METALLICA label co-founder Jon Zazula died on Tuesday at age 69, according to Rolling Stone.
His wife Marsha, who co-founded Megaforce Records with him, died nearly one year prior.
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Jon’s daughter Rikki confirmed his death in a Facebook post.
Memorializing her father, she wrote: “Our Dad lived a life as fast, hard, heavy, powerful, and impactful as the music he brought to the world.
“His passion fueled the careers of arguably the most influential metal bands and industry greats of a generation.”
She continued: “Your [legacy] will live on forever, not only in us and your grandchildren, but, in every headbanger on this planet for all of eternity!”
Jon and his wife founded Megaforce. in1982.
The pair were well-known in the East Coast music community, according to Rolling Stone.
They owned and operated a record store in East Brunswick, New Jersey for many years.
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According to Rolling Stone, Jon and his wife were inspired after hearing Metallica’s demo collection, No Life ‘Til Leather.
LEGEND LOST
Metallica tweeted a moving tribute to Jon shortly after news of his death became public.
The band released a multi-part statement that began: “Heavy music lost one of its great champions today when Johnny Z left this world far too soon.
“In 1982, when no one wanted to take a chance on four kids from California playing a crazy brand of metal, Johnny and Marsha did, and the rest, as they say, is history.
“He was a mentor, a manager, a label head and a father figure to us all … Metallica would not be who we are or where we are today without Jon Zazula and his wife, Marsha.
“Our love and sympathy go out to Johnny’s children and his grandchildren, whom he cherished and brought to our shows from the time they were in diapers.
“We hope they will be able to take some comfort in knowing that he is reunited with Marsha, and that he helped bring so much incredible music to so many.”
The statement concluded with: “Hopefully there’s a great show goin’ on up there tonight to welcome you! We’ll miss you Jonny”
HOW IT STARTED
Reflecting on hearing those Metallica songs for the first time, Jon said: “I basically said, ‘What the f**k!’
“It was just so amazing.
“I stood there stunned, because music is my life. Everything was going off in my head, like this was the answer to America, just from the demo.
“And I said I’ve got to get involved with this.”
Megaforce released Metallica’s debut album, Kill ‘Em All, and Ride the Lightning.
The band then moved on to Elektra Records.
Many other popular metal acts signed with the label, however.
Anthrax, a New York City metal act, and bands like Bad Brains and Meat Puppets signed with the label.
The Zazulas eventually stepped away from Megaforce, but the label continues to operate.
Jon published a memoir, Heavy Tales: The Metal, The Music, The Madness, in 2019.
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