Somewhere out there exists a parallel universe where Lars Ulrich is the singer of Metallica.
But it was almost this one.
It’s been revealed that the thrash giants very briefly toyed with the idea of making Lars their frontman, back when James Hetfield was still struggling with the spotlight.
According to the band’s original manager, the king of “Yeahs” suffered an early crisis of confidence that could have completely rearranged the lineup.
Jon Zazula, who founded Megaforce Records to help Metallica after hearing their No Life ‘Til Leather demo, reckons he and Lars briefly considered getting Lars himself take over vocal duties early in the piece.
“Lars and I planned a lot of stuff. But James wasn’t the most confident of singers. I don’t think he felt comfortable,” Zazula said (via Ultimate Classic Rock). “At one point there was even talk of Lars becoming the frontman. For about five seconds.”
Luckily, they realised that Lars’s energy was probably best spent focusing on drumming, and Hetfield quickly blossomed into the fearsome vocal unit that we know today.
So next time you’re feeling down on your luck, remember that you almost lived in a world where Lars Ulrich was the singer for Metallica, and this would have never existed:
Watch: James Hetfield “Yeah” Compilation
Watch: Metallica – Am I Evil? With Lars Singing
