Metallica Finally Admits Why Jason Newsted Left The Band

Metallica legends James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich are speaking out on why Jason Newsted really left the band. Fortunately, Metallica and Newsted are on great terms these days.
#metallica
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[@Reckoning2943]

Whether it’s Ron, Cliff, Jason or Rob; The most mature and level headed guy in Metallica has always been their bassist.

[@burningicecream9095]

Metallica’s bassists always made the band for me. The rest of them have always been take it or leave it.

[@kaydgaming]

What about Dave!?!? He leveled mfs like crazy.

[@Jeudaos]

Well said. and quite true.

[@paulosantiago7457]

@@kaydgaming mature and level headed are not words you could use to describe Dave. He collected feuds with almost every other bands and musicians through the years, a lot of them for no reason at all. He is a changed Man now, I get it, but back then...

[@brandonsparks7668]

@@paulosantiago7457 agreed.

[@hazor777]

Summary: It took James & Lars 20+years to realize they're self absorbed.

[@johndavidson2365]

Self absorbed? Is that the nice way of saying they are dueschs

[@Veganerd_]

@@johndavidson2365 wtf dude.. *douches lol

[@somersetcace1]

At least they eventually came to it. There's an awful lot of people that never do.

[@yoitsmegabe]

Shit, I'd argue just Lars came to the conclusion. James just said "he was where he was at we were where we were at" That doesn't sound like an admission of anything.

[@hazor777]

@@somersetcace1 this is true

[@prowlprime]

This is ridiculous. Newsted left because James and Lars treated him like garbage. They never treated him like he was part of the band. They killed Newsted's creativity because they never accepted his ideas and they wanted to kill his side-projects. This isn't hard to understand.

[@cannz9134]

I think your right and its extremely depressing stuff. He did all the running about and crowd interaction in the live work.

[@sgt.grinch3299]

Amen

[@danstone8783]

I bet they treat Rob a lot better because Rob could kick all the other three's asses at the same time.

[@EmmaMoschettiFilm]

that’s so messed up... like why would they do that if they’re supposed to be friends you know?

[@TheNotSure]

Jame's and Lars' heads are so up their own asses it took them decades to NOT realize they are dicks and trash personalities. FFS Lars can't even stay on time every show. Saw them live years back post st anger & it was awful. Lars f'd up Bells w/in seconds w/just the kick drum. Never again.

[@allrightallrightallright1919]

I was a big fan for years, finally saw them live and had a back stage pass, my dream to meet them was about to come true…and then guess what? Only Jason came out to meet all of us and sign autographs (Tampa, FL). I was so impressed with Jason’s kindness and down to earth demeanor. From then on I was a fan of Jason. They didn’t deserve him. Once he left the band I spent my time listening to Megadeth. Even though back then I thought I really wanted to meet James and Kirk, I’m so grateful to have met Jason.

[@omgvague]

2:47 "He was signing autographs when we were driving by, waving, on the way out of the buildings."

[@Glennskie]

nah. just continue listening to megadeth. metallica won't care.

[@zremflaixhu9176]

They didn't create anything close to significant after Jason left. Whatever I like about metallica is Jason and Pre Jason material.

[@allrightallrightallright1919]

@@bb-lt8eh thank you for your comment. All the best to you.

[@allrightallrightallright1919]

@@ChrisP872 Cool, thank you, will check ‘em out

[@fonzerellie3518]

You can give Jason big money , big fame , being a member for Metallica but none of that matters if you dont give him one ounce of respect.

[@Blujonny11]

As someone who used to be in a band, the politics of it is so crazy I can't believe any bands truly survive long enough to become famous. How that happens is beyond me. I was 'that dude' who stayed silent while my inner creativity and business sense were crushed. I ended up having panic attacks it got so bad. The main guy in the band was so damn talented though that I stayed. But then he was in a car accident and that was the end of the band. He survived but was never the same.

[@boahnation9932]

@@Blujonny11 damn, all the best to him, and all of you, keep rocking!

[@DLB1858]

I think you meant nothing else matters!

[@drio2020]

@@Blujonny11 that’s crazy, thanks for sharing

[@bobbyhill1005]

You’re right! Nothing else Matters!

[@titsmcgee8885]

Translation: Our ego has clouded our minds for so long we just now realize he left cause of us.

[@everydayperson764]

Hello Mr God.

[@hazor777]

Beat me to the punch

[@txwhyxbeetsx4ever381]

Thanks for the clifff notes now I can get back to crowd killing my grandma 🤘🏻

[@dnray2092]

Lars's Ego

[@clintonwilliams3841]

I agree according to the movie Jason was sacked. Now they are rewriting history by saying he left of his own accord. Ulrich came across a an egotistical money hungry a hole. $5 million for the crappy painting he did and he claims he was sad to see it go? Horseshit.

[@cubsroar]

James: "Things happened and things happened but also things happened because they happened, things happened." Just, legendary quotes from the man. In other news, Newstead is a beast.

[@Ned-Ryerson]

Funny how I can follow Ulrich, but Hetfield just seems to be cooking on another planet from me.

[@bb-lt8eh]

@@Ned-Ryerson weird. i feel the same way but the other way around. i guess it really is a matter of opinion. we all have our reasons to feel the way we do that are personal. James reminds me of my step-dad, whom i love and miss very much

[@skiphoffenflaven8004]

Hehe, exactly what I heard in this as well.

[@mercster]

Yeah what a non-statement. He musta learned how to equivocate and say words that mean nothing in "therapy."

[@thinkantitank4031]

ye, lots of hot air in those quotes

[@Themparktycoon2world]

I’ve seen Metallica live 10 times. Saw them with Cliff, Jason and Robert. I have to say seeing the original line up was special however, Jason brought the energy every time. He swung that hair around and those vicious backing vocals. Jason was the reason Metallica was so popular and cool. It was a sad day to hear that he left the band. Robert is a good bass player and I know they’re all older now. I just miss the Jason days.

[@ghostkiller427]

Jason was Metallicas PEAK, imagine if he was still here. Energy would still be there.

[@NicholasBacon-ex8hj]

lol remember when they were holding bassist tryouts and everyone and their dog came and theyre like "haha jk were not chosing from you losers, we got ozzy's bassist"

[@roblewis3147]

Exactly,in my opinion, Jason was the soul of metallica,he brought so much to the band. It was a sad day to see him go for sure.

[@CarloNassar]

Really? I thought it was other things that made them popular.

[@foodog777]

“Jason was the reason Metallica was so popular and cool.” 🤔 Metallica has been a band for 42 years. Jason was with them for 14 years.

[@graeme1744]

They didn't respect who he was as a musician and Jason just basically had to leave because it was killing him. Unfortunately this happens in so many bands.

[@joshyyosh]

And they messed up. Jason was second to Cliff in my opinion.

[@lilv3966]

I agree. Imagine st anger with the bass turned down to zero

[@murk4552]

@@lilv3966 I realized a few years back, they "Jason Newsteaded" Kirk with St. Anger, but for no reason this instance lmao. James and Lars are true egotistical fools

[@coryleblanc]

it didnt kill Metallica themselves, no reason to leave the band

[@beefcheeks9353]

Grief does crazy things to people.

[@thesentinel5523]

I thought it was cool of Metallica to let Jason do the official unboxing of the Black Album box set. He was emotional going back through the memories of the success of that album that he heavily contributed to. Happy for him. He deserves all the respect he gets.

[@MetaITurtle]

I hope he gets featured on the new Metallica album, maybe back up vocals?? He's still got it

[@9childofburningtime9]

It'd be a lot nicer if they put the bass tracks back on And Justice For All

[@arturoacosta6583]

Yeah man,kudos to Jason N.he survived Metallica,and cranked out a mega hit!!!!!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@simplebutnotsolongname6642]

@@9childofburningtime9 Though nice, that’d be rewriting history in a way for them, I would assume; much like the Megadeth remasters and the KISS Destroyer Remix, they don’t really want to tamper with History too much. It’s like asking to remix the Black album into a thrash album, or remix St. Anger into great sounding album. I believe they released the demos that have the bass tracks anyhow. Besides, a lot of the fans are picking up the slack, like uploading Bass boosted ...AJFA uploads. It’d be cool to have 2 disc released together, one original, and one with the Bass audible.

[@jamesjohnson5790]

@@9childofburningtime9 They ARE on there! They are just turned way down. I'm not sure how hard it would be to get the original tapes, mix them with the bass at an even level as everything else, and go from there. I hear James say that Jason played a lot of the same notes as he copied a lot of what the guitar was doing. I can understand that, but then let it be that way. Instead, they turned Jason down, so you could hear the guitar. Not sure Jason understood to how to play a bass line that wasn't fighting for the same space as the guitar. That is what Bob Rock helped him with on the black album. You gotta step back in certain sections, and let the guitar through. There was definitely more to it then just lowering Jason's bass in the mix to be assholes. Would Justice with the Bass turned up in the mix, even sound good? Um... Not if all of the guitar work was being pummeled over, with bass.

[@ktw70]

"We were grieving Cliff" is such a lazy excuse. And James' assertion that Jason just mimicked his rhythm guitar parts has been challenged by producers. People forget that Jason came from a band where he was the primary songwriter. He also had incredible stage presence. James/Lars were most likely threatened by the fact that Jason wanted to bring ideas and energy to the band and wasn't content to play root notes in the background.

[@macymf8797]

lazy excuse??? they lost there bestfriend and had to replace him immediately, sure it’s not an excuse to treat people shifty but “lazy excuse .” really?? they saw him dead infront of them and not very much later needed to replace him so they could keep playing for their fans . that’s not lazy , that’s hard , no correct time to greive

[@choccydo3744]

@@macymf8797 it is a lazy excuse. they were being shitty towards jason. was it jason’s fault that cliff was unfortunately killed? no it wasn’t. he’s not a punching bag and is human too

[@smkxodnwbwkdns8369]

@@choccydo3744 and lars and james are also human. thats what this incel culture that is metallicas fambase forget. they make a saint out of jason because he was a misfit like them. imagine if you had to replace your best friend at your job after watching him die before your eyes. you might resent him.

[@childrenoftheabzu]

yeah the death of a friend or any tragedy does not give you the right to treat others like shit.

[@JohnMegaton2062]

Here’s the only proper answer. “We made a huge mistake. It’s our fault not Jason’s. We regret our actions. If we had it to do over again we wouldn’t act the way we did. We apologize to our fans and to him for being total idiots.” No Remorse is just a cool name for a song, not truth.

[@Silentwitness1978]

Not often mentioned is the backing vocals from Jason made a huge impact. You really notice it missing in the live shows.

[@billbored8277]

He brought the energy, the juice, the violence in their live shows. Absolutely.

[@sanzen1234]

He would sing full songs whiplash

[@vincesarmiento5621]

Agree.

[@JohnMegaton2062]

Yeah bless his heart but Rob can’t do backing vocals at all. Honestly sometimes I wonder what criteria they were looking at to make a choice.

[@MunkeeFWRrng]

@@JohnMegaton2062 Just that they could play their songs. I don’t think at the time they were as concerned about whether or not any of them could sing because what they needed first and foremost was a replacement bassist. Jason was what every band should want in a bassist: backup and even at times lead vocals, great energy, great playing, awesome stage presence and crowd working skills, and great personality. And James and Lars unfortunately let their egos get in the way of letting them keep such an amazing talent in their group. Their loss. Their live performances were never as good after Jason left and they have no one but themselves to blame for it.

[@pantherman16]

Jason bought me a beer in Denver back in 87. They were playing Red Rocks, staying at the Marriott West. Most artists playing Red Rocks stayed there. I bumped into Joe Jackson in the elevator once. On this afternoon I saw Jason walk up to the bar with the wild hair flowing. Anyone who met him at this time will probably remember a distinctive way he walked. I just asked him how he was doing, not knowing who he was, or what I was in for. And I remember I looked totally square, very non-hip as this was after a day of work-when you wore suits. But I was in my 20's. Turns out his name is Jason. After some conversation, I find out he's the bassist for Metallica. I did offer to buy him a beer first and did know of Metallica, but not enough to act like a crazed fan. The other band members were roaming all around, but he and I just chatted for a few minutes about Denver, Red Rocks, Estes Park, the Rockies. He was a cool, nice, down-to-earth guy. I wasn't informed enough to act like a fan, but we swapped Led Zeppelin stories which gave me some credibility. He told the bartender to put my beer on their tab, and he left to get ready for their show. I had a few more, and the bartender informed me not just one beer, my whole tab was on Metallica. Pretty cool memory.

[@natethegreat8533]

Pretty cool made up story lol

[@catdogthing]

@@natethegreat8533 ah yes cause everything "cool" that happens is made up.

[@fifteenbyfive]

Lars and James never let Jason run tabs with their money, certainly not strangers in bars for no reason other than "he seemed like a nice guy".

[@smokebanshee9298]

Cool story bro.

[@chriswright8114]

someone needed a self esteem bump

[@wildcatcountry-bigbluenation]

Back in the 90's, we met them backstage in Nashville, TN. Well everyone, except Kirk. He wasn't feeling well. Lars, and James were cool, but Jason actually took the time to have a conversation with us. The dude was, and always has been the coolest when it comes to the fans.

[@GrahamPablo]

Oh man I was in Nashville earlier today

[@brandonliddle3419]

Well, Jason was a fan, so I guess that probably has something to do with it.

[@MrTimjm009]

Probably some jealousy in there too . Its like they admit now that he was the 1 st arrive and last to leave and they kept telling him to slow down. Its like he showed them up as not putting in as much effort . Not that he did that intentionally , it s just how it came across though

[@davidstockdale4187]

They're l good dudes from what I gather, James and lars get all of the attention so they probably aren't as cordial because they get harassed more than the other 2 band mates.

[@georgeantonioandrei8570]

I think James is really cool now when it comes to fans.

[@27scotyboy]

Jason was tired of feeling like he didn't matter and that he was just there to fill a spot. A mix of ego and sadness from the loss of a very talented friend. No one could fill Cliffs shoes for them at the time and unfortunately they lost another talented artist

[@theodoreconstantini2548]

They treated him like he was lucky to be a junior member in the band and that he should be grateful. And it did not help that he was always in the shadow of the late great Cliff Burton.

[@SuperCrazyPsycho731]

Well he's not Cliff Burton so he was there to fill a spot and anyone who auditioned for that spot should know that

[@27scotyboy]

@@SuperCrazyPsycho731 not the point I was making. The original members couldn't get over Cliff and took out their frustrations knowing he could never be replaced on Jason.

[@SuperCrazyPsycho731]

@@27scotyboy the point I'm making is with that paycheck if I were in Jason's shoes I wouldn't care. Go ahead and give me a position in a band where all I have to do is play bass and not write anything. I'm taking it if they are Metallica. I can deal with the other stuff because I'm not a f****** p****.

[@childrenoftheabzu]

@@SuperCrazyPsycho731 And obviously not a creative type who needs and outlet. He was not a hired gun but was supposed to be an actual member of the band. Also, Anyone who needs to and goes out of their way to say they are not something are just telling use exactly what they are.

[@Astrochronic]

Jason loved being in Metallica more than anyone and when you realize that, you realize what a sacrifice he made to stand on his principles. Huge balls. I am so glad they came around to understanding and respecting that.

[@nessnake123]

For 1 or 2 years is ok due to Cliff's death, but 15 years treating Jason as outsider is a sin.

[@TsuyAr]

It really isn't ok, however it is understandable and even justifiable. But yeah. 15 years is just acting douchebaggy.

[@ElMeach]

A member of Cliffs family hugged him the moment he was in. They needed 35 years to look back and say "maybe we weren't that cool with him"

[@astralplainer]

Jason came from a very stable family that gave him a good work ethic. He didn't buy into the traditional 'rockstar' image where drug and alcohol abuse were rife. His head was clear and his family was supportive. He left because he was at peace with who he was. The others needed each others' demons.

[@frankstared]

Yes, and apparently they still do. Quite sad, really. Is it just me but Ulrich in particular seems to be absolutely apoplectic with rage. Broken little men who have paid people all their lives to insulate them from growing up into citizens of the world.

[@helperboy5020]

all though i like their music everybody knows, james and lars (and dave must) are egotistical assholes. Jason was a down to earth guy. All these big bands/artists, have such a lot of internal politics, but it's the only way they make it in the long run. And most people buy into how cool they are cos of their talent alone.

[@cd0u50c9]

Beautifully put.

[@CarloNassar]

@@helperboy5020 They still are _egotistical assholes,_ even today? That's hard to believe.

[@Cosmic_42]

@@CarloNassar they're not,these guys are just weird haters talking out their asses lol

[@Ares_0926]

I was too young to appreciate Cliff at the time. I grew up with Jason as the bassist of Metallica and while I love what Robert has done in the spot Jason will always be a part of Metallica in my head.

[@lightsacco]

100%

[@MrEmperorApples]

Same

[@pikehunter23750]

My appreciation of the band left with Jason. Every album since his departure does nothing for me. I'm a life long fan of Metallica don't get me wrong.... but it just feels like the soul and raw emotion that Metallica brought to the table completely left with Jason. Maybe I'm slightly biased since I learned to play bass because of Jason and learned every Black Album song by ear.

[@elijahgarcia5504]

Metallica was NEVER the same without JASON😔

[@dr.indianajones9558]

They were done

[@themetalone7739]

Gotta say...unlike the guys in the band, Jason appeared to have handled the situation perfectly. He never talked shit, he was always cool about his past with the band, and he just did his own thing afterward. That's a level of maturity not often found in the entertainment industry.

[@winnetouch]

He was also smart enough to invest the money that he earned from his time in Metallica. I remember listening to an interview and he said he didn't need to work another day in his life because he's set financially. So, leaving the band didn't leave him with a standard he couldn't maintain. Because of that he has all the freedom to do whatever pleases him and makes him happy.

[@brianpinion5844]

nope the egos are to much, i may be broke holler rat here in ky but i know my shit stinks , bad! lol

[@imapopo2924]

That's a level of maturity not often found... Anywhere. It's easy to let any sort of success go to your head... But to be a member, a beloved member at that, of one of the biggest bands in history and NOT let that go to your head AND not fall into the terrible lifestyle that it usually brings with it? I can tell you right now... I dont have that much control or strength of character to be as calm and cool as Jason Newstad is. I dont think I'd go off the deep end or anything, but I'd be at least a bit full of myself with a legacy like that.

[@matthewclark6239]

I've yet to find that level of maturity in life, from people who claim to be good people.

[@Katie_Woo]

He has always behaved with such dignity and respect.

[@braydenmackie2204]

That’s a pretty vague way of saying “yeah we treated him like total shit”

[@idorion4191]

They totally dodged the truth. There's no other way of saying it. They treated him like shit

[@simplebutnotsolongname6642]

They have never been vague, nor dodged the subject at all; they’ve always been transparent and Candid about Jason leaving and Why. Dodging or avoiding it would be shit like James saying, “We were just pulling his leg, and I guess we teased him too much, and I feel kinda bad that he thought of it that way,” or whatever, which he never did say stuff like that, EVER. Watch any interview before the Recent Apple Music one about Jason; no one in Metallica’s camp have changed much or been inconsistent about Jason since 2003. The only difference now is that they are talking about it again and being a little bit more in-depth and introspective on reflecting it after a long time. And if anything, “Yeah, we treated him like shit,” is also vague and beyond basic; doesn’t go into detail at all about the what, why, and how. They’ve explained thousands of time now: they were too busy continuing Metallica to grieve for Cliff Burton, so they took it out on Jason. Not Justifiable at all, but understandable nonetheless, and they’ve acknowledged that. Now The Band and Newsted are apparently good friends and cordial, and got him to unbox the Black album deluxe box set, and what not. So alls well that ends well. Rant Concluded.

[@Reckoning2943]

@@simplebutnotsolongname6642 honestly, out of the three, James is the only one who appears to dodge and justify his shitty behavior the most. He seems pretty reserved if not defensive about it. He’s still going down that road of “he wasn’t Cliff and i wasn’t doing so great so shit happens you know” instead of addressing it properly; no excuses, straight and honest, like Kirk and Lars did.

[@idorion4191]

@@simplebutnotsolongname6642 yeah nah. You mustn't have heard what Jason had to say about it. James has avoided being honest about it to this day.

[@kennytesta9312]

And they admitted it

[@pixelsbits2129]

I love a large part of Metallica's catalog. I remember seeing the interview where Newsted broke down why he left. The man was very respectful towards the band members considering how he was treated. It just sickened me to hear he had no input creatively, and how he was hazed by other members for years. I understand the band never got over the tragic death of Cliff Burton. Considering they said he was basically the band leader made it even more devastating. I can understand honoring the memory of your friend, and band mate. I also understand Cliff Burton's talent was part of the recipe to their early success. Sometimes fate intervenes, but the show must go on. Cliff Burton helped put Metallica in the spotlight, but Jason Newsted's talent is part of what launched them into the stratosphere.

[@babagandu]

Yeah ... I can't watch any live stuff with Rob in it. I just turn it off.

[@karlbjorkquist7489]

Well stated. Great stuff!

[@cupchamp5]

I always believed the band never got over the loss of Cliff. They treated Jason the way they did because he wasn't Cliff. The reason they love Rob so much is because they feel he plays like Cliff. Metallica wanted another Cliff.

[@jnhygs]

i agree deeply

[@paulc3704]

Rob plays nothing like Cliff.

[@MunkeeFWRrng]

That’s not at all the reason why they like Rob. Also, Rob doesn’t play like Cliff or compose like Cliff in the slightest. They treat Rob differently than they did Jason because it took him leaving the band for James and Lars to realize how horrible they were being and how they let an extremely vital component for their band feel like he had no other option than to leave. They learned real quick that they needed to change their behavior or they would never be able to keep a bassist.

[@dreamofyouandi]

@@MunkeeFWRrng oh please, this video is proof that james and lars still haven’t realized why they drove jason away. they’ll be up their own asses about it forever

[@My_trashtalking_account]

And they knew Rob from the Suicidal days

[@Bass.sick.b1tch]

If Lars and James really feel this way, the should re-release …And Justice with the bass returned to the mix

[@tlawton783]

Absolutely my brother!

[@mrconfusion87]

THIS!

[@bwhitmer]

It doesn’t exist, brother.

[@ubermikesocal]

They wont. Admitting defeat takes a man, a coward makes excuses. Cliff died, they were upset and got a replacement, and did him dirty in a great performance by a replacement bassist who loved the band. These guys are dicks.

[@redrick8900]

non sequitur.

[@colico14]

Jason Newsted is one hell of a fine musician and human being. Props to him.

[@mikewilliams4706]

He's a lot better than I realized. I like Metallica's older stuff (Burton Metallica) better, but have you ever heard the tape that Jason sent to Metallica when he was trying out? My friend of Misery is his. Metallica stole it and wrote lyrics. His bass is phenomenal.

[@danielmurphy2164]

the thing i always loved about Jason was he was one of the few guys who could live his life off of the high he got playing in a band in front of 100's of thousands of people without having to be stoned out of his gored to do it .I just never could get why anyone would have to turn to addiction when you had such a natural high from the energy generated by those who paid their hard earned money to be entertained by you , I knew when i saw the the doc. a year and a half of the life of metallica when the guys where razzing him about fixing sandwiches to take back to the hotel from the spread laid out for them in the dressing room after the show that he was a different kind of guy . Those guys could all have taken lessons on maturity from him for sure.

[@arsxxmoriendi]

character is not being wasteful even when you can afford to be.

[@gametangia]

Miley cyrus talked about always taking waaay more drugs then everybody else and then feeling less off a buzz because she got used to the buzz of such a huge audience. I can imagine being of stage is realy boring when you play a show 5 days a week for a year.

[@toddmiller5322]

Sadness, pain, anger, and the repression of those feelings leads to the creation of great music as an outlet. The pent up emotions and frustrations also, and often do, lead to drug and alcohol abuse. The music is never about the fans, the musicians write the music for themselves, the fans are just along for the ride.

[@monochromushroom9502]

You gotta keep in mind that some people start drinking or using drugs as self prescribed medicine. "A little before I go on stage to kill the nerves, it's fine." is usually followed by "A little something to calm me down after, it's fine." It can turn into "Well, we have 14 hours before the next show and I'm stuck on this bus. Might as well." Which leads to "Well, a shot before we go on isn't doing it. I need to start earlier because it's taking more to get me there." That's how it happened for me. I loved the natural high I got from the audience, but I have stage fright so I would take something to relax and let me just focus on my playing. You might not even notice how quickly you are spiralling until your friends and family bring it up because it's 10:30 in the morning and you are pouring Whiskey in your coffee. To me that wasn't even strange, it was as natural as breathing. It took a long time but my family, significant other, and friends were super supportive. Therapy also helped. It's not always about the high or chasing a buzz, sometimes that's just an unfortunate side effect that can easily take over your life and you don't think you need help. Stay safe everyone.

[@straycatsanctuary3475]

You clearly know nothing about addiction. It's not a choice.

[@davidkeetz]

I fell in love with metallica in the early 90's as a kid and Jason was always my favorite member. I really lost my love for the band when he left. I'll always be happy for the old material they put out and I know that Jason didn't have a hand in writing much of it but he really carried that totally metal persona that I loved so much. The rest of the guys' image always felt so contrived while Jason's felt like genuine expression. I see the same thing in Cliff going back and watching his performances - Robert is a great bass player, but his stage presence also feels a bit contrived and much less genuine than his predecessors.

[@leroyb1876]

Facts, me too. Not the same without him

[@THESNEAKERADDICT]

Jason always seemed unappreciated (respectfully)

[@Kruegernator123]

Jason was unappreciated by the band, meanwhile he was loved by the fans. However, I think that title now goes to Rob. While I think Metallica loves him and he is an amazing bassist, most Metallica fans don’t seem to like him for some reason.

[@bradwest4821]

Yup

[@mmmmm_monke55]

@@Kruegernator123 because robs vocals suck and he doesnt have the same stage presence as jason

[@OnurOzer-nn4kp]

@@mmmmm_monke55 bro is a crab

[@mmmmm_monke55]

@@OnurOzer-nn4kp i guess the crab walk was cool when he first did it but its old and boring now

[@chasing_dragons]

I saw Metallica two times in 1992. Jason gave every atomic particle of himself to those performances, the bass, band, to us. He truly loves the fans, the music, and the other guys in the band.

[@e_knees8816]

He was a fan of Metallica even when he was Metallica.

[@babagandu]

Jason rocks!! Rob SUX !!

[@MetaITurtle]

That's interesting to be a fan and then join that band. Of course you would play your heart out, because your helping the band continue on. The sad part is Metallica didn't particularly like that Jason was a fan. But it's hard not to be if you just released MOP. Everyone was in awe of it. No one was too cool for school when that came out. It's not Jason's fault Metallica were so cool

[@cellphoneaddiction4869]

@@babagandu Jason does rock, but nothing wrong with Rob. He may not have the energy and as much enthusiasm as Jason but he's still a good bassist and does his job well.

[@ArneJohnson912]

@@babagandu rob doesn’t suck. He is actually a really good bassist

[@MR-WC]

Jason always gave 100% in the show's and it showed. Jason was family and still can't believe he's gone.i haven't looked at metallica the same and been a fan since the cliff days.

[@markcarr3196]

Jason became the heartbeat 💓 of Metallica after Cliff died. The other guys treated him like garbage 🗑 but Jason always put Metallica first & kept the fans close. He even supported them after leaving. That’s HUGE.

[@cjb32]

I give Jason Newsted a lot of credit he stepped in a tough situation when he joined Metallica. He had some pretty big shoes to replace and he hung in there for 14 years even playing on one of the biggest albums Metallica ever made, The Black Album he always seems to have a good time on stage he was definitely a good replacement.

[@andrewschultz7930]

Jason is a killer bassist, he's just as good as Cliff was.

[@redrick8900]

@@andrewschultz7930 Not even close.

[@whamsie4022]

Not "one of" The Black Album is by far THE biggest album they ever made.

[@cjb32]

@@whamsie4022 true.

[@andrewschultz7930]

@@redrick8900, Horse Shit! You heard two egotistical assholes holding Jason back. Jason got the job with Metallica because he's a Badass.

[@ofwolfandmetal6874]

Lars: “Jason was the only member to leave Metallica willingly” Ron: “Am i a joke to you?”

[@thedebatehitman]

Dude, it took them 20 years to figure out why Jason left. Baby steps.

[@ofwolfandmetal6874]

@@the6ig6adwolf yeah once he quit the band

[@itsdoomedjack9774]

Dave kicked him out

[@nintendad1166]

Lars James and everyone else: "yes."

[@dimebagdave77]

And his amp STILL smells like beer..

[@juicy5836]

Jason was and still is my favorite member of the band , truth when he left so did I... haven't spent a dime on them since then and thank goodness Dave has since then put out killer music time and time again to satisfy my metal head needs

[@jengelenm]

Jason didn’t leave, he was kindly asked to leave, those are Jason’s words, he said that in an interview. It was implied by James Hetfield.

[@DavidSmith-rv2hw]

ultimatum, he left because he had side projects. only james can do that.

[@Jason-ms4gb]

Metallica needs to re-release "In Justice for All" with Jason's bass un muted.

[@CS-ru4xd]

...And Justice for All 😀

[@GTruck0]

Check out "and justice for Jason" sounds mint

[@elimccrae5349]

back when that came out, i just turned the bass up, loudness switch on, and boosted the bass slides on my eq... Jason had bass in my full size Blazer Lol!

[@phantomspaceman]

Unfortunately those tracks are lost. Lars can't even remember ruining their best album. AJFJ is good but the bass is inconsistent and uses multiple players. All of the fan remixes are like that.

[@redrick8900]

Hey it's that thing people that don't understand music production say.

[@thezogs95]

They were so stuck in their ways its unreal. For Lars and James to finally "get it" is substantial but also like.....DUH hello. Unbelievable how immature those two were

[@magnusmagnusson8302]

its never to late too admit your wrong doings

[@KaninTuzi]

Not that unbelievable, when you think about the fact that they were basically kids when they blew up

[@metalmaniac8640]

They realized it for along time they just never said it publicly

[@thezogs95]

@@magnusmagnusson8302 correct

[@RandomPerson-ui3xv]

The title was misleading. They know what they did wrong long before this interview lmao

[@l8dysyskeykisuke60]

I remember standing backstage watching him watch everyone else his last show with Metallica. He loved, loved what he did. I love Jay-bone. 20 years later from that tour... This guy still is a wonderful man with a rubber bass in hand.

[@melissacoy8265]

Metallica was a band that I could tell you their history inside and out, upside down and right side up, alphabetically and chronologically. I knew more about Metallica than I did my own family. But when Jason left, that was it. I lost interest in the band. I never liked how they treated him. I understood at first, they were reeling from losing Cliff, but y'know, when Jason filled Cliff's role in the band, he knew that and he was willing to give them time to grieve Cliff and he took their "hazing" as part of it. But ten years later and they still treated him like the band's t.p.? I don't blame Jason for leaving, not a bit. I believe he carried the band for a while, as Lars and James just played with their loose screws and Kirk twiddled with his whammy bar. I wish him all the success he can draw to him!

[@tomwalker389]

What's t.p.?

[@Powie1965]

@@tomwalker389 Toilet Paper

[@ericballi4701]

I always loved Jason. He seemed to give 100% all the time. I met the band backstage in 1991 and Jason was by far the most friendly and down to earth of the four. I was able to talk to him for the longest amount of time and he opened up about the early touring of the black album.

[@jopezu]

"he was at a point where he was at, and we where at a point where we were at... and it happened because it happened." overwhelming insight. profound stuff.

[@kirbythecomputerguy7610]

those statements ( inadvertently ) speak volumes .... they never truly considered him to be a member of THE BAND . " he " and "we" clearly denotes a underlying separation of status. IMO they perceived him as useful but nonessential.

[@kens2328]

Translation: “I’m still not willing to take full responsibility for being a dickbag.”

[@markgillespie3971]

@@kirbythecomputerguy7610 Yes, you can imagine that in their eyes all he would ever be was their bassist, their employee. In effect, they put him in the privileged position he was in, so how could they let him go and create another band that might be the next big thing and overshadow them? Unlikely, though according to Jason the record company was very excited about Echobrain.

[@kirbythecomputerguy7610]

@@markgillespie3971 I don't get the sense that they were afraid of the competition , they just wanted a bass player , not a contributing member of the band , which was terribly unfair . I think NOW looking back on it they've come to realize that Jason was exactly what they needed at the time. Someone who could hold his own musically / someone who won't fight them for spotlight time / someone who would stay in his lane and not rock the boat .Someone to be the liaison between the band and the fans .

[@steelyspielbergo]

Very Trump-esque

[@charliethompson6601]

Jason has become the coolest member

[@lokishinigami]

Jason stepped up to fill big shoes as the Soul of Metallica. Every show, every performance, every recording he was giving 110% and using his energy to make the band play better. If you watched their live shows when he was with them, you can see it. Their songs are faster, the on-stage energy is explosive and the crowd is losing it. Jason did all that. Prime example, 1989 MTV Grammy awards, Metallica playing One, everyone else is all stiff and cautious, Jason is just jamming out unaffected. James takes a look at Jason and has a moment of clarity, like what are we doing acting like this and then Jason shouts "DARKNESS!" and James follows the lyrics and the mood clearly shifts from stiff and cautious to goddamn we are a thrash metal band, and they rocked the place so hard everyone was speechless. To this day Jason's vocals echo in that building.

[@adriennereyes5405]

Actually still bummed out about that but that's just me Jason was great with the band 🤟🤟

[@Toonhead]

COULDN’T AGREE MORE 🙏🏾

[@andrewschultz7930]

Jason is a Badass on the bass, Metallica pretty much ran him off, yet they won't admit that.

[@fraydiethemachine7541]

Also the cutest member (>~

[@MGC819]

You can tell the difference in their music with him and without …. he definitely deserves more credit than that

[@Jeff-uu1cx]

Totally agree

[@Jeff-uu1cx]

Still disrespectful to him even in that so called “confession “ like we did everything he didn’t have any input in our amazing music …. The music speaks for itself

[@LadyFairChildVideo]

still i like death magnetic and hardwired way more than load, reload . so jason only did 1 really great album (AJFA) and one decent (black) album with metallica. so they're kind of even in the quality of songs written department. still love jason, but with him (because of lars and james) metallica's quality went down . AJFA, Black , load , reload , are a decline musically from each other.

[@spencedexter8342]

@@LadyFairChildVideo Well that doesn't really matter though, Jason barely wrote anything for the band anyway lol. It's just James getting older, and changing his musical style over time, and I guess Lars writing the beats to the his riffs. Afaik James writes most of the leads for Kirk to play as well. These guys are just past their prime

[@Gregor9043]

A musician that was literally on top of the world, who proved he wasn't doing it for money. And walked away from the most lucrative thing he'd ever have an opportunity to be involved with to be creative. Now that's a true artist, to the bone. Much respect! Many players would have taken that crap treatment for the money and exposure.

[@dennyssigismondi728]

Jason does not need Metallica or any other band. He needs to go out there and show how good he is. Such a unique and incredible musician! Love his music, passion, and wish him plenty of success.

[@craigmapel1415]

Jason was the whipping boy. After cliff died they didn't know how to grieve about cliff. They hated that he was a metallica fan & resented him because the only reason he was in the band was because cliff died. They hazed him horribly. They'd ring up thounds of dollars for room service, & at restaurants. They'd tell hotels to remove the bed & all furniture from motel rooms so he'd walk into a empty room. They'd also take out all the light bulbs so he couldn't see & remove the curtains so he couldn't sleep or have privacy. They sent transvestite hookers to his room. Tell radio stations where he was staying & what room he was in, put his phone number out so people would nonstop call him. They were brutal to him. After the black album tour they backed off the hazing & started being controlling. They told him he couldn't have side projects, wanted him at a moments notice. They told him where, if & when he could take a vacation. James went on hunting trips, Lars went to art galleries & did painting & kirk would go surfing & do his horror movie thing. It started out as breaking in the new guy to see if he could hang in. Than when James threatened to replace him when he wanted to go tour echo brain, that was the final straw. Jason said when the person he respected the most disrespected him he was done. He told James alright you win I quit. It was stupid because there is no way a side project like echo brain could effect the monster metallica had become.

[@chriscornell8810]

How do you know all this?

[@sproutkill316]

@@chriscornell8810 All of this is well documented from all of the members. Lars, James, and Kirk have always admitted to the hazing.

[@ubermikesocal]

@@sproutkill316 Kirk wanted nothing to do with the hazing. It was 100% james and then lars said cool let's do it.

[@jeffleigh2920]

@ Chris Cornell- Every word Greg said is true. Jason was treated like dog crap the entire time. I think Dave M. Would of been treated better than Jason. And Megadeth and Metallica used to do hardcore evil pranks on each other (in the early days of shows together). If you treat anyone like dirt long enough they will bail. Even if you think your bands shit doesn’t stink.

[@nmnmnm9509]

It doesn't make sense. I don't know how this kind of pranks and jokes can be important, but it's completely clear that, they wanted to make another album and made it. Fans forget that music is not just a business , but a means of expressing emotions for artists Especially James needed st.Anger. Jason left Metallica when they had big problems Metallica could have had a similar fate to Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, Pink Floyd, and many other bands.

[@hamidrezarahimi6651]

As a long time follower (+25 years) and been die hard fan, I just can say Metallica didn't deserve jason! he is a true metal head and beautiful soul and no one could ever replace his presence in band and energy he was pumping into live shows! After jason, metallica was over!

[@finroddd]

totally agree!

[@arsxxmoriendi]

absolutely. The first S&M concert was the peak and end of Metallica.

[@intelex]

black album was the peak.

[@arrowst3031]

When Jason left....so did I.....cant support anything he is not involved in

[@hamidrezarahimi6651]

@@arrowst3031 indeed!

[@Broadlight]

I love Cliff & Jason, but I have to say, Rob on 72 Seasons sounds so great. It is the first album that rocked Me since Black Album.

[@manlyscents]

Fascinating that some people need to reach the age of 60 to gain the lowest level of empathy. Others die aged 100 without ever having it.

[@benkyle76]

“Equipped” lol! By that, Lars means “we weren’t prepared or willing to admit the truth.”

[@user-ji4gf5xr9y]

@@PrineGuy yeah well he could have said that rather than use euphemisms like that. I guess his ego wouldn't allow it though

[@ubermikesocal]

It means, we were wrong and we are sorry, but we are too egomaniacal to ever say that

[@jonathanwright5550]

Equiped=mature.....

[@ObsidianLife]

It’s not on surprising that it would take a while for a bunch of dudes who barely ever had real jobs and have been famous since they were in their 20s…

[@traumadiffuser3705]

Once an idiot always an idiot

[@Saiyan585]

How is this news, Jason said a while ago why he left. James told him "arrangements can be made" if Jason kept pushing his side project, so Jason quit because of that threat/ultimatum. End of story.

[@yaroslavross8650]

Jason also had some health issues.

[@coryleblanc]

yeah he brought that upon himself.. you're a member of the biggest band in the world, why mess with that?

[@jonny555ive]

Yeah, there really wasn't any confusion as to why he left.

[@jonny555ive]

@@coryleblanc Because he felt like a puppet. James and Lars were making ALL the band decisions.....why the hell would you want to be in a band where your voice is not heard. Prime example, look at And justice for all.....NO BASS No thanks. Money isn't everything.

[@simplebutnotsolongname6642]

They’ve been saying this For a long time now since 2003/2004, when Some Kind of Monster was released.

[@benvasilinda9729]

Listen to Jason’s new band and it’s obvious leaving was the best thing he ever did. He now gets to make calls and listen to his band mates and they jam because it’s a band. A band is supposed so all make decisions together. Dave Mustaine did well to leave also.

[@robertlogan5354]

Except that dave didn't leave of his own accord, he was fired.

[@1848revolt]

Dave was fired for his drinking.

[@johansmallberries9874]

And thank god they didn’t jive with Les Claypool.

[@TopoPilot]

In life how you treat people is very important. People will ALWAYS remember how you made them feel.

[@johnygogo]

And taking the bass out of And Justice for All was a slap in the face as well

[@rexrocker1268]

You serious? They did that? I never really got into Metallica, great band don’t get me wrong, but I don’t know much about them and their history. I think part of why I never got into Metallica, I always thought Lars came off as an arrogant SOB and he is hugely overrated at drums lol.

[@My_Lacrimosa]

@@rexrocker1268 you can't hear the bass, because they muted it, and then slapped on that massively thick guitar tone Somewhat it sounds tinny and dry and loud and heavy at the same time

[@rexrocker1268]

@@My_Lacrimosa One thing that I think Pantera could have done better was turn up the bass a little more. You can hear it, but it would have been far heavier if they turned it up a notch. Whenever I watched them live it was hard as heck hearing more of the bass.

[@Alfr7]

It was and is still tragic the loss of Cliff. Not that anyone could ever take his place but i don't think those guys could see the blessing they were given to have someone with a heart larger than life, that being Jason. Such can be the result of how fame and fortune can cloud one's perception not to see what the blessings truly are and Jason was just that, the spirit needed coming into their band.

[@glennt69lol]

1000% brother 👌

[@MortuusMachina]

"HE FOCKING LEFT THE BAND" -Lars

[@mrconfusion87]

I think each era of MetallicA can be broken down into which bassist was there at the time (the Cliff era, the Jason era, and now the Rob era)!

[@graeme1744]

@@MortuusMachina because they didn't respect him after all the years as a musician and a band member.

[@mader348]

Jason came on stage opening song, ran straight to the edge, pointed at me and yelling at me " your fuckin crazy" and then threw me his guitar pick, I missed the catch, but it stuck to my sweaty chest and I scooped it up, he then smiled,pointed at me, stepped back and kept jamming! Dallas, TX. Starplex...1994.... still have the pick.... great day!

[@EricCMusic]

I would asbsolutely LOVE to see Jason back for some gigs..

[@samod7550]

He left because they treated him like shit. I dont know why they are confused.

[@alabama1974]

They think that everything is in money :)

[@coryleblanc]

I thought he said he left to make music with Echobrain... bad choice when you're already in the biggest band in the world

[@ImDembe]

It's more to it than that, he wouldent stay in the band for so many years if it was that bad, no one would.

[@iddan1205]

@@coryleblanc when the band goes on hiatus he wanted to play. Music was his life. The rest had family, Jason had music.

[@Rock72Man]

@@coryleblanc Technically yes, but James wouldnt let him, bc James is full of himself, he gave Jason a ultimatum play with Metallica and nothing else, Jason pretty much said fine, F U i'm out so I can pursue what I want.

[@eerslink5498]

Jason is just the nicest freakin' guy you'd ever want to meet. He is legit the most welcoming celebrity I have ever met and always, always takes time to engage the fans and have a conversation with them.

[@LittlebittheChihuahuaKennethT.]

Congrats Rock feed on 666k subscribers! Rock and roll!

[@bryanroberts753]

The band has already admitted that they treated Jason like crap after Cliff died. Jason also auditioned in a Metallica T-shirt. They thought that was a bad thing as well. It's as if you are looking up to us instead of being one of us. They punished Jason mentally for years and he put up with it. The band admitted that they never really dealt with the loss of Cliff. And they took it out on Jason. It's unfortunate. But, a person can only put up with so much before they break. Good for him for moving on and finding peace. Metallica said to this day, they still feel bad for how they treated him.

[@kmiller6500]

They always saw him as Cliff Burton's replacement and not as THE bassist for Metallica. What they did to his bass tracks on And Justice for All was an insult to him. Maybe they didn't want fans to say that he was as good or even better than Burton.

[@incognoscente]

I never understood why they previously gave him bass presence on that Garage Days EP.

[@davidgradinaru7313]

I think it was an insult even to Cliff (rip)

[@michaelgrahamwongacutemadness]

@@incognoscente it wasn't just about bitterness but the mix to accommodate shitty guitar tone and drum sound

[@darrylmcdonald1894]

1989 Grammy awards...Newsteds backing vocals on "Darkness" and "Landmine" lyrics of the song changed the whole thing....man what an underrated human

[@Mr.Schitzengigglez]

That was the most honesty, I've seen from those guys. They tried turning Cliff down. Turned Jason down. I totally saw it coming. Finally, They allowed Robert, to play, and be heard, at the same time. It just sucked, to see such an awesome bassist, leave what he was doing. Join a band he idolized, and, then be seen, as "less than", by the people he gave his heart to.

[@trekgod3]

Jason now lives in my hometown, Jupiter Florida. He recently did an interview where he said if he didn't leave the band, he'd be dead right now. He had a neck injury and was hooked on painkillers. He told the band he needed a few months off to recover, and the band flat out said no. So he left.

[@t-gotitanup9386]

It was that but also in a interview he did 2 years ago he wanted to work on his side project Echo Brain in which Cliff Burstein (Metallica Manager) was all for it to profit and produce the project. Then a day later he told Jason that he wasn't going to help him promote the project, later on the year he found out it was James that told Burstein Not to promote the project which led to Jason being pissed off and in January 2001 they had a meeting to discuss the turmoil the band was having in which James told him he could not be in Metallica and make something else big (was not Jason intention) then Jason felt like his body also was giving up with a Neck Injury he propose a year off and both Lars and James said no cause they were about to make the most gut wrenching Metallica album ever created (St.Anger) in which Jason also was mad cause that they didn't want to take time off when it was no problem before now it was plus he felt disrespected when Cliff Burstein brush off the Time off and conversation to promote Metallica 2001 tour dates (Never happened) Jason said okay I'm walking

[@user-ez3vq8ph2h]

"He was signing autographs when we were driving by" I can attest to that, I met Jason Newsted after the Giants Stadium show in 1998, it was hours after the show ended and there was a constant stream of limos driving by and of course no one stopped, finally there was 1 last limo and me and my friend ask it to stop not knowing if anyone was even inside and sure enough it stops and Jason pops out signs whatever we have thanks us for coming and even gives us both a guitar pick, needless to say I was a Metallica fan before than but a thing like that makes me a bigger fan

[@brianpinion5844]

ive never met any of them but my friends that have all have pictures of them and just one guy !yes jason seamed always stick it out for the fans from what ive seen

[@VisionLiberty]

When I first got into Metallica, Jason Newsted was my favorite guy to watch. The way he whipped his hair around was epic. It broke my heart that he left the band. I love watching the old live Metallica shows.

[@winnetouch]

Well, now you've got that awesome crab walk, so that's a thing... :D

[@bluewolf7909]

I've loved Metallica since I was a teenager, they're great and I've loved (almost) all of their work. But they have always seemed so stuck in their early years emotionally. They really hit their stride in their late-teens/early-twenties. So them finally realizing, in their 50s and 60s, that Jason was an integral band member, is not that surprising. I hope these dudes achieve emotional maturity someday, but unfortunately they've burned a lot of bridges along the way to that. Jason was always the bigger man of all of them, and he continues to be. Dude is a bass monster, and I've appreciated all that he did in Metallica, even if they didn't. Kill it, Newsted.

[@officialmcdeath]

One must remember that Cliff insisted on the band moving to the Bay Area as a condition of him joining, that's how integral he was and that's how much of the soul of the band he took with him when he passed - obviously the surviving members were in charge the way they previously hadn't been and they handled that badly, plus they had a measure of success they previously hadn't had \m/

[@the6ig6adwolf]

Jason will always be the coolest member of Metallica 🤘

[@andyh0010]

.....and they know it. Somewhere deep inside it eats away at them and to top it all, the fans continually remind them. Gotta feel for Rob.

[@Pre-Expatriate]

He actually really was. My friend won backstage passes to the black album tour and we got to meet them all after the show. Jason stayed about an hour longer than the rest of them just talking with everyone about random shit that had nothing to with Metallica. He really seemed genuine and didn't act like he was better than everyone else. I've heard some newer interviews with him and it seems like he has gotten a bit of a bigger head and an ego now though, which is unfortunate.

[@scottmcclure4153]

@@Pre-Expatriate he just telling his side of story now. I think he is the most professional out of them all .

[@graeme1744]

Jason was a animal on stage, huge backing vocals and could sing. Rob is probably a technical Bass Player but invisible on stage, and I don't mean that in a bad way. I think the fans would prefer Jason in the band, but Rob definitely doing his job. Who agrees?

[@seansullivan7928]

Rob is just a hireling and he knows it

[@andywells5218]

Very accurate take. I would agree

[@graeme1744]

@@andywells5218 Thank you

[@rs4453]

For sure. His backing vocals and stage presence left a massive hole in Metallica after he left. As for his technical abilities listen to the bass on Last Caress/Green hell. He could definitely play technical, especially in the 80s, but I think he was more about the groove than being flashy.

[@bubhunt420mfr]

Ima Jason fan, Still a Metallica fan But Robert isn’t no Jason... Jus my opinion

[@hectorae86]

Newsted is my all time favorite Metallica member.

[@simplebutnotsolongname6642]

The Title is Misleading. They’ve already admitted Why Jason left the band with MTV Icons Documentary in 2003 and other interviews. They weren’t asked why Jason left in the interview, they were asked what he represented to Metallica as far as members coming and going in Metallica and his role, place, and what he meant to the band. It completely changes the context of the Answers they’ve given in this interview.

[@meaganclarke4007]

Jason’s back up vocals where my absolute favourite!

[@theditto69]

Jason’s last performance on fade to black is one for the ages. I remember watching that and saying, damn, Jason is killing it and overshadowing the band. After learning that Jason knew it was his final performance, I understood why his performance hit me so hard. What a great journey he has had

[@justinholland9844]

Jason was the bassist for the Metallica i grew up on. Good stuff.

[@j0hnnykn0xv1lle]

Jason was always my favorite member.

[@T69Jimbo]

Maybe one day Metallica will do a re-release/special addition of “...and justice for all” and put Jason’s Bass track volume up to where it should be. That would be awesome as fuck 🤘🏻

[@harrycallahan9143]

Jason gave Metallica that edge what helped them to be as big as what they are, he was a raving lunatic on stage what got the crowd pumped.

[@mrconfusion87]

I remember watching the shows on YT where Jason took on the role of frontman during Summer Sanitarium 2000 (despite playing-and-singing not being his comfort zone)!

[@Atlas65]

As a fan in teenage years. I disagree. James was the one that was the reason they became so big. With his super solid songwriting and Charisma on stage. I mean look at the concerts when they were touring for Black Album. When I was watching tapes from that era back in 2003, my main focus was always on James and Kirk, after that Lars ... and finally the least on Jason ... plus, I never liked his back vocals that so many people in the comment sections seem to love so much. He has a quite horrible tone. You just have to have a bit of an of an ear and you will hear how bad Jason's screams sound compare with James's. The same thing goes with his back vocals in Nothing Else Matters, a really bad tone and also, he sings out of tune. I remembering noticing that way before I knew anything about singing. He is a great bassist and you can really hear that when you listen to his bass lines in Floatsam. But that is as far as it goes.

[@Reckoning2943]

@@Atlas65 it’s not “just James” and I wish people would stop sucking his weiner for it. Jason and James were two front men who got the crowds pumped. It was the combination of exactly those four guys that had that special X factor that got them so huge. James on his own is great but he needs lars to navigate him, lars is the arranger behind his ideas, Kirk was the mastermind behind the enter sandman riff, Jason was blackened and the showman who backed James up when his voice was failing him, which, especially in the later legs of the black album tour happened quite often, in short: The Black-album line up had it all.

[@tylerrue3108]

As a fan of both Metallica and Flotsam when Jason was still in it, I can totally understand why he left. As with many bands that have been around a long time, there's usually an ego or two to deal with that a lot of people just aren't willing to tolerate. He did it for 14 years and that was enough. The man has talent and ideas and creativity. He needed an outlet.

[@davidmaineri7557]

Was happy to have had the chance to see load, reload and tour with sevendust, kid rock and creed. Jason is and will always be my favorite member of metallica.

[@copykon]

Chemistry can be mimicked, but not so easily re-created. That intense energy that Jason had came from his intense love of METAL. That's why fans really love him, not just for his musical skills.

[@cjbeatsbipolar]

I did not expect Lars to be so eloquent and humbled when speaking on this. Like James sounded like he was giving canned answers, but Lars actually had something meaningful to say.

[@bryscorpio]

Yeah, James still sounds clueless honestly.....wtf is that answer, he was where he was, we were where we were...lol...

[@redrick8900]

It's because lars wasn't the reason he left.

[@Reckoning2943]

@@bryscorpio it’s dodging bullets. Poor attitude of him for sure.

[@CarloNassar]

@@bryscorpio Still?

[@JBart3112]

Solid work reading someone else’s interview word for word. Do you do any work yourself?

[@AzraelSWFC2011]

Saw Jason play with "Newstead" at Download. Such a good gig, better than the last Metallica gig I saw, lol. ;)

[@Blazntrax81]

Newsted is one of the best bassists of all-time. The best version of Metallica was when Jason was with them. He can never be replaced truly.

[@MetalMike37]

I COMPLETELY AGREE

[@CarloNassar]

Actually, plenty of people think of Ride the Lightning or Master of Puppets when they think of their favorite Metallica albums. That's pre-Jason.

[@vince8081]

Best metal bassist if you think so... but best bassists aren't in metal and never will. I like Newsted, but cliff and trujilo instantly crush him on the instrument, technically speaking. That said, Newsted has the best energy and presence on gigs and the best backing voice too. Great guy to watch.

[@afewminuteswithchrispycubi8945]

This is the truest statement ever. I cant say i dont like ron. But he isnt jason

[@Trainwheel_Time]

Best of all time? What did he do before Metallica? What has he done since? What is he doing now? Sorry, but if it wasn't for him being in Metallica you wouldn't even know who the hell he is. I love him, but facts are facts man. Good? Yep. Best ever? Not a chance in hell.

[@DollyKauionalani]

Glad to hear them admit this. That they resented him and now don't, that they understand why. They have matured a lot! I think this will help Jason finally be at peace with all of it.

[@shamicentertainment1262]

@ghost mall not nessesarily, some people don't develop for ages. Some not at all until they die. Although I guess money and success can be used as a reason to feel like you don't have to develop, or maybe can even hinder it directly

[@simplebutnotsolongname6642]

@ghost mall They’ve been aware of this since 2003, and have matured. What’s happening now is nothing new from all the interviews they’ve done before about Jason.

[@Kruegernator123]

@@simplebutnotsolongname6642 Definitely. It’s a topic that has been done to death.

[@Kruegernator123]

Being mostly sober from alcohol and coke (for Lars and Kirk) definitely helps a person mature faster. Lol

[@DollyKauionalani]

@@Kruegernator123 I was thinking it, but I wasn't going to go there 🤣

[@abee3515]

Just to put this in perspective when Jouney signed a new singer they gave him an equal cut. The guy hetfield and ulrich brought in is an employee. That is who meta-lamo is.

[@herbertbinoya1126]

And also, Jason is the only member that visit Philippines to promote the Load album. The the Filipinos, as gracious hosts, open up the 'closed on Sundays' then Club Dredd just to be able to jam with him. Yep, it's life changing having to meet & jam with the icon.

[@mac24seven]

Cliff was great, Jason is great and Rob is great!

[@marcthedashergd6321]

In short, what if BOTH Jason and Rob are in Metallica? That would be double the bass power. It won’t happen due to Jason’s physical injury, but if he is still in Metallica, he could at least be the second frontman.

[@oskarjonsson9117]

Cliff is goat jason is goat rob is goat

[@cranklabexplosion-labcentr8245]

Cliff is goat

[@tillman40]

Cliff was the goat

[@psychotropictraveler514]

@@marcthedashergd6321 nah, that would just be bass overkill. It could be cool if Jason played guitar or something though, but im pretty sure that ship has sailed.

[@paranormaldrummer69]

Jason newsted was the best thing that happened to metallica after cliffs death.. he helped shape what they are today in a major way.. They need to give him the respect He deserves.. period..

[@cak1213]

And only took them +20 years to realize it. So down to earth, most humble guys ever

[@francisjbmercado2628]

where to watch the DOCUMENTARYR?

[@LizaSixx]

Jason Newsted was brill in Metallica, loved his bass & his backing vocals WOW! 🤘 - Metallica for me will always be with Jason in the band, he was the best 🤘 ❤ Loved Jason's other work too, outside of Metallica, As The Crow Files is a brilliant song & video 🤘

[@andywells5218]

Jason was a powerhouse no doubt

[@nintendad1166]

As the Crow Flies hah, for sure! Awesome tune.

[@mauMauthecarabao]

🤘

[@jfo3000]

And he sang LEAD vocals on the first album stuff, (maybe James couldn't sing that high anymore?), and he was excellent on those vocals.

[@marlenehoffman5560]

Longest bassist they had, but he was still seen as "the new guy" so under appreciated

[@Norwoodg00ner]

He is a fantastic musician but I suppose he’s seen as the new guy still because he hasn’t really done anything too memorable with the band. That’s just my opinion

[@RTMvideos]

@@Norwoodg00ner yeah man it's not like he wrote their best selling album with them or anything

[@Norwoodg00ner]

@@RTMvideos are you talking about Robert t?

[@B1FFCO]

Jason was in 14 years trujillo been in almost 19

[@vince8081]

@@B1FFCO Truth

[@drexlspivey5828]

I'm more of a casual fan than a hardcore fan (love their songs but never actually owned an album) but something I always noticed when watching Metallica live was Jason's incredible back up vocals which don't really get a mention which is strange, he had zero fear, just went for it

[@normie2716]

Really? That's all I hear anyone talk about when discussing Jason is how good his backing vocals were.

[@drexlspivey5828]

@@normie2716 Yes when people talk specifically about Jason, but not when talking about Metallica, it's always just about James

[@paradiddlesixix7530]

a friend of mine had a back stage pass to see them several years ago. he walked toward lars to say hi, and to just tell him how much he liked growing up listening to their band. lars grabbed his beer cup, and signed it and walked off before he could get the words out of his mouth. haha