Jason Curtis Newsted (born March 4, 1963) is an American musician who was the bassist of
heavy metal band
Metallica from 1986 to 2001. He first performed with
thrash metal
Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...
band
Flotsam and Jetsam
In maritime law, flotsam'','' jetsam'','' lagan'','' and derelict are specific kinds of shipwreck. The words have specific nautical meanings, with legal consequences in the law of admiralty and marine salvage. A shipwreck is defined as the r ...
from 1981 to 1986 before joining Metallica to succeed the deceased
Cliff Burton
Clifford Lee Burton (February 10, 1962 – September 27, 1986) was an American musician who was the bassist for heavy metal band Metallica from 1982 until his death in 1986. He performed on ''Kill 'Em All'' (1983), ''Ride the Lightning'' (1984) ...
. Newsted performed on the albums ''
...And Justice for All'' (1988), ''
Metallica'' (1991), ''
Load'' (1996), and ''
Reload'' (1997), the most album appearances among Metallica's bassists.
After leaving Metallica, Newsted was a member of metal bands
Echobrain
Echobrain was an American rock/metal musical group formed in 2000, prominent for featuring bass guitarist Jason Newsted after his departure from Metallica. They released three albums and disbanded in 2005.
History
Echobrain was formed in 2000 ...
and
Voivod, using the pseudonym Jasonic for the latter, and toured with
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adop ...
. He also fronted heavy metal band
Newsted
Newsted (stylized as NEWSTƎD) was an American heavy metal band formed in October 2012. The lineup consisted of former Metallica, Flotsam and Jetsam and Voivod member Jason Newsted on lead vocals and bass, drummer Jesus Mendez, Jr., guitari ...
from 2012 to 2014. Newsted was inducted to the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Metallica in 2009.
Early life
Jason Curtis Newsted was born in
Battle Creek, Michigan. He has two older brothers and a younger sister.
He grew up on a farm and at the age of six was given the responsibility of looking after animals. He was tasked with looking after hundreds of chickens and rabbits. He told author
Paul Stenning
Paul David Stenning (born 12 June 1976) is an English author, ghostwriter and poet. He has written twenty-nine books, of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and biography. The best-known of his books is ''The Robert Pattinson Album'', a biography of Ro ...
, "It's where I learned about life – seeing a baby cow born right in front of your eyes when you're eight years old is pretty intense…I was from a very strong family and I was raised to be a strong, pure Americana farm boy."
Newsted's mother taught piano and one of his brothers plays trumpet. He was exposed to music as a child, listening to the record collections of his older brothers. His first instrument was a guitar, which he started to play at 9 years old, but he moved to bass at 14,
after listening to
Gene Simmons of
Kiss
A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...
.
Newsted cites
Geezer Butler
Terence Michael Joseph "Geezer" Butler (born 17 July 1949) is a English musician and songwriter. He is best known as the bassist and primary lyricist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. He has also recorded and performed with Heaven & Hell ...
of
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
as his major influence.
He lists
Lemmy Kilmister
Ian Fraser Kilmister (24 December 1945 – 28 December 2015), better known as Lemmy Kilmister or simply Lemmy, was an English musician. He was the founder, lead singer, bassist and primary songwriter of the rock band Motörhead, of which he wa ...
of
Motörhead
Motörhead () were an English rock band formed in London in 1975 by Lemmy (lead vocals, bass), Larry Wallis (guitar) and Lucas Fox (drums). Lemmy was also the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band are often considered a precu ...
,
Steve Harris of
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harri ...
,
Peter Baltes of
Accept
Accept may refer to:
* Acceptance, a person's assent to the reality of a situation etc.
* Accept (band), a German heavy metal band
** ''Accept'' (Accept album), their debut album from 1979
* ''Accept'' (Chicken Shack album), 1970
* ACCEPT (or ...
,
Geddy Lee
Geddy Lee (born Gary Lee Weinrib; July 29, 1953) is a Canadian musician, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the lead vocalist, bassist, and keyboardist for the Canadian rock group Rush. Lee joined the band in September 1968, at the re ...
of
Rush,
Rob Grange
Rob Grange (born 1950) is an American bassist, best known for his work with psychedelic rock band The Amboy Dukes and with Ted Nugent, as well as his unique phase bass lines in the song " Stranglehold".
Career
Sonny Hugg
Grange was a memb ...
of
Ted Nugent
Theodore Anthony Nugent (; born December 13, 1948) is an American rock musician and activist. He initially gained fame as the lead guitarist and occasional lead vocalist of The Amboy Dukes, a band formed in 1963 that played psychedelic rock ...
, and Bill Church of
Montrose as other significant influences.
Career
Flotsam and Jetsam
Newsted's music career started with
thrash metal
Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...
band
Flotsam and Jetsam
In maritime law, flotsam'','' jetsam'','' lagan'','' and derelict are specific kinds of shipwreck. The words have specific nautical meanings, with legal consequences in the law of admiralty and marine salvage. A shipwreck is defined as the r ...
, with whom he played bass from 1982 to 1986. He wrote the majority of lyrics for the their 1986 album ''
Doomsday for the Deceiver
''Doomsday for the Deceiver'' is the debut album by Flotsam and Jetsam. It was released on July 4, 1986, on a budget of $12,000, and recorded in two weeks. It is the only album by Flotsam and Jetsam with Jason Newsted before his departure for M ...
''.
Metallica
On September 27, 1986, during the European leg of the
Damage, Inc. Tour, Metallica's bassist
Cliff Burton
Clifford Lee Burton (February 10, 1962 – September 27, 1986) was an American musician who was the bassist for heavy metal band Metallica from 1982 until his death in 1986. He performed on ''Kill 'Em All'' (1983), ''Ride the Lightning'' (1984) ...
died when the band's tour bus crashed. Following Burton's death, the group began a search for a new bassist. They considered and auditioned over 50 musicians, including
Greg Christian
Gregory Christian (born April 29, 1966) is an American musician who is the former bassist for thrash metal band Testament. He left the band in 1996, but rejoined in 2004 and left again in 2014. In addition to Testament, Christian has also played ...
of
Testament, Gene Gilfen of Blind Illusion, Mel Sanchez of Abattoir, Mike Jastremski of
Heathen, Troy Gregory,
Les Claypool
Leslie Edward Claypool (born September 29, 1963) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, filmmaker, and author. He is best known as the founder, lead singer, bassist, primary songwriter, and only continuous member of the ro ...
,
David Ellefson
David Warren Ellefson (born November 12, 1964) is an American musician, best known for his long tenure as the bassist for thrash metal band Megadeth.
Ellefson initially became an accomplished bassist and honed his songwriting skills while leadi ...
of
Megadeth and various others. Newsted was the last in line and ended up winning the part.
Newsted said in a 2015 interview that he learned about Metallica's plan to open for Ozzy Osbourne's tour at the time. To his advantage, Newsted strategically procured the band's setlist, studied it, and presented it to drummer Lars Ulrich saying he knew all these songs, much to Ulrich's surprise.
Two days later, Metallica invited Newsted back and told to him that he had been chosen to fill the bassist position. The band involved both of Burton's parents in the decision to choose Newsted. After the band broke the news to Newsted, Burton's mother hugged him tightly and said, "You are the one. Please, be safe."
Newsted's first live performance with Metallica was at the Country Club in
Reseda, California
Reseda is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1912, and its central business district started developing in 1915. The neighborhood was devoted to agriculture for many years. Earthquake ...
, November 8, 1986. His studio debut with Metallica was on ''
The $5.98 E.P. - Garage Days Re-Revisited
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
'' in 1987 in which he was credited as ‘Master J Newkid’ in the liner notes. This was followed by his first studio album with the band, ''
...And Justice for All'' (1988), which was criticised for its undermixed bass guitar and thin tone. Newsted claims this was deliberate on the part of
Lars Ulrich and
James Hetfield, although both Ulrich and Hetfield claim they were also disappointed with the production of the album.
They claim that most or all of Newsted's bass lines closely followed the rhythm guitar lines to the point of being indiscernible from each other. However,
Steve Thompson, who mixed the album, claims that Ulrich was to blame for the inaudible bass and unusual drums. Thompson wanted to be relieved of his mixing duties when Ulrich presented his ideas on the production, but Thompson was not allowed to leave and received the majority of the criticism for the poor sound quality of the record.
Nonetheless, the album peaked at number 6 on the
''Billboard'' 200 and projected the band to higher success.
Newsted also performed on the self-titled album ''
Metallica'' (1991), which is the best-selling Metallica album to date, as well as on ''
Load'' (1996), ''
ReLoad'' (1997), and ''
Garage Inc
''Garage Inc.'' is a compilation album of cover songs by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on November 24, 1998, through Elektra Records. It includes cover songs, B-side covers, and ''The $5.98 E.P. - Garage Days Re-Revisited'' ...
(1998).'' The live concert releases ''
Live Shit: Binge & Purge'' and ''
Cunning Stunts'', produced in 1993 and 1997 respectively, also featured Newsted, as did the live album ''
S&M'' in 1999. Newsted also played bass on the song "
I Disappear
"I Disappear" is a single by Metallica from the ''Mission: Impossible 2'' soundtrack, which released on May 9, 2000. The music and lyrics were written by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, and they were joined by Bob Rock to produce the song. Th ...
" in 2000, his last studio appearance.
During his time in Metallica, Newsted also sang backing vocals on a number of Metallica songs. During tours, beginning in 1989, he would often sing parts of "
Creeping Death
"Creeping Death" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on November 23, 1984, as the lead and only commercial single from their album ''Ride the Lightning'' (" Fade to Black" and "For Whom the Bell Tolls", from the sam ...
", "
Whiplash
Whiplash may refer to:
* The long flexible part of a whip
* Whiplash (medicine), a neck injury
** Whiplash Injury Protection System (WHIPS), in automobiles
Film and television
* ''Whiplash'' (1948 film), a US film noir about a boxer
* ''Whiplas ...
" and "
Seek & Destroy
"Seek & Destroy" is a 1983 song by the American heavy metal band Metallica and ninth track from their debut studio album, ''Kill 'Em All''. It was also featured on the demo '' No Life 'Til Leather''. It was the first song the band recorded in ...
", and he performed lead in most songs for three shows at the
Summer Sanitarium Tour where Hetfield was recovering from injury.
He is known for his bass solo which included parts of "My Friend of Misery" (which Newsted had originally written as an instrumental) and bass parts from his former band,
Flotsam and Jetsam
In maritime law, flotsam'','' jetsam'','' lagan'','' and derelict are specific kinds of shipwreck. The words have specific nautical meanings, with legal consequences in the law of admiralty and marine salvage. A shipwreck is defined as the r ...
.
He has co-written three Metallica songs:
* "Blackened" (''...And Justice for All'')
( James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Jason Newsted)
* "My Friend of Misery" (''Metallica'')
(Hetfield, Ulrich, Newsted)
* "Where the Wild Things Are" (''ReLoad'')
(Hetfield, Ulrich, Newsted)
He performed his last live show as Metallica's bassist on November 30, 2000, at the
My VH1 Music Awards The My VH1 Music Awards is an annual music award ceremony held by American television network VH1 held in both 2000 and 2001. Categories, nominees, and winners were selected entirely by public voting at VH1.com. The ceremonies were held at the Shri ...
.
Echobrain and departure from Metallica
During a meeting between the members of Metallica in January 2001, Newsted proposed that the band should take a year-long hiatus, and he would use that time to focus on his side-project
Echobrain
Echobrain was an American rock/metal musical group formed in 2000, prominent for featuring bass guitarist Jason Newsted after his departure from Metallica. They released three albums and disbanded in 2005.
History
Echobrain was formed in 2000 ...
. When the other band members (specifically James Hetfield) rejected Newsted's proposals, he chose to quit the band. On January 17, as plans were being made for the band to enter the recording studio to record their eighth studio album, Newsted made his departure public, citing "private and personal reasons and the physical damage I have done to myself over the years while playing the music that I love."
During a ''
Playboy
''Playboy'' is an American men's Lifestyle magazine, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from H ...
'' interview with Metallica, Newsted revealed that he wanted to release an album with Echobrain. Hetfield was against the idea and said, "When someone does a side project, it takes away from the strength of Metallica." Newsted countered his statement by citing Hetfield's contributions to other musical outlets. Hetfield replied, "My name isn't on those records, and I'm not out trying to sell them", and pondered questions such as "Where would it end? Does he start touring with it? Does he sell shirts? Is it his band?" Newsted's departure from Metallica, along with Hetfield's decision to go to rehab a few months later, almost led to a breakup of the band. After Hetfield rejoined Metallica, the band finished recording ''
St. Anger'', with record producer
Bob Rock
Robert Jens Rock (born April 19, 1954) is a Canadian record producer, sound engineer and musician, best known for producing rock bands and music artists such as Metallica, Mötley Crüe, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, The Tragically Hip, the Cult, ...
filling the bass slot.
Robert Trujillo
Roberto Agustín Miguel Santiago Samuel Trujillo Veracruz (; born October 23, 1964) is an American musician, best known as the bassist for heavy metal band Metallica since 2003. He first rose to prominence as the bassist of crossover thrash ban ...
became the band's new bassist in 2003.
Newsted has stated that he has never regretted leaving the band. In a 2009 interview, he said "I tell you very honestly, one billion percent, I have never regretted leaving Metallica. It was the right thing for everyone. It was the right thing to do for the camp. That's it. I've never told anyone that I wanted to go back or anything like that—not once. I made up my mind. It was not an easy thing to do, but it was something I had to do. I thought about it very much before I pulled the trigger and because of that, I have never looked back. The past is where it's supposed to be."
It was mentioned in the film ''
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster'' that there was a rumor that Newsted would possibly rejoin the band, but to date it has not happened, aside from the brief appearance on the 30th anniversary shows.
Despite his departure from Metallica, Newsted remains close with the other band members. On April 4, 2009, Newsted joined Metallica for its induction into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, Ohio. He also performed three songs at the event—"
Master of Puppets
''Master of Puppets'' is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on March 3, 1986, by Elektra Records. Recorded in Denmark at Sweet Silence Studios with producer Flemming Rasmussen, it was the band's last albu ...
", "
Enter Sandman
"Enter Sandman" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica. It is the opening track and lead single from their self-titled fifth album, released in 1991. The music was written by Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich. Vocalist an ...
", and "
Train Kept A-Rollin'
"Train Kept A-Rollin'" (or "The Train Kept A-Rollin'") is a song first recorded by American jazz and rhythm and blues musician Tiny Bradshaw in 1951. Originally performed in the style of a jump blues, Bradshaw borrowed lyrics from an earlier son ...
"—with Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett, and Robert Trujillo, and
Jeff Beck,
Jimmy Page,
Joe Perry,
Ron Wood Ron is a shortening of the name Ronald.
Ron or RON may also refer to:
Arts and media
* Big Ron (''EastEnders''), a TV character
* Ron (''King of Fighters''), a video game character
*Ron Douglas, the protagonist in '' Lucky Stiff'' played by Joe ...
, and
Flea
Flea, the common name for the order Siphonaptera, includes 2,500 species of small flightless insects that live as external parasites of mammals and birds. Fleas live by ingesting the blood of their hosts. Adult fleas grow to about long, a ...
. On December 5, 7, 9 and 10, 2011, Newsted reunited with Metallica during all four of their 30th anniversary shows and performed several songs with the band, Trujillo and, in some cases, other guest musicians. Hetfield noted how the fans "lit up" as Newsted walked on stage, smiling and waving to the crowd.
On December 16, 2013, Newsted expanded upon previous statements regarding his departure from Metallica and cited that his project with Echobrain was being discouraged by James Hetfield because Metallica's management at Q Prime wanted to go ahead with promoting Echobrain but was forced to drop it by Hetfield's demands with the quote "other arrangements can be made". Newsted was sure that Echobrain would not affect Metallica, explaining "And so they had told me, pretty convincingly, 'This is a great record, we've been playing it around the office, that's all I've been hearing, it's fantastic, this kid has a great voice. Let's do something with this.' That's what they told me, and then James Hetfield heard about it and was not happy. He was, I think, pretty much out to put the kibosh on the whole thing because it would somehow affect Metallica in his eyes, because now the managers were interested in something I was doing that had nothing to do with him". Newsted sums up the situation as follows: "I have no idea what
etfieldwas thinking, other than just protecting what he valued, just like he does; that's his thing. He protects what he loves, squeezes it too hard, like he said himself. Squeeze it too hard, protecting it too much. That's where I was coming from. The people that I had counted on for 15 years to help me with my career, help Metallica, take care of my money, do all of those things, told me, 'Your new project is fantastic, we'd like to help you with it.' James heard about it, the manager calls me back a couple of days later – 'Sorry we're not going to be able to help you with that Echobrain thing'."
Ulrich admitted that Newsted's departure made a huge dent on Metallica, saying that his presence was overlooked.
Hetfield once revealed that the initial writing sessions without Newsted were unsatisfying and that "the music was not all it could have been." He also admitted in October 2022 that the song "''All Within My Hands''" was about Newsted's departure, stating that he used it as a means of documenting his internal problems, talking about how “love is control” in the lyrics and crushing everything in his hands to mold Newsted into doing what he was told.
After releasing three studio albums, Newsted left Echobrain in 2004 and the group disbanded a year later.
Ozzy Osbourne
Newsted joined Canadian
thrash metal
Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...
band
Voivod in 2002. Coincidentally, he was also Trujillo's replacement in Osbourne's band during ''
Ozzfest 2003'', which included Voivod as a Second Stage act. During an
MTV interview, both Osbourne and Newsted showed enthusiasm in writing an album together, with Osbourne comparing Newsted to "a young
Geezer Butler
Terence Michael Joseph "Geezer" Butler (born 17 July 1949) is a English musician and songwriter. He is best known as the bassist and primary lyricist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. He has also recorded and performed with Heaven & Hell ...
". However, this would not come to fruition as Newsted left Osbourne upon finishing tour duties in late 2003.
He would soon be replaced by
Rob Zombie bassist
Rob "Blasko" Nicholson
Rob "Blasko" Nicholson (born November 24, 1969) is an American bassist. He performed on Rob Zombie's solo albums and is currently part of Ozzy Osbourne's band. He is also noted for his contribution as bassist to metal band Cryptic Slaughter with ...
.
Focusing on Voivod, Newsted recorded two albums before his participation in
Rock Star Supernova
Rock Star Supernova was a reality television-formed supergroup consisting of drummer Tommy Lee, bassist Jason Newsted, guitarist Gilby Clarke, and singer Lukas Rossi. The band was formed during the second season of the '' Rock Star'' reality ...
, a
supergroup created through reality television series ''
Rock Star: Supernova'' in 2006.
Voivod
The fourth incarnation of Voivod featured three of the four founding members:
Denis Bélanger
Denis "Snake" Bélanger (born August 9, 1964) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. He is the lead singer and lyricist of heavy metal band Voivod.
Early life
Bélanger grew up in Jonquière, Quebec.
Career
Bélanger joined Michel Langevin, D ...
(vocals),
Denis D'Amour
Denis "Piggy" D'Amour (September 24, 1959 – August 26, 2005) was a Canadian guitarist. He was a member of the heavy metal band Voivod from its inception in 1982 until his death in 2005.
D'Amour's approach to music was anarchic and experime ...
(guitar), and
Michel Langevin
Michel "Away" Langevin (born May 30, 1963) is a founding member and drummer of Canadian heavy metal band Voivod. He has been a constant member of the band since its formation in 1982. Langevin is credited with the creation of the mythology of ...
(drums), with Newsted on bass guitar. D'Amour died at the age of 45 on August 26, 2005, due to complications from
colon cancer. The record ''Katorz'' (a phonetic spelling of ''quatorze'', the French word for fourteen), released in July 2006, was based around riffs found on D'Amour's laptop.
A December 2008 update on Voivod's website noted that Newsted played "all the bass tracks" on their latest album ''
Infini'', which was released on June 23, 2009. Since then, Voivod reunited with their original bass player,
Jean-Yves Thériault
Jean-Yves "Blacky" Thériault (, born 15 December 1962) is the former bassist for Canadian thrash/progressive metal band Voivod. He co-founded the band and appeared on the first six albums – ''War and Pain'', ''Rrröööaaarrr'', ''Killing ...
(Blacky), for a short period of time before he would leave the band permanently.
Rock Star Supernova
Supernova formed the basis of the second season of the
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
television program ''Rock Star'' in the quest to find a lead singer. The show began online on the ''Rock Star'' website on MSN on Monday, July 3, 2006 with an Internet exclusive weekly episode, and premiered on CBS on that Wednesday, July 5. Votes were cast via the website. On September 13, 2006, Lukas Rossi was crowned the winner.
Art career
Thanks to
Lars Ulrich's interest in collecting art, Newsted became interested in the work of artists such as
Jean Fautrier,
Pablo Picasso
Pablo Ruiz Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and Scenic design, theatre designer who spent most of his adult life in France. One of the most influential artists of the 20th ce ...
, and
Jean-Michel Basquiat. After leaving
Metallica, Newsted took up painting as a hobby. He is a proficient artist and has displayed art around the United States.
While recovering from his shoulder injury in 2006, Newsted found solace through painting. Newsted has turned out a number of large original works of art over the last half a decade. Newsted says that he went "from making crazy and colorful music to making crazy and colorful paintings." His first gallery show opened on May 4, 2010, at Micaëla Gallery in San Francisco.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction
On April 4, 2009, Newsted was present with his former
Metallica bandmates
James Hetfield,
Lars Ulrich and
Kirk Hammett
Kirk Lee Hammett (born November 18, 1962) is an American musician who has been the lead guitarist and a contributing songwriter for heavy metal band Metallica since 1983. Before joining Metallica, he formed and named the band Exodus. In 2003, ...
, as well as Ray Burton, the father of late Metallica bassist
Cliff Burton
Clifford Lee Burton (February 10, 1962 – September 27, 1986) was an American musician who was the bassist for heavy metal band Metallica from 1982 until his death in 1986. He performed on ''Kill 'Em All'' (1983), ''Ride the Lightning'' (1984) ...
. He performed with the band alongside current bassist
Robert Trujillo
Roberto Agustín Miguel Santiago Samuel Trujillo Veracruz (; born October 23, 1964) is an American musician, best known as the bassist for heavy metal band Metallica since 2003. He first rose to prominence as the bassist of crossover thrash ban ...
at the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, Ohio.
[
It will mark Jason's first performance with the band in nearly a decade. – their last performance together taking place during the 2001 Summer Santarium tour.]
It was his first performance with the band in nearly a decade, their last performance together having taken place during the VH-1 Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in November 2000. Both Newsted and Trujillo performed onstage at the same time, which was a first for the band.
WhoCares
In October 2010 Newsted joined a
supergroup with singer
Ian Gillan
Ian Gillan (born 19 August 1945) is a British singer who is best known as the lead singer and lyricist for the rock band Deep Purple. He is known for his powerful and wide-ranging singing voice.
Initially influenced by Elvis Presley, Gillan ...
and former keyboardist
Jon Lord
John Douglas Lord (9 June 194116 July 2012) was an English orchestral and rock composer, pianist, and Hammond organ player known for his pioneering work in fusing rock with classical or baroque forms, especially with the British rock band Deep ...
from
Deep Purple, guitarist
Tony Iommi
Anthony Frank Iommi () (born 19 February 1948) is a British musician. He co-founded the pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and was the band's guitarist, leader and primary composer and sole continuous member for nearly five decades. I ...
from
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
, second guitarist
Mikko Lindström from
HIM, and drummer
Nicko McBrain
Michael Henry "Nicko" McBrain (born 5 June 1952) is an English musician, best known as the drummer of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden since 1982. Having played in small pub bands since 1966 from the age of 14, McBrain paid his bills after grad ...
from
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harri ...
. The band, called
WhoCares
WhoCares was a supergroup formed by Ian Gillan of Deep Purple and Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath in 2011 with the participation of a great number of rock artists as a charity project to raise money to rebuild a music school in Gyumri, Armenia, a ...
, recorded a charity single titled "Out of My Mind". The charity single also features a track titled "Holy Water" and is available as digital download or CD format as of May 6, 2011.
Newsted
![W0900-Hellfest2013 Newsted JasonNewsted 70534](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/W0900-Hellfest2013_Newsted_JasonNewsted_70534.JPG)
In December 2012, Newsted formed his own band called
Newsted
Newsted (stylized as NEWSTƎD) was an American heavy metal band formed in October 2012. The lineup consisted of former Metallica, Flotsam and Jetsam and Voivod member Jason Newsted on lead vocals and bass, drummer Jesus Mendez, Jr., guitari ...
with drummer Jesus Mendez Jr. and guitarist Jessie Farnsworth, with
Staind guitarist Mike Mushok joining later in March 2013. The band released a four-song
EP, titled ''
Metal
A metal (from Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typicall ...
'', on January 8, 2013.
Newsted released its debut album entitled ''
Heavy Metal Music'' on August 6, 2013. In September 2014, the band appeared inactive as its website contained only a brief message that as of September 15, 2014, Jason Newsted was no longer on any social networking sites. As of 2018, the Newsted official website has been deactivated.
He ceased touring with Newsted due to other musical interests as well as the band being unprofitable. He says "It cost me an awful lot of money – hundreds of thousands of dollars to take the Newsted band around to the 22 countries we played."
Jason Newsted and the Chophouse Band
In August 2016, after being out of the public eye for two years, Newsted formed a new acoustic group named Jason Newsted and the Chophouse Band, and had scheduled several performing dates throughout the fall.
A fan-made video showed the band (with Newsted on acoustic guitar and lead vocals) playing the
Woody Guthrie
Woodrow Wilson Guthrie (; July 14, 1912 – October 3, 1967) was an American singer-songwriter, one of the most significant figures in American folk music. His work focused on themes of American socialism and anti-fascism. He has inspired ...
classic "
This Land Is Your Land
"This Land Is Your Land" is one of the United States' most famous folk songs. Its lyrics were written by American folk singer Woody Guthrie in 1940 in critical response to Irving Berlin's "God Bless America", with melody based on a Carter Fam ...
."
Megadeth Rumors
In 2021 following the firing of original bassist
David Ellefson
David Warren Ellefson (born November 12, 1964) is an American musician, best known for his long tenure as the bassist for thrash metal band Megadeth.
Ellefson initially became an accomplished bassist and honed his songwriting skills while leadi ...
, there was speculation of the possibility that Newsted would return to touring and replace him in
Megadeth. Shortly after the rumors began circulating, on May 30th, Newsted’s wife Nicole had immediately denied any possibilities that he would have taken the position.
Despite Newsted claiming he had the physicality to perform again, he was ultimately unwilling to commit to extensive touring once again due to persisting issues with his back and shoulder recovery.
Equipment and bass rig
According to the Jason Newsted Bass Rig he has used the following over the years.
Auditioning for Metallica (1986)
After the death of
Cliff Burton
Clifford Lee Burton (February 10, 1962 – September 27, 1986) was an American musician who was the bassist for heavy metal band Metallica from 1982 until his death in 1986. He performed on ''Kill 'Em All'' (1983), ''Ride the Lightning'' (1984) ...
, Newsted auditioned early October 1986. Upon doing so he was using:
* Warmoth DIY Precision Jazz Bass
* BC Rich Eagle Deluxe (as a backup)
''Damage Inc.'' tour (1986–1987)
In Newsted's first shows with Metallica he was spotted using a bass made by ESP.
* ESP Surveyor (Precision Jazz model in grey)
This bass was also seen on the cover of the
Garage Days Re-Revisited EP (released 1987).
On the promotion tour for this EP, Newsted was seen using
* ESP Horizon 5 string (in red)
Recording ''...And Justice For All'' (1988)
Recording engineer Flemming Rasmussen commented in an issue of Sound on Sound that Newsted used a 5 string Wal bass on the album.
* Wal Mk2 5 string
This bass was also seen in the video "One".
Damaged Justice tour
The Damage Justice tour saw Newsted using a combination of 4 and 5 string Wals and the ESP 5 string Horizon.
These basses remained in his rig until August 1989, where on the "Binge and Purge" DVD Seattle show he was using Alembic basses.
Custom Alembic basses
The Alembic basses were played live between 1989 and 1992 spanning the length of the Black Album's Wherever We May Roam tour.
The following models were used through this period
* Persuader
* Spoiler
* Elan 5 string with Jazz Precision Jazz configuration
* Europa 4, 5 and 6 string versions
According to Alembic he had at least 13 basses constructed with custom options, ranging from different wood types & electronics to changes in the contour of the body.
Recording the ''Black Album'' (1991)
Newsted has played up to 25 basses in all, including 6, 10 and 12-string bass which were used for specific parts.
Primarily he used a 1981 Spector NS-2.
There is evidence supporting his use of:
* MusicMan Stingray
* Gibson Thunderbird
''Wherever We May Roam'' tour (1991–1995)
During this period, Newsted was using Stuart Spector designed basses.
* Custom Stuart Spector JN model (SSD JN4 and JN5) 4 and 5 string
* Spector NS-2
These basses featured black oil finish, piezo pickup option, fiber optic side markers and carved body contours.
Recording of ''Load'' and ''Reload'' (1996)
Recording of ''Load'' and ''Reload'' began in 1996 and 1997 respectively and in an interview with ''Bass Player Magazine'' in 1996, Newsted again stated he used the NS-2 and a few other instruments to record.
* Spector NS-2
* 1958 Fender Precision
* Dingwall Prima
''Poor Touring Me'' tour (1997)
Newsted began a very lucrative relationship with luthier Roger Sadowsky (of
Sadowsky Guitars Ltd.) in which he made at least 20 custom basses.
Many of which are seen in the 1997 live show Cunning Stunts. The full list of Sadowsky basses are as follows;
* 24-fret 5-string (fitted with EMG pickups #1)
* 24-fret 5-string (fitted with EMG pickups #2)
* 24-fret 5-String with Sadowsky Jazz pickups
* 59′ Burst 4-string
* 59′ Burst 4-string Vintage Jazz
* All Black 4-string Vintage Jazz
* All Black 5-string Vintage Jazz
* Black/White 4-String Vintage Jazz
* Black/White 5-String Vintage Jazz #1
* Black/White 5-String Vintage Jazz #2
* Cherry Red 4-string Vintage Jazz
* Cherryburst 4-string
* Cherryburst 5-string Vintage Jazz
* Lake Placid Blue 4-String Vintage Jazz #1
* Lake Placid Blue 4-String Vintage Jazz #2
* Lake Placid Blue 5-String Vintage Jazz
* Natural Ash 4-String Standard Jazz
* Sea Foam Green 4-String Vintage Jazz
* Sonic Blue 4-String Vintage Jazz
* Sonic Blue 5-String Vintage Jazz
The Sadowsky basses are either a 4 or 5 string PJ or JJ pickup configuration.
''Garage Inc.'' and ''S&M'' (1998–1999)
The Sadowsky basses were used to record ''Garage Inc.'' in 1998 and played on the Symphony and Metallica show in 1999.
Amplifiers
From the Damage Inc. tour until the Black album (1986–1990), Newsted used an original 1974 Ampeg SVT head (300 watts). This was plugged into a 1×15" Ampeg speaker and 4×12" Mesa Boogie cabinet.
Post ''Black Album'' (1991–2000)
From the ''Black Album'' onwards he used
* SVT II heads (x4)
* SVT 8x10" cabinets (x2)
Accompanying this was two off stage racks containing the following;
Amplifiers used for recording in Metallica
= Recording the ''Black Album''
=
Newsted used a mixture of three or four amplifiers and bass pickups for the ''
Black Album''.
* An 18″ SWR (for the low end)
* Marshall guitar cabinet (for mid/high)
* Trace Elliot (for mid/high)
* Ampeg SVT (for the main sound)
He has also used this equipment in the past recordings
* Ampeg SVT Vintage
* Ampeg Heritage SVT-CL* (also known as the SVT-AV)
* Ampeg VB4
Philanthropy
In 2004, Newsted signed on as an official supporter of
Little Kids Rock, a non-profit organization that provides free musical instruments and instruction to children in underserved public schools throughout the United States.
Personal life
Newsted was married in 1988 to Judy Talbert but the couple divorced in 1991 during the recordings of the Black Album. He is currently married to Nicole Leigh Smith, whom he wed in October 2012. She was his girlfriend of 11 years, to whom he refers as the "love of my life". While still his girlfriend, it was Nicole, an artist herself, who suggested he try painting. She now encourages Newsted to "move forward with his art".
Shoulder injury
On October 23, 2006, Newsted was injured while attempting to catch a falling
bass amp
A bass amplifier (also abbreviated to bass amp) is a musical instrument electronic device that uses electrical power to make lower-pitched instruments such as the bass guitar or double bass loud enough to be heard by the performers and audien ...
head (which, according to him, was the bass amp that was used to record ''
Metallica'', ''
Load'', and ''
Reload'').
The accident resulted in a torn anterior labrum in his left shoulder and a rotator cuff and biceps tear in the right. He was scheduled for immediate surgery, and underwent a lengthy rehab process. During this time he was unable to play, and began to express himself through painting. On January 4, 2007, he was back playing his bass again.
Newsted later reported that he had been addicted to painkillers, having taken such medication from his time in Metallica to cope with neck problems but without understanding the risks. After his shoulder injury the painkiller use became a problem, but Newsted said he had not used any since about 2010.
Discography
;Echobrain
* ''Echobrain'' (2002)
* ''Strange Enjoyment'' (2002) (EP)
* ''Glean'' (2004) (writing credit on one song, producer)
;Flotsam and Jetsam
* ''
Doomsday for the Deceiver
''Doomsday for the Deceiver'' is the debut album by Flotsam and Jetsam. It was released on July 4, 1986, on a budget of $12,000, and recorded in two weeks. It is the only album by Flotsam and Jetsam with Jason Newsted before his departure for M ...
'' (1986)
* ''
No Place for Disgrace
''No Place for Disgrace'' is the second album by American thrash metal band Flotsam and Jetsam, released in 1988. This marked the band's first album release through a major label, Elektra Records, and was also their first album with the bass gu ...
'' (1988) (writing credits on three songs)
* ''
Ugly Noise
''Ugly Noise'' is the eleventh studio album by the thrash metal band Flotsam and Jetsam, released on December 21, 2012. In order to make this album, Flotsam and Jetsam used PledgeMusic, encouraging their fans to contribute funds to its recording ...
'' (2012) (credited for songwriting, but does not perform
)
;Gov't Mule
* ''
The Deep End, Volume 2
''The Deep End, Volume 2'' is the fifth studio album by the American rock band Gov't Mule. The album was released on October 8, 2002, by ATO Records.
After the death of founding member and bass guitarist Allen Woody, the band began recording tr ...
'' (2002)
;IR8/Sexoturica
* ''IR8 vs. Sexoturica'' (2002)
;Metallica
* ''
The $5.98 E.P. - Garage Days Re-Revisited
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
'' (EP) (1987)
* ''
...And Justice for All'' (1988)
* ''
Metallica'' (1991)
* ''
Live Shit: Binge & Purge'' (1993)
* ''
Load'' (1996)
* ''
Reload'' (1997)
* ''
Garage Inc.
''Garage Inc.'' is a compilation album of cover songs by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on November 24, 1998, through Elektra Records. It includes cover songs, B-side covers, and ''The $5.98 E.P. - Garage Days Re-Revisited'' ...
'' (1998)
* ''
Cunning Stunts'' (1998)
* ''
S&M'' (1999)
* "
I Disappear
"I Disappear" is a single by Metallica from the ''Mission: Impossible 2'' soundtrack, which released on May 9, 2000. The music and lyrics were written by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, and they were joined by Bob Rock to produce the song. Th ...
" (2000)
* ''
Six Feet Down Under'' (2010)
;Moss Brothers
* ''Electricitation'' (2001)
;Newsted
* ''
Metal
A metal (from Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typicall ...
'' (EP) (2013)
* ''
Heavy Metal Music'' (2013)
;Papa Wheelie
* ''Unipsycho'' (2002)
* ''Live Lycanthropy'' (2003)
;Rock Star Supernova
* ''
Rock Star Supernova
Rock Star Supernova was a reality television-formed supergroup consisting of drummer Tommy Lee, bassist Jason Newsted, guitarist Gilby Clarke, and singer Lukas Rossi. The band was formed during the second season of the '' Rock Star'' reality ...
'' (2006)
;Sepultura
* ''
Against'' (1998) (track 14, "Hatred Aside")
;Speedealer
* ''Second Sight'' (2002) (producer)
;Tina Turner & Elisa Toffoli
* ''
Teach Me Again
"Teach Me Again" is a single that was released in 2006 by American singer Tina Turner and Italian pop singer Elisa
The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (, ) is a commonly used analytical biochemistry assay, first described by Eva En ...
'' (2006) (Single)
;Unkle
* ''
Psyence Fiction'' (1998)
;Voivod
* ''
Voivod'' (2003)
* ''
Katorz'' (2006)
* ''
Infini'' (2009)
;WhoCares
* ''
Out of My Mind / Holy Water'' (2011)
References
External links
*
Music Legends Interview with Jason Newsted
{{DEFAULTSORT:Newsted, Jason
1963 births
20th-century American guitarists
20th-century American singers
21st-century American singers
American heavy metal bass guitarists
American heavy metal guitarists
American heavy metal singers
American male bass guitarists
American male guitarists
American multi-instrumentalists
Guitarists from Michigan
Living people
Metallica members
Participants in American reality television series
People from Alamo, California
People from Battle Creek, Michigan
People from the San Francisco Bay Area
Progressive metal bass guitarists
Singers from Michigan
The Ozzy Osbourne Band members
Voivod (band) members