associates who had had some influence over their career, purchasing six tables for the event – held in the Public Hall Auditorium, a historic venue where The Beatles had performed in 1964 – at a cost of upward of $50,000 each. ‘They are the gold standard for contemporary metal,’ said Hall of Fame curator Howard Kramer. ‘Despite their fame, they’ve never made an effort to cash in. People believe in them. That’s why they’re still there.’

Among so many familiar faces from their past, all flown in at the band’s expense – including Ron McGovney, Jason Newsted, Bobby Schneider, Jonny and Marsha Z, Martin Hooker and Gem Howard, Xavier Russell and Ross Halfin, Michael Alago and Flemming Rasmussen, Bob Rock and Rick Rubin, Dave Thorne and Anton Corbijn, Torben Ulrich and Ray Burton, to name just a few – there was one notable exception: Dave Mustaine. Dave had been invited but had declined once he’d been informed he wouldn’t actually be inducted himself. As he sardonically told Dave Ling of Classic Rock: ‘Lars Ulrich called me up and offered the chance to come and not be inducted – to sit in the audience. “It’s only for people who’ve been on the records,” is what I was told. That would have been awkward.’ He added: ‘I’m no longer struggling with past demons – that game has ended. But you know what? If God wants me in the Hall of Fame, I will be there.’

A pity, as it might have offered the band a chance to include one of their earliest classics in the short set they performed live that night. As it was, both Jason and Rob played bass during ‘Master of Puppets’ and ‘Enter Sandman’, while Cliff Burton’s father, Ray, accepted the honour on his son’s behalf. Unlike Mustaine, Jason Newsted had learned enough to make his own peace with the band. As he’d put it earlier, ‘We’re business partners