History
Leather Charm formed in June 1981 following the demise of James Hetfield and guitarist Hugh Tanner's previous garage band, Phantom Lord. After Hetfield convinced his childhood friend and roommate Ron McGovney to learn the bass, Leather Charm was born, with Hetfield focusing solely on vocals (as opposed to also playing rhythm guitar, as he had in Phantom Lord). Drummer Jim Mulligan was also involved with the group, and Tanner was later replaced by guitarist Troy James.
The group was influenced by the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and practiced covers of songs by such bands of the period, including Diamond Head and Sweet Savage. They were also influenced by Iron Maiden, and covered the song "Remember Tomorrow."
When Mulligan left the group in late 1981, Leather Charm disbanded and Hetfield began working with drummer Lars Ulrich on a new project, Metallica. Early the next year, McGovney and guitarist Dave Mustaine completed Metallica's first gigging lineup. The Leather Charm song "Hit the Lights" was integrated into the band's set, among the first original compositions in the band's repertoire, and eventually became the opening track on their debut LP, Kill 'Em All.
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