MEGAFORCE RECORDS CO-FOUNDER JONNY Z PASSES.

Posted on February 1, 2022 by Oran

There are few people in this world that have had such a profound effect on the evolution of Heavy Metal like Jonny Z [aka John Zazula]. 

Jon and his late wife, Marsha were the founders of Megaforce Records, the then independent label who first signed Metallica and put Thrash Metal, as a genre, on the map when they released their 1983 debut album ‘Kill ‘Em All’.

Over his 40-plus years career in music other bands’, he and his late wife Marsha [ who passed away a little more than a year ago on January, 10th 2021] were directly responsible for releases from such artists including: Disco Biscuits, Warren Haynes, Testament, Tad, Overkill, resurrected Ace Frehley’s (Kiss) career with ‘Frehley’s Comet‘, King’s X, Fozzy, Ministry, Anthrax, Raven, and many more.

In addition to Megaforce, Jon and Marsha booked and promoted countless early American and European metal tours, managed bands with Crazzed Managment, and more.

Jon was born in The Bronx, New York in 1952 and released his amazing memoir in 2019, Heavy Tales. RIP.

Oran O’Beirne

www.ovedrive.ie 2022