The history between Lars Ulrich and TAMA Drums is a rich and an important one to know when learning about the music industry. The relationship of lifelong loyalty & mutual admiration truly began some years before in late ’81. It was around this time Lars purchased his first CAMCO kit, a brand that had been recently acquired by TAMA’s parent company, Hoshino Gakki. Not long after this very same drum kit made its debut at the first-ever Metallica show in March ’82.
In early ’84, Metallica’s tour through the U.S. brought with it some problems when all of the band’s gear was stolen. Lars spent the better part of the year renting drums, all the while without a drum kit to call his own. In the Fall of ’84, during the time of the release of Ride The Lightning, Lars found himself on the phone with one of the top TAMA endorsers at the time, Neil Peart. An out-of-the-world experience, to say the least, Neil’s gracious heart led the way and opened the door for Lars and TAMA to begin their now 40-year relationship. Lars and TAMA no doubt propelled each other on the road to success, a relationship strengthened by Lars’ energy into the young TAMA brand and TAMA’s steadfast support for Lars.
The decades to follow saw inexplicable growth for both Lars and TAMA as they travelled on the journey side by side. The late ’80s and early ’90s brought the greatest drum kits as Lars favoured massive drum sizes and even bigger set-ups, made possible thanks to TAMA’s dedication to innovation & design. The introduction of the Lars Ulrich Signature Snare Drum in the early ’00s gave birth to a whole new powerful, and aggressive sonic palette. As new albums kept coming, so did Lars’ new drum kits. Lars and TAMA worked closely together to create new & exciting custom colours for each kit, a process that, to this day, is the landmark for the deep respect Lars and TAMA have towards one another.
To celebrate this fantabulous relationship, TAMA is proud to release the Lars Ulrich 40th Anniversary Signature Drum Kit. Limited to 72 drum kits worldwide, this anniversary model features the exact specifications of Lars’ custom 72 Seasons tour kit, with Starclassic Maple shells, a vibrant custom yellow finish, and custom gloss black hardware. Each drum kit includes a hand-signed Certificate of Authenticity and is adorned with signed stickers inside each bass drum for a detailed touch.
TAMA wishes to express their deep appreciation and gratitude to Lars and Metallica for this amazing relationship spanning four decades, and their dedication to TAMA both on and off the stage.