DAVE MUSTAINE Recalls METALLICA Audition: 'My Mom Used To Clean Lars' Apartment'

Summary

• Dave Mustaine recalls landing the Metallica gig before even playing a note, his mother once cleaned Lars Ulrich’s apartment complex.
• First encounter involved James Hetfield and Lars jamming Hit the Lights, a song not originally written by Metallica.
• Mustaine claims he was confident in his skills, ranking himself among few true shredders like Randy Rhoads and Warren DeMartini.

Dave Mustaine didn’t need to strike a single chord to sense the outcome of his audition for Metallica. After spotting their ad in a magazine, he reached out to Lars Ulrich and arranged to meet up in Newport Beach for a live tryout. During an appearance on The Shawn Ryan Show, as transcribed by Ultimate Guitar, Mustaine peeled back the curtain on what actually went down.

Staring at Lars’ apartment complex, a bizarre coincidence hit him. His mother had previously worked there as a housekeeper during catering gigs. Mustaine summed up the moment with: “My mom used to clean this building. And now Lars lives here. Funny how life spins the wheel sometimes.”

Upon arrival, Lars and James Hetfield were already jamming on Hit the Lights, though, as Mustaine made clear, the track didn’t exactly originate from Metallica’s core lineup. “Lars played me the song. It wasn’t even one of theirs originally. A friend of his, Lloyd Grant, actually wrote it.” With introductions out of the way, James and Lars continued playing while Mustaine observed.

He wasted no time offering feedback. “I told them, ‘This track needs a hell of a lot more guitar solos.’ Yeah, it came off a bit arrogant, but I needed to see if they were serious or just screwing around.” According to him, Lars immediately responded, “Alright, let’s put you to the test.”

Mustaine didn’t walk in with any insecurities. “I already knew my value. This wasn’t some lucky break. I was born with something special, and I don’t care who disagrees. I knew exactly what I brought to the table.”

The actual playing test unfolded at bassist Ron McGovney’s parents’ fourplex, where James also lived at the time. “Lars and I got there first. I set up my rig, plugged in my guitar, and started warming up.” Oddly enough, no one else joined him right away.

Minutes passed, and the room stayed empty. “At some point I had to ask, ‘Are we doing this or not?’ That’s when they simply said, ‘You got the spot.’”

Mustaine wasn’t exactly floored by the news. “I knew I was the right fit. Not many could play like I could back then. Sure, you had guys like Randy Rhoads and Warren DeMartini, but true shredders? They were a rare breed.”

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