Jon Zazula
Jon Zazula, also known as Jonny Z or Jon "the well is dry" Zazula is the owner of New Jersey's legendary Rock'n Roll Heaven record store and founder of record label Megaforce Records. Zazula's record store in East Brunswick, New Jersey made him a central figure of the East Coast metal scene, regularly playing demo tapes sent to him through his underground tape-trading network which included the likes of Brian Slagel of Metalblade Records, Ron Quintana (the editor of Metal Mania magazine), and producer Mark Whitaker.
Career
His central role in the East Coast metal scene would later be an essential factor in launching the career of Metallica. Zazula offered the band their first opportunity to play in the New York area and organized their first tours with Raven, one of the leading metal bands from the UK at that time. After hearing the demo tape No Life 'Til Leather, he founded the label Megaforce Records to release their work. Zazula released Metallica's debut album Kill 'Em All and set up an East Coast tour with private funding.
After the success of Kill 'em All, Zazula signed and worked with other artists including: Warren Haynes, Testament, Tad, Overkill, Frehley's Comet, Kings X, Ministry, and Anthrax.
Marsha Zazula, is partner/co-founder of Megaforce Records. Resides in Furlong, PA, with his wife Marsha Zazula and daughter Blaire Zazula.
References
- The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music ISBN 0-85112-939-0
- The Complete Guide to the Music of Metallica - Page 1 ISBN 0-7119-4902-6