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The American thrash metal bend Metallica is certainly one of the most popular and influential heavy metal acts of all time. The band is founded in 1981 and after more than forty years since its inception they are still active, recording albums and performing all over the world. Despite this fact, it is undeniable that their glory years were the 1980’s, the decade during which they released, one after the other, classic albums that defined and redefined the genre and influenced countless number of other bands.

As is the case with every iconic rock group, the charts of every member of this band are very characteristic, potent and interesting. However, in this essay, focus will be on their two former members, both bass guitar players, and on events that occurred in one single year.

The year 1986 is, for vastly different reasons, probably the most significant year in band’s history. Having just signed their first major label deal, on March 3^rd of that year, the band released their third album, the seminal “Master of Puppets”. The album is considered by both fans and critics as perhaps their best offering to date and was hailed as a masterpiece by critics outside of the thrash metal audience and cited by some as the genre’s greatest album. A flawless masterpiece in my opinion. In 2015, Master of Puppets became the first metal recording to be selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

Unfortunately, in the Fall of that year, the band suffered the biggest blow of their carrier. On September 27^th, while on European tour promoting the album, the band was involved in a tour bus accident in Sweden which claimed the life of their bassist, Cliff Burton. Truly a devastating loss for the bend not only because other members of the group witnessed the loss of a good friend, but also because Burton was an exceptional musician who was very important to the band, both musically and creatively.

Burton’s death devastated the band members, but they decided to continue Metallica. Hence, they searched for a new bassist and started to audition musicians. Roughly 50 people auditioned for the band to fill Burton‘s spot. The bass player that was auditioned last, Jason Newsted, was selected as Burton’s replacement and became the member of the band on 28.10. 1986. With him, Metallica broke into the mainstream and released some of their commercially most successful albums. He eventually left the bend in 2001.

As will be seen, there are many astrological explanations for these events. The horoscopes of these two musicians can serve as some of the best examples of how astrology works, both when it comes to interpreting and understanding the natal chart and, especially, how to understand and use various predictive techniques such as transits, progressions and returns of planets in relation to the natal chart.

Clifford Lee Burton ( 10.02.1962, 21:38 Castro Valley, California) was the youngest of three children of Ray and Jane Burton. He developed a passion for music after his father introduced him to classical music and he began taking piano lessons. He developed an interest in rock, classical music, country music, and ultimately heavy metal as a youngster. He began playing the bass when he was 13 years old, just after his brother passed away. According to reports, he informed his parents, “I’m going to be the best bassist for my brother.” He put in up to six hours of training each day (even after he joined Metallica). Along with classical and jazz, other early influences on Burton included Southern rock, country, and the blues.

Cliff Burton was born on a day when 6 planets were located in the sign of Aquarius. Although this stellium of planets can be viewed as one big conjunction, these 6 planets actually form two separate triple conjunctions, one consisting of Saturn on 4°, Mars on 7° and Mercury on 10° of Aquarius in the 4^th house and the other consisting of Jupiter on 20°, Sun on 22° and Venus on 25ׄ° in the 5^th house.

Emphasis on Aquarius, together with Libra ASC and Moon in Taurus perfectly describe his character. By all accounts, he was a nice, pleasant (Libra) down to earth (Taurus) guy, very distinct and unusual (Aquarius) in character and demeanor and very unorthodox and original (Aquarius) as a bass player. The position of Venus, which is a ruler of the ASC, in 5^th house (creativity), perfectly describes him as a creative individual especially since Venus is in conjunction with the Sun in the same house. Conjunction that these two planets have with Jupiter shows broad musical influences that shaped his style, but also his substantial musical education. By all accounts, he was the only member of the bend that has some knowledge of music (Venus) theory (Jupiter).

On the other hand, conjunction of two malefics, Mars and Saturn, in the 4^th house (family), together with the position of Moon in the 8^th house, clearly show a loss of a family (4^th house, Moon) member and since both planets are in conjunction with Mercury (siblings), it was the loss of a brother. Since Mercury also symbolize traffic, its connection with Mars and Saturn certainly hints at a possible accidents and dangers on that front, which, unfortunately, is what eventually happened.

One of the main features of his chart is the equal presence of constructive, creative elements on the one hand and negative and destructive elements on the other. It is rare to see a chart that contains the conjunction of two benefics and two malefics at the same time, especially in the same sign. The reason why the destructive elements prevailed is that Mars, Saturn and Mercury are in squares with the Moon and Neptune, while on the other hand Uranus, as the dispositor of all planets in Aquarius, is in opposition to the Sun, Jupiter and Venus.

What is most unique about Burton’s chart is the 3-degree orb. There are, in total, 6 aspects in his chart with 3-degree orb. Saturn, Mars and Mercury are 3 degrees apart from each other, Mercury is in square with Neptune with a 3-degree orb, the same with Neptune’s opposition to Moon. Venus is 3 degrees ahead of the Sun and is in opposition to Uranus with, again, 3-degree orb.

Planetary orbs are very important in interpretation and, in my experience, they usually show how long something lasts, or, what number of years or events have to pass or happen before something ends. Well, as a remainder, in 1986 Metallica released their 3^rd record. Furthermore, the record was released 3 years after Burton’s first live performance with the band. Since Venus, as a ruler of both his 1th (physical body) and 8^th house (dangers, death) is placed in 5^th house (concerts, tours) and is in conjunction with Sun (concert, performance) and Jupiter (abroad), that is already clear indication that his life can be in danger (Sun in detriment connected with the ruler of the 8^th house) on a tour (Sun, 5^th house) in a foreign (Jupiter) country. Since Venus is in aspects with Sun and Uranus with 3-degree orb, the international tour that can be the most dangerous for him is the one during which the band promotes its third album, which was a tour in 1986.

Although his natal chart already shows which time period as a member of the band is most dangerous for him, the reason why 1986 was an important and, at the same time, fatal for Cliff Burton can be seen by analyzing his Solar return chart for that year, while why it was September 27^th of that year that proved to be so fatal for him can be seen from transits and planetary progressions for that day.

Before analyzing his solar return chart for 1986, some remarks about solar return charts should be pointed out. Although every solar chart shows what can be expected to happen in a particular year, not every solar return chart is important. During the average human life, which lasts between 60-80 years, really important events such as starting a business, getting a lucrative job, getting married, having a child, breaking up or losing someone or something important to us, happen once or only a small number of times, while the rest of the time nothing important happens, we simply live and do the usual things to survive.

So, which solar return charts are important? It’s simple. Significant solar return charts are those that contain the positions of the planets in the signs and houses, as well as aspects of planets that are present in the natal chart. The more positions of planets and aspects that are present in natal chart are repeated, the more important the solar return chart is. This principle applies to all predictive techniques. Transits, directions, progressions, Solar and Lunar return charts should always be analyzed comparatively with the natal chart and are significant only insofar they activate or repeat something from the natal chart.

With that in mind, it is obvious why the year 1986 was significant for Cliff Burton. As can be seen, there are several positions and aspects of the planets in his solar return chart that are present in his natal chart. In the first place, the Moon is placed in the 8^th house in the sign of Pisces. In his natal chart the Moon is placed in that same house in the sign of Taurus. As is known, the 8^th house is the house that symbolize dangers, accidents and, primarily, death. Furthermore, triple Sun-Venus-Jupiter conjunction in Aquarius from natal chart is repeated in this solar return chart, with a difference that Venus and Jupiter are in exact conjunction on 27° degree of Aquarius. Recurrence of this conjunction isn’t surprising since, in this year, him and his bandmates released a musical (Venus) record that will prove to be their most acclaimed (Sun) and influential (Jupiter) record in years to come (Aquarius). But it should be remembered that Venus and Jupiter are rulers of the first (physical body), third (traffic) and eighth (death) house in the natal chart.

However, the most important recurrence in this solar return chart is Mars–Saturn conjunction in the 4^th house with the same three-degree orb as in natal chart. As is known, the 4^th house symbolizes, among other things, the beginning and end, the cradle and grave. It is fitting that the same ominous conjunction that was present in his birth chart reappear in that same house in the solar return chart within which his life ended. Although in the same aspect, same distance from each other and in the same house, this Mars-Saturn connection was recurring in a different sign. While in the sign of Aquarius in the natal chart, Mars and Saturn are in conjunction in the sign of Sagittarius in solar return chart. This difference is very important since Sagittarius as a sign symbolize foreign countries and long-distance travels. Even more telling is the fact that Sweden (7.12.1865, 15:30 Stockholm) as a country is “born” in the sign of Sagittarius i.e., have Sun in that sign. Therefore, recurrence of these two planets in that sign explains why the accident that ended his life happened on a foreign soil and why, of all countries, it happened precisely in Sweden.

Of course, this wasn’t the only solar return chart in which Mars-Saturn conjunction reappeared. For example, in both 1982, the year in which he joined the band and in 1984, a year in which Metallica released their second record “Ride the lightning”, these two planets were in conjunction, but in both cases, they were neither in the 4^th house or three degrees apart from each other. The only other solar return chart which contain connection between these two planets with three-degree orb is, significantly, the one in which he turned 13 in 1975.

As a remainder, this was the year his brother died and when he started playing bass guitar. In solar return chart for that year, the most emphasized is the third house (siblings) in which the ruler of the eighth house (death), Mercury (siblings) is located. But, most importantly, Mars in Capricorn was in opposition to Saturn with precisely three-degree orb while, simultaneously, Venus was in conjunction with Jupiter in Pisces. So, connection of two malefic planets, Mars and Saturn, and two benefic planets, Venus and Jupiter, that are present in his natal chart, reoccurred in only two solar return charts, in 1975 and 1986 and those two years turned out to be most significant years of his life. It is hard to find a better example that shows which solar charts are truly significant than this one.

Although the Solar return chart for 1986 shows why that year was fatal for Cliff Barton, that chart, naturally, does not show why September 27 of that year was the day he died. The explanation for that is given by the transits of the planets for that day. The tour bus accident occurred at around 7 o’clock in the morning. At that moment, Mercury transited through his 1th house and was placed at 19° of Libra. Since Mercury represents traffic and is a ruler of his natal 9^th house (abroad), its transit through his 1th house is already indicative of what happened that day, but that is not all. Mercury forms a T-square with the Moon at 16° of Cancer and Mars at 23° of Capricorn.

This is significant because those three planets are connected in his natal chart in which Mercury is in conjunction with Mars and square with the Moon. The recurrence of Mercury-Mars connection is very significant, since combination of those two planets symbolize precisely traffic (Mercury) accidents (Mars). Even more important is the position of transit Venus since that planet is the ruler of the ASC and, therefore, represent himself and, more concretely, his body. Venus transited through the sign of Scorpio (death), was one degree ahead of his natal Neptune, and was in trine with transit Jupiter at 15° of Pisces. Again, although these two planets are beneficial in nature, they are rulers of 1th house (body), 3th house (traffic) and 8^th house (death) in his natal chart. Since these two planets are connected in both his natal and Solar return chart, it is only appropriate that they were also connected on that very day. So, 5 planets that form mutual aspects in his natal chart were also connected through various aspects in their transit for the day he died.

Although transits of planets for that day are quite telling, they pale in comparison to secondary progressions for that day, which are truly astounding. No less than three exact conjunctions were at work between progressed and natal planets. In the first place, secondary progressed Jupiter was on 25° of Aquarius, the exact degree on which natal Venus is placed. But this progression is not that important since Jupiter, due to its slow movement, has moved to that degree in 1982, the year in which he joined the band.

Therefore, this progressive activity was at work during his entire tenure with the band and, as such, doesn’t show anything significant about 1986, let alone about September of that year. But the other two progressive planets do just that. The first one is Mercury, which on 27.9. 1986 was on 20° of Aquarius, exactly on natal Jupiter. So, the planet that symbolize traffic and is the ruler of 9^th house (abroad) formed exact conjunction with Jupiter (abroad) which is the ruler of 3th house (traffic). As a remainder, 20° is a degree of Scorpio (death). Although progressed Mercury moved to 20° of Aquarius in August of 1986, on September 27^th it was on 20° 07’ of that sign, just one minute ahead of natal Jupiter on 20° 06’.

The third and final exact conjunction is most astounding. Secondary progressed Saturn was on a 7° of Aquarius on a day of Cliff Burton’s death, exactly on natal Mars. But, as was the case with progressed Jupiter, the fact that Saturn was on that degree is not that significant, since, due to its slow movement, Saturn moved to that degree at the beginning of 1983. What is astounding is that on 27. 9. 1986 secondary progressed Saturn was on 7° 13’ of Aquarius. Why is that significant? Well, because natal Mars is placed precisely on 7° 13’ of Aquarius. So, there is no discrepancy here, this conjunction is truly exact.

As could be seen, there were many palpable astrological reasons for Cliff Burton’s untimely death in 1986. Well, there were also many reasons why it was Jason Newsted who was eventually chosen to replace him.

Jason Newsted (4.3 1963, 02:08 AM, Battle Creek) was a bass player for a bend “Flotsam and Jetsam” at the time of Cliff Burton’s death. When Metallica began a search for a new bassist, he auditioned along with 50 other musicians. Newsted was the last in line and ended up winning the part. Newsted said in a 2015 interview that he learned about Metallica’s plan to open for Ozzy Osbourne’s tour at the time. To his advantage, Newsted strategically procured the band’s setlist, studied it, and presented it to drummer Lars Ulrich saying he knew all these songs, much to Ulrich’s surprise. Two days later, Metallica invited Newsted back and told to him that he had been chosen to fill the bassist position. He became the member of the bend officially on October 28^th,1986.

As can be seen from Newsted’s chart, his Sun is placed on 12° of Pisces and is in conjunction with Jupiter on 22°, which is the ruler of his ASC. So, like Burton, he was blessed to have these two positive, affirmative planets in conjunction. But, in Burton’s case, Sun is in detriment and Jupiter peregrine, while in Newsted’s chart, Sun is peregrine, while Jupiter is in its domicile. Important difference.

Individuals who have these two planets in conjunction are blessed because during their life they will have no shortage of opportunities (Jupiter) for success (Sun) and at least once they will be presented with an opportunity (Jupiter) of a lifetime (Sun). If Jupiter have stronger dignity than the Sun and is the ruler of the ASC, as is the case here, opportunities will come during important transits of this planet and especially during the return of that planet to its natal position.

Second half of 1986 was precisely such period of life for Jason Newsted. When Metallica auditioned musicians for Burton’s replacement, Jupiter transited through the sign of Pisces, meaning that it was a period of his life when Jupiter returned to its natal position. But that wasn’t the sole circumstance that worked in his favor, just one of many. A lot of things had to come together for him to be chosen among all the candidates.

In the first place, although counterintuitive, it was beneficial for him to be the last to audition. The reason is simple. Both the Sun and Jupiter are in the sign of Pisces, which is the last sign of the Zodiac. Being last in line at the audition activated both the Sun and Jupiter from his natal chart, as well as transiting Jupiter, and when Jupiter is activated during its return to natal position, good things usually happen. What also worked in his favor was that he procured (Pisces) the entire set list of the band from their ongoing tour and thus, in a lack of a better word, deceived (Pisces) Lars Ulrich because that way, again, Jupiter in its strong dignity in Pisces was activated.

His Solar return chart for 1986 is, like in Burton’s case, quite revealing. Since that was the year Jupiter transited through sign in which it is placed in his natal chart, the fact that Sun and Jupiter were in conjunction in Solar return chart is not that surprising. What is surprising is that their distance from one another or i.e., their orb, is again 10 degrees, with a difference that in natal chart Jupiter is 10 degrees ahead of the Sun, while in Solar return chart, it is the same number of degrees behind the Sun.

Just one more example how important planetary orbs truly are. What is interesting is that, although he was born on 4^th of March, in 1986 the Sun returned to his natal position on 3^rd of March, which is the day “Master of Puppets” record was released. So, Jason Newsted’s most important solar return chart, in which his natal Sun-Jupiter conjunction reoccurred with the same orb, was set for a day Metallica released a record which proved to be Cliff Burton’s last as a member of the band. Very strange coincidence indeed.

As stated before, Jason Newsted officially became member of the band on October 28^th, 1986. Transits of planets for that day, both separately and in relation to his natal chart show most clearly why he got the job. Although Jupiter transited through the sign of Pisces for most of that year, on that day it was on 13° 10’, just 11 minutes ahead of his natal Sun.

But that is not all. In his natal chart the Sun, beside being in conjunction with Jupiter, is also in trine with Moon in Cancer, in trine with Neptune in Scorpio and in opposition to Pluto in Virgo. On a day he became member of the band, Sun was in Scorpio, in conjunction with Pluto, in sextiles with Neptune in Capricorn and Moon in Virgo and in trine with Jupiter, which was, as a remainder, exactly on his natal Sun. Simply put, in that particular time period, it was him and only him who could have replaced Cliff Burton as bass player for the band.

So, in summary, the reason Cliff Burton died when he did was because within very unfortunate year for him, he was at the wrong place at the wrong time in the worst possible circumstance. That’s why he was the only casualty of a traffic accident in which every bend member was involved. On the other hand, within a very fortunate year for him, Jason Newsted was even more fortunate to be auditioned last at the audition that was held at the right place at the best possible time for him. That’s why he was selected as Burton’s replacement.