James' first band was called Obsession. The band consited of the Veloz brothers on bass and drums and Jim Arnold on guitar along with James. A pair of friends, Ron McGovney and Dave Marrs, acted as the band's roadies. They had to sit in the loft of the Veloz garage and running a control panel controlling the lights. After the band broke up, Hetfield - Marrs - McGovney continued to jam togather.

James' second band was Phantom Lord. After moving to La Brea, James attended Brea Olinda High School where he met drummer Jim Mulligan. The two would jam togather at lunch time with another guitarist who got scaried away with their loud heavy sounds.Hugh Tanner was discovered carrying around part of a flying V guitar at school.. and shortly thereafter, Phantom Lord was born. With Hugh on guitar and Mulligan on drums, James sang and played guitar. The group went through a few bass players until graduation when James moved back to Downey.

There, James moved into a house owned by Ron's parents which would be demolished because of the expressway expansion. This was a perfect place for the two to jam and this is where James talked Ron into playing bass. Ron agreed to if James would teach him. That was when Leather Charmer was born. Leather Charm was more of a glammy attempt at music. The band played originals and covers like Quiet Riot's "Slick Black Cadillac," Iron Maiden's "Remember Tommorrow" and a few others. The band managed to perform at a few parties and recorded a demo, but then began to fall apart.

First Tanner left the band and was replaced by Troy James. Then Mulligan left for a more progressive, Rush-like band. With no drummer, the band was forced to call it quits. Although it was Mulligan's departure that led to James searching for a new drummer, it was Hugh Tanner that introduced James to Lars Ulrich, and Metallica was born.