''Cliff 'Em All'' is a compilation of video footage, and the first video album by the American

thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...

band

Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...

. It was released on November 17, 1987, as a tribute to Metallica's bassist

Cliff Burton Clifford Lee Burton (February 10, 1962 – September 27, 1986) was an American musician who was the bassist for heavy metal band Metallica from 1982 until his death in 1986. He performed on ''Kill 'Em All'' (1983), '' Ride the Lightning'' (1984 ...

, who died in a tour bus accident on September 27, 1986, at the age of 24, near

Ljungby Ljungby () is the central locality of Ljungby Municipality, Kronoberg County, Sweden, with 15,785 inhabitants in 2015. Ljungby was instituted in 1829 as a ''köping'', or ''market town'', and did not become a municipality of its own when the fir ...

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

, during the European leg of their

Master of Puppets ''Master of Puppets'' is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on March 3, 1986, by Elektra Records. Recorded in Denmark at Sweet Silence Studios with producer Flemming Rasmussen, it was the band's last album ...

world tour. Its title is derived from Metallica's debut album, ''

Kill 'Em All ''Kill 'Em All'' is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on July 25, 1983, through the independent label Megaforce Records. Metallica began by playing shows in local clubs in Los Angeles. They recorded severa ...

''. The home video also features a performance with former guitarist

Dave Mustaine David Scott Mustaine (born September 13, 1961) is an American musician. He is the co-founder, lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and primary songwriter of the thrash metal band Megadeth, as well as their sole consistent member. Mustaine has relea ...

on March 19, 1983, shortly before his ousting from the band. The video is a retrospective on the three and a half years that Cliff Burton was in Metallica, presented as a collection of bootleg footage shot by fans, some professional filming and TV shots that were never used and some of his best bass solos, personal photos and live concerts. Photos and narrations by the band (

Lars Ulrich Lars Ulrich (; ; born 26 December 1963) is a Danish musician best known as the drummer and co-founder of American heavy metal band Metallica. The son and grandson respectively of tennis players Torben and Einer Ulrich, he played tennis in his ...

James Hetfield James Alan Hetfield (born August 3, 1963) is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, co-founder and a main songwriter of heavy metal band Metallica. He is mainly known for his intricate rhythm playing, but occasionall ...

and

Kirk Hammett Kirk Lee Hammett (born November 18, 1962) is an American musician who has been the lead guitarist and a contributing songwriter for heavy metal band Metallica since 1983. Before joining Metallica, he formed and named the band Exodus. In 2003, ...

drinking beer) are placed between songs, which focus on Burton before fading into a title card of a performance. The video ends with the melodic interlude of "Orion" as pictures of Burton are shown. With this video, the band tries to show the unique personality and style he had. While ostensibly the film focuses on Burton, it also has given fans a rare glimpse of Metallica's less-documented early career. This contrasts sharply with the 'Metallica business' represented in the feature film '' Metallica: Some Kind of Monster''. The back of the case reads "Well, we finally went and did what we always talked about not doing. Releasing a vid o Before you throw up in disgust, let us (except K.) tell you the idea behind this." The "K" is presumably short for Kirk, explaining why he is on the bottom of the cover.

Songs

Detroit, April 4, 1986 - "supporting Ozzy"
''Shot from the left of the stage. VG with closeups.'' *"

Creeping Death "Creeping Death" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on November 23, 1984, as the lead and only commercial single from their album ''Ride the Lightning'' (" Fade to Black" and "For Whom the Bell Tolls", from the sam ...

" (Hetfield/Ulrich/Burton/Hammett) - 6:18 *"

Am I Evil? "Am I Evil?" is a song by British heavy metal band Diamond Head. Released on the band's 1980 debut album ''Lightning to the Nations'', it remains the band's signature song''.'' The song was written by lead vocalist Sean Harris and guitarist ...

" (Harris/Tatler) - 4:15 *"Damage, Inc." (Hetfield/Ulrich/Burton/Hammett) - 5:10 Long Island, April 28, 1986 - "still drunk on Ozzy tour"
''Shot from ground level above heads, VG with closeups'' *"

" (Hetfield/Ulrich/Burton/Hammett) - 7:50 The Stone, San Francisco, March 19, 1983 - "Cliff's second gig"
''Shot just above ground level, VG with closeups'' *"(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth" (Burton) - 4:21 *"

Whiplash Whiplash may refer to: * The long flexible part of a whip * Whiplash (medicine), a neck injury ** Whiplash Injury Protection System (WHIPS), in automobiles Film and television * ''Whiplash'' (1948 film), a US film noir about a boxer * ''Whiplas ...

" (Hetfield/Ulrich) - 4:07 Germany, September 14, 1985 - "Metal Hammer Fest headlining with Venom, Nazareth, beer!"
''Professionally shot video'' *"Cliff Solo" - 2:00 *"The Four Horsemen" (Hetfield/Ulrich/Mustaine) - 5:03 *" Fade to Black" (Hetfield/Ulrich/Burton/Hammett) - 6:55 *"

Seek & Destroy "Seek & Destroy" is a 1983 song by the American heavy metal band Metallica and ninth track from their debut studio album, ''Kill 'Em All''. It was also featured on the demo '' No Life 'Til Leather''. It was the first song the band recorded in ...

" (Hetfield/Ulrich) - 6:34 Denmark, July 6, 1986 - "Roskilde Festival with

Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English singer, musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and lead singer of the rock band Genesis and also has a career as a solo performer. Between 1982 and ...

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...

Elvis Costello Declan Patrick MacManus Order of the British Empire, OBE (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. He has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award in ...

and

Big Country Big Country are a Scottish rock band formed in Dunfermline, Fife, in 1981. The height of the band's popularity was in the early to mid 1980s, although it has retained a cult following for many years since. The band's music incorporated Scott ...

"
''Shot from ground level, with closeups'' *"Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" (Hetfield/Ulrich/Hammett) - 6:30 *"(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth" (Burton) - 3:10 Oakland, August 31, 1985 - "Day on the Green"
''Professionally shot video'' *"Cliff Solo"/"

For Whom the Bell Tolls ''For Whom the Bell Tolls'' is a novel by Ernest Hemingway published in 1940. It tells the story of Robert Jordan, a young American volunteer attached to a Republican guerrilla unit during the Spanish Civil War. As a dynamiter, he is assigned ...

" (Hetfield/Ulrich/Burton) - 4:51 Chicago, August 12, 1983 - "Supporting Raven on the 'Kill Em All for One' tour"
''Professionally shot video'' *"No Remorse" (Hetfield/Ulrich) - 6:59 *"Metal Militia" (Hetfield/Ulrich/Mustaine) - 6:33 "Orion" (Hetfield/Ulrich/Burton) during end credits - 1:42

Personnel

: bass, backing vocals *

: rhythm guitar, harmonized and first solo on "Master of Puppets", harmonized solo on "Orion", lead vocals *

: drums *

: lead guitar *

: lead guitar on "Whiplash"

References

External links

*
Cliff 'Em All
' at Metallica's official website *
Cliff 'em All IMDb page
' {{Metallica Metallica video albums Documentary films about heavy metal music and musicians Albums with cover art by Pushead 1987 video albums Metallica live albums 1987 live albums Elektra Records video albums