Happy birthday to one of the founding fathers of Metallica, and one of only two members from the original lineup still thrashing. Well, maybe it’s more appropriate to say the legendary drummer is still thumping: Lars Ulrich turns 62 today.
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Ulrich was born on this day in 1963 in Denmark, but his family packed up and headed to California in 1980. There, he teamed up with James Hetfield and Dave Mustaine to form Metallica, eventually relocating to San Francisco to recruit bassist Cliff Burton. Together, they cranked up the amps and took the Thrash metal scene by storm—louder, faster, and heavier than ever.
As thrash trailblazers alongside Anthrax and Slayer, Metallica’s debut Kill ‘Em All became a classic. They hit commercial gold with Master of Puppets in 1986 and pushed boundaries with the Grammy-nominated …And Justice for All in 1988—only to lose the first-ever heavy metal Grammy to… Jethro Tull.
Metallica’s self-titled fifth “black” album came out in 1991, marking a shift from thrash to a more mainstream metal sound. It sold over 16 million copies in the U.S. alone. This led to successful albums that divided original fans but attracted many new ones.
Metallica roared back to their thrash roots with Death Magnetic in 2008, earning praise that still resonates with releases like 72 Seasons. With 11 albums, 9 Grammys, and 6 straight Billboard No. 1 debuts, they’re one of the most legendary bands ever.
A Few Offbeat Tidbits About Metallica Drummer Lars Ulrich
Meanwhile, here’s a few offbeat tidbits about Metallica’s birthday boy, Lars Ulrich…
The famous drummer comes from a family of professional tennis players. His grandfather, Einer Ulrich, competed in the singles event at the 1924 Summer Olympics and played at Wimbledon in 1926. His father, Torben, participated in the French Open, Australian Open, US Open and Wimbledon. Lars, however, chose a different path and did not follow the family tradition.
Ulrich’s godfather was jazz saxophonist Dexter Gordon, and he grew up as a childhood friend of Neneh Cherry. Lars’s father was a professional tennis player, but his true passion lay in the arts. “My dad was always around music,” Ulrich told Rolling Stone back in 1995. “He was hanging out with Sonny Rollins, Don Cherry, Dexter Gordon. Dexter Gordon was my godfather. I used to play with Neneh Cherry when we were little kids. Her stepfather, Don Cherry, lived like six houses from where we lived in Copenhagen.”
In 2001, Ulrich took a break from drumming to appear on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? He shared the hot seat with a wild cast of fellow musicians, including Mark McGrath, Gene Simmons, and—wait for it—the “Thong Song” man himself, Sisqo.
While the legendary drummer didn’t take home the million, he did snare a respectable $32,000…