Metallica Name New Bassist Former Suicidal Tendencies, Ozzy bassist to replace Newsted Metal vets Metallica finally filled the hole at the bottom of their lineup yesterday, welcoming bassist Rob Trujillo into the fold as they prepare for their upcoming Summer Sanitarium tour. The group had been without a full-time bassist since Jason Newsted -- who replaced founding bassist Cliff Burton, killed when the band's tour bus crashed in Sweden in 1986 -- quit in January 2001. Trujillo played with California hardcore pioneers Suicidal Tendencies in the early Nineties. Metallica met Trujillo when the two bands toured together in 1993 and 1994. "My visions of Rob are when we did Summer **** '94 tour with Suicidal," writes frontman James Hetfield in a post on the band's Web site. "I remember being blown away by the fierceness and seeing Rob . . . this monster on bass. He brings an awesome new strength to the band, and makes us step up." When Suicidal folded in 1994, Trujillo played with a spinoff combo, Infectious Grooves, then joined Ozzy Osbourne's band in 1996. Producer Bob Rock played the bass parts on Metallica's forthcoming album, St. Anger. He also filled in at a surprise club gig in San Francisco last summer, but he never wanted the touring job. "I am so f**king excited to be a full unit again," drummer Lars Ulrich writes on the band's site. "The last two years of just being the three of us have taught me so much about myself, about James and Kirk and about Metallica. And to welcome Rob into Metallica in 2003 after all the growth and soul searching we've been through for the last two years, feels so ****ing awesome." AUGUSTIN SEDGEWICK (February 25, 2003)
I don't much care for Metallica anymore, but I think it sounds like a good choice. However, I would hope he gives them a much needed kick in the pants.
To hell with whether or not he is a yes man. I'm just happy they are recording and touring again. They did pretty well for themselves with a yes man for many years now.
Maybe nobody likes Metallica? I don't mind Metallica. I just want to fight Lars on FOX's (lack of a) Celebrity Boxing.
No no, good stuff, b/c you just brought to light how far they had fallen to me. I did not even know Jason left, what was Jason's reason for bolting?
