Cliff Burton

Bassist

Cliff Burton was born in Castro Valley, California, United States on February 10th, 1962 and is the Bassist. At the age of 24, Cliff Burton biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.

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Other Names / Nick Names
Clifford Lee Burton, Cliff
Date of Birth
February 10, 1962
Nationality
United States
Place of Birth
Castro Valley, California, United States
Death Date
Sep 27, 1986 (age 24)
Zodiac Sign
Aquarius
Networth
$1 Million
Profession
Bassist, Composer
Cliff Burton Height, Weight, Eye Color and Hair Color

At 24 years old, Cliff Burton has this physical status:

Height
186cm
Weight
80kg
Hair Color
Light Brown
Eye Color
Green
Build
Slim
Measurements
Not Available
Cliff Burton Religion, Education, and Hobbies
Religion
Christian
Hobbies
Not Available
Education
Castro Valley High School
Cliff Burton Spouse(s), Children, Affair, Parents, and Family
Spouse(s)
Not Available
Children
Metallica, EZ-Street, Agents of Misfortune, Trauma, Spastik Children
Dating / Affair
Audrey Kimball, Corinne Lynn (1984-1986)
Parents
Ray Herbert Burton, Janet “Jan”
Siblings
Scott Burton (Older Brother) (He died in May 1975 from a brain aneurysm), Connie Burton (Older Sister)
Other Family
Paul Oliver Burton (Paternal Grandfather), Mary Sallie Lenoir (Paternal Grandmother), Irwin Morgenstern/Morgen (Maternal Grandfather), Marion Rosenthal (Maternal Grandmother), Oliver Philmore “Arby/Obby” Burton (Paternal Great-Grandfather), Sarah L. “Sallie” (Paternal Great-Grandmother), Peyton R. “Pate” Lenoir (Paternal Great-Grandfather), Mattie J. Ward (Paternal Great-Grandmother), Millard Morgenstern (Maternal Great-Grandfather), Matilda Lewis (Maternal Great-Grandmother), Sigmund Rosenthal (Maternal Great-Grandfather), Idella Lang (Maternal Great-Grandmother)
Cliff Burton Life

Clifford Lee Burton (February 10, 1962 – September 27, 1986) was an American singer and songwriter best known as the bass guitarist for Metallica's American band from December 1982 to his death in September 1986. Burton joined Metallica in 1982 and appeared on the band's first three studio albums, Kill 'Em All, Ride the Thunder, and Master of Puppets.

He also received a posthumous writing award for the song "To Live Is to Die" from the band's fourth studio album,...And Justice for All. Burton died in a bus accident in Kronoberg County, a rural area of southern Sweden, on September 27, 1986, as Metallica performed in support of the Master of Puppets album.

He has been praised both during his career and after his death, finishing ninth in a 2011 Rolling Stone magazine online poll honoring the top bassists of all time.

On April 4, 2009, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Metallica.

Early life

Clifford Lee Burton was born in Castro Valley, California, to Ray and Jan Burton. Scott and Connie, two older brothers, were both very young. Burton's musical interest in music began when his father introduced him to classical music and he started teaching piano lessons.

Burton began to be interested in rock, classical, country, and eventually heavy metal in his teenage years. After his brother's death, he began playing bass at age 13. "I'm going to be the best bassist for my brother," his parents told him. And after joining Metallica, he trained up to six hours per day (and still today). Burton's other early influences, from Southern rock and country to the blues, besides classical and jazz.

Burton cited Geddy Lee, Geezer Butler, Stanley Clarke, Lemmy Kilmister, and Phil Lynott as major influences on his bass playing style.

Burton formed his first band, EZ-Street, while a student at Castro Valley High School. The band was derived from a topless bar in the Bay Area. Future Faith No More members "Big" Jim Martin and Mike Bordin were among EZ-Street's others. After becoming students at Chabot College in Hayward, California, Burton and Martin continued their musical collaboration. In 1981, Agents of Misfortune, their second band, became the second team to compete in the Battle of the Bands competition in the Hayward Area Recreation Department's Battle of the Bands competition. Burton's audition was recorded on video and includes some of the oldest photos of their playing style. Burton appears in the video as part of what would be two Metallica songs: "Anesthesia (Anesthesia) - Pulling Teeth" and the chromatic introduction to "For Whom the Bell Tolls." In 1982, Burton formed Trauma, Burton's first professional band. On the second Metal Massacre compilation, he performed the song "Such a Shame."

Trauma came from Los Angeles in 1982 to appear at the Whisky a Go Go Go. James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, both members of Metallica, were among those in attendance. The two friends started looking for an amazing guitar player after hearing "this amazing shredding" (parts of which later became "Anesthesia) - Pulling Teeth). When they learned that what they had heard was a bass solo by Burton, they decided to sign him for their own band. Burton was contacted to replace departed bassist Ron McGovney, and he agreed that Trauma was "starting to get a little commercial." Burton said he would not join if the band relocated from Los Angeles to his hometown San Francisco Bay area, but not so much. Metallica, a keen to have Burton in the band, has left Los Angeles to El Cerrito, a town just over the bay from San Francisco.

The Megaforce demo was Burton's first recording with Metallica. No Life 'til Leather, the band's debut, managed to enter the ownership of Megaforce Records, Jon Zazula. The band resigned to Old Bridge, New Jersey, and within a few weeks, they had signed a recording deal with Zazula's label. Burton's debut album, "Anesthesia" - Pulling Teeth, showcased his use of effects, including a wah-wah pedal, not usually used by bassists.

Kill 'Em All's debut album was supposed to borrow the name of one of their earlier demo releases (predating Burton's appearance), but Metallica's debut album, Kill 'Em All, was not meant to use, but the record company refused to like the name and kept insisting on changing it. Burton said, "We should just kill 'em all, man," giving the band members an idea of the new name. Megaforce Records released the album on July 25, 1983.

Ride the Lightning, the band's second studio album, showcased the band's continuing musical development. Burton's songwriting skills were on the rise, and he was given credit for six of the album's eight songs. Burton's playing style and use of effects is particularly prominent on two tracks: the chromatic intro to "For Whom the Bell Tolls" (often mistaken as a guitar intro), and "The Call of Ktulu" (the chromatic intro).

On Ride the Lightning, the band's burgeoning musicianship attracted the attention of major record labels. Metallica has been signed to Elektra Records and has started work on their third album, Master of Puppets, which is considered by most reviewers to be a landmark heavy metal work. The album's instrumental "Orion" (which features a prominent lead bass section) and the title track, Burton's most popular Metallica track, are among the tracks included on the album. Puppets' commercial breakthrough and Burton's last album with Metallica was the band's final album.

Burton's last appearance was at the Solnahallen Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, on September 26, 1986, just one day before his death. According to setlist.com and the cassette included in the deluxe box of Master of Puppets or "Blitzkrieg," the last song he performed was "Fight Fire With Fire."

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Cliff Burton Career

Career

While still a student at Castro Valley High School, Burton formed his first band called EZ-Street. The band took its name from a Bay Area topless bar. Other members of EZ-Street included future Faith No More members "Big" Jim Martin and Mike Bordin. Burton and Martin continued their musical collaboration after becoming students at Chabot College in Hayward, California. Their second band, Agents of Misfortune, entered the Hayward Area Recreation Department's Battle of the Bands contest in 1981. Their audition was recorded on video and features some of the earliest footage of Burton's playing style. The video also shows Burton playing parts of what would soon be two Metallica songs: his signature bass solo, "(Anesthesia) - Pulling Teeth", and the chromatic intro to "For Whom the Bell Tolls". Burton joined his first professional band, Trauma, in 1982. He recorded the track "Such a Shame" with the band on the second Metal Massacre compilation.

In 1982, Trauma traveled to Los Angeles to perform at the Whisky a Go Go. Among those in attendance were James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, both members of Metallica, which had formed the previous year. Upon hearing, as Hetfield described it, "this amazing shredding" (parts of which later became "(Anesthesia) - Pulling Teeth"), the two went in search of what they thought was an amazing guitar player. When they learned that what they had heard was a bass solo by Burton, they decided to recruit him for their own band. They asked him to replace departed bassist Ron McGovney, and since Burton thought that Trauma was "starting to get a little commercial", he agreed. The idea of having to move to Los Angeles did not sit well with Burton, who said he would join only if the band relocated from Los Angeles to his native San Francisco Bay Area. Metallica, eager to have Burton in the band, left their origin of Los Angeles to make a home in El Cerrito, a town located across the bay from San Francisco.

Burton's first recording with Metallica was the Megaforce demo. A demo tape the band had made prior to Burton's joining, No Life 'til Leather, managed to come into the hands of Jon Zazula, owner of Megaforce Records. The band relocated to Old Bridge, New Jersey, and quickly secured a recording contract with Zazula's label. Their debut album, Kill 'Em All, features Burton's showcase, "(Anesthesia) - Pulling Teeth", which displayed his use of effects, such as a wah-wah pedal, ‍not commonly used by ‍bassists.

Metallica's debut album, Kill 'Em All, was originally intended to inherit the name of one of their earlier demo releases (predating Burton's participation), which was Metal Up Your Ass, but the record company did not like the title and insisted on changing it. Burton said "We should just kill 'em all, man," which gave the band members an idea for the new title. The album was released on July 25, 1983, through Megaforce Records.

The band's second studio album, Ride the Lightning, showcased the band's increasing musical growth. Burton's songwriting abilities were growing, and he received credit on six of the album's eight songs. Burton's playing style and use of effects is notably showcased on two tracks: the chromatic intro to "For Whom the Bell Tolls" (often mistaken as a guitar intro), and the "lead bass" on "The Call of Ktulu".

The band's improving musicianship on Ride the Lightning caught the attention of major record labels. Metallica was signed to Elektra Records, and began working on their third album, Master of Puppets, which is considered by most critics to be a landmark album in heavy metal. Among the tracks featured in the album are the instrumental "Orion" (which features a prominent lead bass section) and the title track, which was Burton's favorite Metallica song. Master of Puppets was the band's commercial breakthrough release, and Burton's final album with Metallica.

Burton's final performance was in Stockholm, Sweden, at the Solnahallen Arena on September 26, 1986, one day before his death. The final song he performed was "Fight Fire With Fire" according to setlist.fm and the cassette included in the deluxe box of Master of Puppets or "Blitzkrieg" according to the band's homepage.

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