How did Jon Zazula die? Megaforce Records founder dies year after losing wife to cancer
American record producer and co-founder of Metallica's first label Megaforce Records Jon Zazula died on Tuesday, aged 69. Though the cause of his death is unknown, he passed away a year after his wife Marsha Zazula died of cancer in January 2021.
The couple had founded Megaforce in 1982. While the label continues to operate today, the Zazulas stepped back from it several years ago. Zazula's daughter Rikki Zazula confirmed his death through a Facebook post that read, "The world lost a true legend today... Our Dad lived a life as fast, hard, heavy, powerful, and, impactful as the music he brought to the world. His passion and persistence fueled the careers of arguably the most influential metal bands, and, industry greats of a generation. To us he was simply daddy… Our father and mother were a powerhouse partnership in love, life, and business. Together they believed in the unbelievable, their passion, rebel perspective, and persistence built an empire from a box of vinyl in a flea market - into a multi platinum selling record label, management company, and publishing house. Although we are devastated he is gone, they are finally reunited. And it feels impossible to imagine a world without him in it. For all of us who knew and loved him … by the way… keep it heavy! RIP daddy you will truly be deeply missed, but, never forgotten…your LegaZ will live on forever, not only in us and your grandchildren, but, in every headbanger on this planet for all of eternity!"
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Metallica released a series of statements after Zazula's death. The first part 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! James, Lars, Kirk & Robert"
The next part read, "Thank you Jonny for taking a chance on these crazy, noisy, uncompromising and undisciplined dudes from NorCal who didn’t know what was up, down or sideways, but who were ready, willing and more than able to fuckin throw it all to the wind and go for it.. Thank you for giving us a sense of belonging and ultimately, a sense of self-worth. I will forever be grateful for your friendship, advice and blind belief that the music we played could be shared with way more people who were just like us…outsiders and misfits! Rest In Peace my friend."
The last part of the statement said, "God rest your soul Jonny. My heart is full of gratitude for taking a chance on me and my bandmates. — JH"
While talking about how it all started, Zazula had said, "I basically said, 'What the f**k! It was just so amazing. I stood there stunned because music is my life. Everything was going off in my head, like this was the answer to America, just from the demo. And I said I've got to get involved with this."
Zazula had published a memoir titled 'Heavy Tales: The Metal, The Music, The Madness' in 2019. His last Facebook post was a message for his beloved late wife that read, "Marsha. 4/21/52-1/10/21 We miss you so much."