The “MetalliMansion” is the legendary nickname for a rented house at 3132 Carlson Boulevard in El Cerrito, California, which served as Metallica’s headquarters from 1983 to 1986. This period is considered the most formative in the band’s history, as they lived, rehearsed, and wrote the bulk of their breakthrough material within its walls.
The band originally formed in Los Angeles in 1981, but they relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area in early 1983. This move was the result of a deal with bassist Cliff Burton, who agreed to join the band on the sole condition that they move to his home territory of El Cerrito. The band rented the Carlson Boulevard house shortly after, making it their base for the next three years.
While the house itself was the band’s residence, the garage was the true creative engine. In this space, Metallica composed and rehearsed nearly all the songs for two of the most influential albums in heavy metal history: Ride the Lightning (1984) and Master of Puppets (1986).
The garage has since been demolished and replaced by modern apartments, but its legacy remains central to the band’s lore. In 2018, Hetfield revealed he had acquired wood from the original garage before it was torn down. He used this reclaimed wood to build a custom guitar nicknamed “Carl” (after Carlson Boulevard) to preserve the history of the site.
Life at the MetalliMansion was characterized by raw energy and heavy drinking. Hetfield, Ulrich, and friend/manager Mark Whitaker were the primary residents. It was a magnet for fans and friends who would frequently drop by with cases of beer, leading to legendary nightly drinking sessions.
“It really was a Cinderella story for Metallica,” said Bay Area friend Rob Parker. “In 1983, people said, ‘Look at these guys. They don’t take anything seriously; they drink too much. They’ll never amount to anything. They were a goofy bunch of kids, but they had talent and drive, and by 1985, things were going hella fast.”
In April 2016, the band returned to the house for a nostalgic visit where Hetfield remarked, “Thankfully, most of the things that went on in here are forgotten. But we had a lot of fun. They were honored by the Mayor of El Cerrito with a proclamation recognizing them as a cultural institution.”
“The (Carlson) house was about eight hundred square feet and furnished with all kinds of junky, mismatched shit,” Ulrich recalled. “It had two bedrooms: Mark was in one and James and I shared the other. We had a Foamtech blanket up against the outer wall because it got so fucking cold in there.”
The property is now a multi-family rental. For a period, it was reportedly available as an Airbnb, allowing fans to stay in the historic location, though recent listings have been harder to find.
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