Metal mogul Jon Zazula, who was best known as the co-founder of Megaforce Records, has died at the age of 69.
Megaforce famously propped up the careers of legendary acts like Metallica, Anthrax, Testament, and Ministry.
Variety confirmed Zazula’s passing through a representative of Megaforce, with reports he died in Florida on February 1st with his brother, daughters, granddaughters and friends at his side.
In a statement posted to her Facebook, Zazula’s daughter Rikki said the Zazula “lived a life as fast, hard, heavy, powerful, and, impactful as the music he brought to the world”.
She went on to mention her late mother Marsha – who launched Megaforce alongside Zazula and died of cancer last year – calling the pair “a powerhouse partnership in love, life, and business”.
“Together they believed in the unbelievable,” Rikki continued while reflecting on the couple’s “passion, rebel perspective, and persistence” who turned “an empire from a box of vinyl in a flea market into a multi-platinum selling record label, management company, and publishing house”.
Several bands involved with the record label also took to social media to pay tribute.
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“The world of rock and metal would not be what it is today without Jon Zazula,” wrote Megaforce Records in a tweet on Tuesday announcing his death. “Jon’s love of music and musicians was unwavering. A giant was lost today. Rest In Peace Jon.”
Heavy music lost one of its great champions today when Jonny Z left this world far too soon. In 1982, when no one wanted to take a chance on four kids from California playing a crazy brand of metal, Jonny and Marsha did, and the rest, as they say, is history.
(1/5) pic.twitter.com/W0IdaIf4Zt
— Metallica (@Metallica) February 2, 2022
Metallica also remembered the executive in a statement posted to Twitter that read, “Heavy music lost one of its great champions today when Jonny Z left this world far too soon.
“In 1982, when no one wanted to take a chance on four kids from California playing a crazy brand of metal, Jonny and Marsha did, and the rest, as they say, is history.
“He was a mentor, a manager, a label head and a father figure to us all . . . Metallica would not be who we are or where we are today without Jon Zazula and his wife, Marsha.
“Our love and sympathy go out to Jonny’s children and his grandchildren, whom he cherished and brought to our shows from the time they were in diapers. We hope they will be able to take some comfort in knowing that he is reunited with Marsha, and that he helped bring so much incredible music to so many. Hopefully, there’s a great show goin’ on up there tonight to welcome you! We’ll miss you Jonny!”
Anthrax guitarist and co-founder Scott Ian also paid tribute to Zazula on Instagram, writing,“I remember it like it was yesterday- Saturday afternoon, late ’82 at Rock & Roll Heaven with Jonny.
“We were standing there sweating, a post-headbanging/air-guitaring fever had overcome us, Jonny staring at me wild-eyed shaking his head in an enthusiastic ‘YES’ motion. My riff-induced smile back at him was all he needed.
“A beat passed, breathing subsided to a point where Jonny could speak and he excitedly raved at me, ‘I’m bringing them to NY, we’re going to make an album, and if nobody will put it out I’ll start my own label and I will put it out, and you guys will be next.’ And he did all of that. And he changed all of our worlds.”
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