The group got their name when Ulrich drove up to San Francisco for a kegger, according to Metalheadzone. An acquaintance wanted to start a metal-themed magazine, and was choosing between two names — Metal Mania and Metallica. Ulrich suggested he use Metal Mania, because he wanted to keep Metallica for himself.
Metallica traveled around LA doing cover songs of obscure European bands that Ulrich knew about, or covers of American punk bands like the Misfit's "Last Caress." The band stuck to covers because they weren't confident in their own writing, and since the songs were often completely unknown, as Hetfield explained in an interview with Howard Stern, no one noticed. When they recorded their 7-song demo No Life' Til Leather in 1982, they didn't have much personal material except long, epic tracks that were totally different to what scout Kenny Kane had seen them play in concert, according to Ultimate Classic Rock. Kane wanted them to refine their sound, and demo songs like "Seek and Destroy," and "Metal Militia," became the compass by which Metallica honed their brutal sound.
It was in 1983, after taking on bassist Cliff Burton and current guitarist Kirk Hammond, that Metallica recorded their first, full-length album, Kill 'Em All. The group earned an ardent, militant following, and the rest, as they say, is history.
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