The 38th anniversary of Cliff Burton’s death marks a powerful moment for Metallica, and for James Hetfield in particular, who continues to tap into the spirit of his former bandmate to create new music.
Cliff Burton, un mentor inoubliable
September 27 marks the sad anniversary of the death of Cliff Burton, the illustrious bassist of Metallica. In 1986, while the band was on tour promoting Master of Puppets, Burton lost his life in a tragic bus accident in Sweden. At just 24 years old, he left behind an indelible mark on Metallica’s music and its members.
Burton was recognized for his unique playing style, often described as a “bass lead,” and his immense musical knowledge. These qualities greatly helped shape the band’s first three albums: Kill ‘Em All, Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets.
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“Cliff still lives in us”
In a recent episode of The Metallica Report podcast, Metallica singer and guitarist James Hetfield spoke about the lasting influence of Cliff Burton. According to Hetfield, Burton continues to inhabit the band’s music, even nearly four decades after his passing.
“Cliff still lives in us all”explains Hetfield. “The way it lives in me is that I often ask myself, ‘What would be really cool on this or that section?’ I hold him in such high esteem that I still ask for his help. I challenge myself: ‘Would Cliff like this?’ It’s a very high standard, and if I manage to impress him, it’s a good day.”
Hetfield goes on to say that even though the band already has high artistic standards, getting some kind of symbolic approval from Cliff remains an ultimate goal for him: “If I could impress Cliff, I was satisfied.”
A deep and difficult loss to overcome
Jason Newsted, who joined Metallica after Burton’s death and served as bassist for 15 years, spoke of the loss’s lasting impact on Hetfield. In an interview with the Let There Be Talk podcast last year, Newsted said Hetfield was never really able to recover from the tragedy.
“I don’t think James will ever get over losing Cliff”Newsted said. “It’s the kind of thing that sticks with you, no matter how many people you talk about it with. It will always be there.”
Hetfield himself seems to confirm this idea by mentioning that, although he continues to move forward, Cliff’s presence remains omnipresent in his creative process.
