While David Bowie -- the songwriter behind hits such as "Space Oddity," "Let's Dance," and "Ziggy Stardust" -- might sound like he belongs on the complete opposite end of the rock 'n' roll spectrum when compared to the thrash icons that are Metallica, the link between the two artists is a lot closer than one might think.
Through his legendary career, Bowie was highly influential on a number of musical acts. Through his deeply poetic songwriting and his ever-changing sonic identity, the Starman earned a legacy as one of the most iconic and remarkable rock artists of all time.
In the world of hard rock and metal, Metallica is considered an equally impactful musical group. With a string of widely successful albums, masterful songwriting, and unmistakable onstage presence, the group is now one of the best-selling musical artists in history.
Metallica has pulled inspiration from a wide number of musicians over the years, drawing from artists ranging from Misfits to Lynyrd Skynyrd to Elton John. It only makes sense that Bowie, too, would play a part in shaping Metallica's sound.
David Bowie's influence on Master of Puppets
In 1971, Bowie released his fourth studio album, Hunky Dory, through RCA Records. Featuring a number of his most iconic songs, including "Life On Mars" and "Changes," the album also includes the fan favorite "Andy Warhol." Heavily inspired by Warhol, Bowie wrote the acoustic-heavy track as a tribute to him. (Years later, Bowie recalled that Warhol had "absolutely nothing" to say about it.)
Fifteen years later, Metallica released their third album, Master of Puppets, through Elektra Records. One of their most popular records, the title track has since become a live show staple and is often regarded as one of the greatest metal songs ever written -- with Bowie to thank.
If one were to listen to the opening riff of Bowie's "Andy Warhol" and compare it to Metallica's "Master Of Puppets," it wouldn't be hard to find some similarities. In fact, Metallica's late bassist Cliff Burton and guitarist Kirk Hammett admitted to being greatly inspired by Bowie. Directly pulling a riff from "Andy Warhol" for "Master of Puppets," Burton and Hammett did so to pay homage to Bowie himself.
When Kirk Hammett met David Bowie
Years later, both Hammett and Metallica bassist Rob Trujillo would finally cross paths with Bowie when Metallica were in Kansas City for their Madly In Anger With The World Tour. In a tribute that Hammett wrote following Bowie's passing in 2016, he shared that he and Trujillo went to see Bowie perform on their day off from touring.
After Bowie's concert, Hammett and Trujillo's then-tour manager said that Bowie had wanted to say hi to them backstage.
"He came out, wearing sweats and a t-shirt, and said, 'Hi, how ya doing, Kirk, hi Rob!' I couldn’t believe it!" Hammett said. "And then all the fanboy stuff came out, how he'd been an inspiration, blah blah blah. He said he'd known about us for a long time, liked our music, and told us to carry on! Rob and I were beaming."
Hammett recalls that, after they left the venue, he and Trujillo had trouble finding a cab to head back to the hotel in the midst of the post-concert chaos.
"How am I going to get a taxi-cab when nearly 8000 people are making their way out at the same time from a rock concert parking lot!" Hammett said. "How out of touch was that? I looked at Rob and said, 'Man, we're fucked!'...I remember being so flustered and disappointed with myself that I just sat on the curb with my head in my hands, staring at the ground."
However, by a fortunate turn of events, Bowie was there to save the day. A tour bus pulled up to Hammett and Trujillo, and when the door opened, Bowie's tour manager said that Bowie wanted to offer the two a ride back to the hotel.
"I instantly said, 'Sure,' and let me tell you, I felt like one of those guys in Wayne's World," he says. "We go up the steps, turn into the lounge, and there's David with a huge grin on his face saying, 'Sit down, sit down.' Rob and I sat down, once again, the fanboy stuff came out, and I cannot remember all the details, but we did talk about stuff like music and his love for The Dandy Warhols."
Hammett adds, "I also remember apologizing to him, saying, 'Sorry, David, for nicking the title 'Leper Messiah,''' and he was laughing. Cliff and I listened to Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars daily on the '85 Ride The Lightning U.S. tour, so yes, I lifted the title from the title track of that album. I listened to Ziggy...looking for answers to all these questions that were coming up in my life, and songs like 'Rock 'n' Roll Suicide' and 'Got To Hang Onto Yourself' had a big effect on me."
The Metallica album that Bowie considered "a masterpiece"
Bowie's admiration for Metallica was evident, and continued throughout the rest of the band's career. In fact, he considered Metallica's controversial 2011 album Lulu to be a masterpiece. Made in collaboration with Bowie's longtime friend Lou Reed, it was later revealed by Reed's widow Laurie Anderson that Bowie considered Lulu to be one of Reed's greatest musical efforts.
When Reed was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013, Anderson spoke at his induction and shared what Bowie had to say about his final musical contributions.
"One of (his) last projects was his album with Metallica," she said. "And this was really challenging, and I have a hard time with it. There are many struggles and so much radiance. And after Lou's death, David Bowie made a big point of saying to me, 'Listen, this is Lou's greatest work. This is his masterpiece. Just wait, it will be like Berlin. It will take everyone a while to catch up."
David Bowie's legacy
When it comes to what might be considered a "masterpiece," Bowie's final studio album, Blackstar, would be justified in also earning this title. Released just two days before his death in 2016, Bowie secretly wrote the album as his final swan song. Knowing he would soon pass from his private battle with liver cancer, Blackstar is written through the eyes of a man contemplating his oncoming death.
Bowie's death shocked the music world, with many devoted fans and artistic peers paying tribute to the "musical chameleon." Hammett wrote his own tribute for Bowie, where he shared how much he inspired both Metallica and himself personally, as well as expressing his great appreciation for meeting Bowie.
Hammett recalls Bowie's film roles, including those from The Man Who Fell To Earth (1976) and The Hunger (1983) to be some of his favorite films from the science-fiction and vampire horror genres, respectively. From a young age, Hammett was instantly drawn to Bowie's songs "Golden Years" and "Fame," and he considers Blackstar to be one of Bowie's most impactful albums.
"I think Bowie's final album Blackstar is a brilliant, brilliant final message," he said. "He managed to invite us all, and I think it's the first time that someone has creatively involved their passing as an integral part of their final work. It's incredible and I'm totally blown away. I hope to leave as artistically as he did."