Metallica Late Bassist Cliff Burton’s Favorite Shirt Emerged After 30 Years
While Metallica has been slowly wrapping up its 40th anniversary after having incredible celebrations, a piece of good news has followed it, involving the regarded band’s late and beloved bassist, Cliff Burton.
The talented bassist Cliff Burton wasn’t only known for his tenure with Metallica, but also known for being a huge horror fan, both in music and in film, which was also proven with his Misfits tattoo and legend Dawn of the Dead shirt. The talented late bassist of Metallica showcased his admiration for the 1970’s zombie movie, wearing a shirt of this one of the scariest horror movies of its time, onstage just months before his tragic death. Cliff Burton also used to appear in public and in photographs wearing the shirt that displays the film’s title logo across his chest.
So, this legend shirt of the late bassist of Metallica has recently emerged and been returned to his family by Faith No More drummer Mike Bordin, after a three-decade, eventually. Cliff Burton’s family has given the news of the shirt’s homecoming on Instagram, sharing a photo of Mike “Puffy” Bordin holding that vintage “Dawn Of The Dead” t-shirt that belongs to Cliff Burton and attached a thank note capturing:
“A huge Thank You to Mike ‘Puffy’ Bordin for bringing Cliff’s original Dawn of the Dead shirt back home where it belongs. It’s been a roller coaster of emotions and we appreciate Mike and the person who kept it safe for us for 30 plus years. Our only regret is Ray [Burton, Cliff’s father] isn’t here to see it.”
Cliff Burton’s father Ray Burton died on January 15, 2020, when he was at the age of 94. And during the years of Cliff Burton’s missing, the Burton family has always been known to be remaining close with their son’s band, while also Cliff Burton’s father appeared in several shows on the “WorldWired” tour besides his son’s bandmates.
The Burton family also attended the auditions that Metallica had started to replace their son’s as well, which ended up recruiting Jason Newsted at that time. Metallica was on the European leg of the Damage, Inc. Tour when they lost their regarded bassist Cliff Burton due to the crush of the band’s tour bus. So, with a need of searching for a replacement, Metallica started auditioning over 50 musicians, including David Ellefson of Megadeth and others, as well. And even though he was last in the line, the talented bassist Jason Newsted ended up winning and landing on the band above all those names.
During the auditions, Metallica had also called their former bassist Cliff Burton’s parents upon to help them to choose. And their other former bassist Jason Newsted also talked about that day, as he also pointed out that he never forgot The Burton’s family reaction, saying, “That was 35 years ago, and I’ll never, ever forget it.”
There is also a “Cliff Burton Day” proclaimed by Alameda County supervisors on February 10, 2018, as the regarded late Metallica bassist would have turned 56 years old on that date had he lived.
Ultimately, The Burton family has also been attending charity works to promote community goodwill in their son’s honor, donating the Metallica royalties the family still earns as a scholarship program to Castro Valley High School, where their son attended school.
Here is also the post of Faith No More drummer Mike “Puffy” Bordin holding the “Dawn Of The Dead” t-shirt of the late bassist of Metallica that the Burton family shared, down below.
