As the nineteen seventies came to a close so did many of the musical styles of that decade. While some faced what seemed to be extinction others went through a sort of evolutionary process. The bands that were at the top of the heavy metal ladder during this time were such acts as Motorhead, Iron Maiden, and Tygers of Pan Tang. These groups would be just some of what the new crop of heavy metal bands would consider inspirational. This style, which is typically referred to as "The New Wave of British Heavy Metal," would fuel and empower many acts to stardom. (Marshall 3)At around this time, almost halfway across the world, Lars Ulrich got his first drum set in his home in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was eleven years old and had just been to his first heavy metal concert. The entire idea of being a drummer was viewed as just being a hobby, his father wanted him to follow in his footsteps and become a professional tennis player. As nineteen eighty came around Lars' parents decided that he needed to be in a different environment in order to hone his tennis skills. They decided to move to Newport Beach, California because they believed the sunny climate would be more conductive to Lars' tennis practices. (Doughton 13)As these events were taking place in Lars' life halfway around the world James Hetfield, the future front man of Metallica, was attending Downey High School in Downey, California. This would be the beginning of a bumpy road for James. In his second year of high school his mother died of cancer. His parents, being Christian Scientists, shunned medical treatment and this caused a deep resentment in James in the upcoming years. After his mother's death James was forced to move to La Brea with his brother-in-law. This was only temporary; he would stay there until he finished high school. After graduation James moved back to Downey and was offered a place to live by his friend Ron McGovney. Ron's mother owned several h...
