Editing Flotsam and Jetsam (band) (section)

=== 1981–1986: Early days ===
The group was founded in 1981 under the name Paradox by drummer Kelly David-Smith and guitarists Pete Mello and Dave Goulder, who were later joined by bassist [[Jason Newsted]].<ref name="LarkinHR">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=1999|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0257-7|page=167}}</ref> Newsted had answered an advertisement that David-Smith had placed in the local newspaper, looking for a bass player. Newsted came to Phoenix with his band Gangster, from Michigan, on their way to California, but Gangster broke up while in Phoenix. David-Smith got a call from a couple of his high school friends, Mark Vasquez and Kevin Horton, looking for some people to jam with playing covers of bands such as [[Iron Maiden]], [[Judas Priest]], [[Michael Schenker Group|MSG]], and [[UFO (band)|UFO]]. The band then morphed into Dredlox together with the new recruits, and Newsted was now the main vocalist.

David-Smith saw "A.K." (Eric A. Knutson) singing "The Goodbye Girl" at his high school talent show. In 1982, they were in the same summer school class and David-Smith asked Knutson if he wanted to audition. They put him on two-week probation and he later joined the band. Due to the provisional nature of his membership, the band referred to Knutson as "the 2 weeker". Ed Carlson, from another local rival band called Exodus (not to be confused with the San Francisco [[Bay Area thrash metal]] band of [[Exodus (band)|the same name]]), also joined in 1983, after Horton's departure from the band. The name of the band changed into The Dogz, but it did not last long. Eventually the band renamed itself "Flotsam and Jetsam", after writing a song inspired by a chapter (Book III, chapter 9) from [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', which bore the same name.{{cn|date=December 2020}}

The band made its live debut in local clubs and in California and had the opportunity to play with bands such as [[Megadeth]], [[Armored Saint]], [[Alcatrazz]], [[Malice (US band)|Malice]], [[Exciter (band)|Exciter]], [[Mercyful Fate]], [[Riot V|Riot]], [[Autograph (American band)|Autograph]] and [[Icon (band)|Icon]].<ref name="metallipromo">{{cite web|url=http://metallipromo.com/flotsam.html|title=Flotsam And Jetsam|website=Metallipromo.com|access-date=June 12, 2017}}</ref> In 1985, Mark Vasquez stepped out and then-17-year-old Michael Gilbert joined the band. Flotsam and Jetsam released two demo tapes ''Iron Tears'' and ''Metal Shock'' that same year.

They created their first video "Hammerhead" from the ''Metal Shock'' demo: "We taped it in Jason and Ed's apartment living room. We also made a live video at the infamous Bootlegger in Phoenix" (owned by Gloria Cavalera, currently married to [[Max Cavalera]]). These videos and the band's demos made a good impression on record labels. After the band contributed to the ''Speed Metal Hell II'' and ''[[Metal Massacre VII]]'' compilations, they then signed a deal with [[Metal Blade Records]].<ref name="LarkinHR" />