Photo by Gary Schwartz via Adrenaline PR

Jon Zazula, also known as, Jonny Z, co-founder of Metallica’s first label Megaforce Records and manager for Metallica and Anthrax, died Tuesday. He was 69.

According to Rolling Stone, a representative for Megaforce confirmed Zazula’s death and stated he died of complications from the rare neuropathic disorder CIDP, COPD and osteopenia. Megaforce Records was co-founded by Zazula and his wife Marsha in 1982, who died of cancer nearly one year ago in January 2021.

The Zazulas had been promoting and selling metal and new wave from their record store in East Brunswick, N.J. in the early 1980s when Metallica’s demo No Life ’Til Leather crossed their paths. After listening to it again and again, they invited the young west coast band to the east coast laying down the first corner stone on what would become home and hearth for a genre and generation. “When I put it on, it was like lightning. It was like I got hit by, I don’t know what, like a beam. And I listened to the whole thing was like flipping out,” Zazula told Loudwire in 2019. “This is America’s answer — I just said to Motorhead and the new wave of British heavy metal — this would be the start of America’s own scene in that vein.”

One year later Megaforce Records would release Metallica’s debut Kill ‘Em All, and in 1984 they released Ride the Lightning. The two releases would propel Metallica to unthinkable heights. At the same time Zazula was clearing the path for another major force, Anthrax, who released their debut album Fistful of Metal with Megaforce in 1984.

Zazula’s daughter Rikki wrote on Facebook, “Our Dad lived a life as fast, hard, heavy, powerful, and, impactful as the music he brought to the world. His passion and persistence fueled the careers of arguably the most influential metal bands, and, industry greats of a generation. She continued to share, “RIP daddy you will truly be deeply missed, but, never forgotten…your LegaZ will live on forever, not only in us and your grandchildren, but, in every headbanger on this planet for all of eternity!”

Megaforce’s early sucess led to major distribution deals with Island and Atlantic records. The label continues to operate today and herelded the sucess of bands like Meat Puppets, Raven, Ministry, Bad Brains, Overkill, Testament, Mercyful Fate and Manowar and more.

While best known for his efforts in the metal scene, Zazula was also a Deadhead, who in a 1998 Jambands.com interview spoke about the role he played in connecting Branford Marsalis with the Dead that yielded their celebrated collaboration at Nassau Coliseum on 3/28/90.

He would go on to create Hydrophonics Records which represented the Disco Biscuits, Ominous Seapods and Juggling Suns. He also worked directly on Gov’t Mule founder Warren Haynes debut release.

Relix editor Dean Budnick recalls, “Jonny was larger than life. He had such passion for the bands that moved him. He was a true believer. Jonny was also an early vocal advocate of the Disco Biscuits’ trance fusion and urgently spread the good word. He quickly became an important voice for the jamband scene of the late 90s and early 00s. Jonny was also a legendary party host, Disney enthusiast and an artist in his own right who cut the 12″ single ‘Metal Rap’ in 1985 as the Lone Rager. Jonny and Marsha were rock incarnate.”

In 2019, after stepping back from Megaforce Zazula published a memoir titled Heavy Tales: The Metal, The Music, The Madness. He’s survived by his daughters and grandchildren.