JASON
Bass/500 mph Head Bangin'


''Scannin' the scene in the city tonight...'' Name: 
D.O.B.: 
Birth Place: 
Height: 
Weight: 
Other Vitals: 
Calls Home:		 Jason Curtis Newsted
Mar. 4, 1963
Battle Creek, MI
5'8"
150 lbs
Blue Eyes, br/rd hair
Kalamazoo, MI

INTERESTING TIDBITS


Marital status: Single

Drives: '94 Land Cruiser, Titanium Merlin "Newsboy" Cruiser mountain bike

Drinks: Bordeaux, Barolo, Barbaresco wines. Evian, Metrx Shakes

Eats: Thai Curry, Frosted Flakes, Bananas, Ginseng

Sports teams: NBA: Phoenix Suns, Chicago Bulls; NFL: Detroit Lions, L.A. Raiders

Before Metallica: Flotsam and Jetsam, Dogz

Pre-Metallica career: Burger-flipper, pizza-maker, and truck-driver

Likes: Mountain biking, Basketball, Elizabeth

Listens to: Kiss, Black Sabbath, Tom Waits, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Machine Head, Sly and the Family Stone, Sepultura, Wes Montgomery, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Bob Marley, Johnny Cash, Jaco Pastorius, Anything and everything

First concert: Ted Nugent, 1975, South Bend, Indiana, Notre Dame University

Heroes: Gene Simmons, Al Pacino, B.B. King, my father, Zach Harmon, Bob Marley

Describes self as: Energetic, caring, goofy


Hail To The King Baby

Background Information

Jason Newsted is the fourth person to play bass for Metallica. After a successful and happy tenure with Cliff Burton, a tragic accident took his life. The remaining members of Metallica felt Cliff would have wished them to carry on.

So carry on they did, with the help of Jason Newsted. He was hand picked by the band after a series of auditions of about 40 people that included Troy Gregory, Willy Lange and Les Claypool. Jason was suggested for a try-out to Lars by Brian Slagel. Brian was a bit reluctant since Jason's current band, Flotsam & Jetsam was signed to his Metal Blade Records.
My Neck Hurts
Jason had some pretty big shoes to fill. Cliff Burton was always more then just the bass player in Metallica. Jason was up to the task and has definitely made his mark on Metallica.

Jason was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, and raised in Niles. At age 14, the Newsted clan packed up and moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan. There he grew up within 5 miles of the Gibson Guitar Company.

His reasons for picking up bass began and ended with Kiss' Gene Simmons. His roots of 'speed metal' could be traced back to playing his father's player piano at faster than normal tempo. After an initial unsuccessful attempt at bass, he picked up the instrument again a few years later when he received his first bass guitar.

Jason saved up money for a better bass, then hooked up with local band Gangster, which included guitar player Tim Hamlin. Hamlin became a mentor and a teacher of sorts to the young aspiring bass player.

Suprisingly, Jason quit High School just 3 months shy of graduation, and spent time away from home, living with the Gangster guys (He has since received his GED, an does not recommend anyone quitting school).

In 1981, Jason and Hamlin left Michigan for California. They made it as far as Phoenix, Arizona on Halloween, 1981. In Phoenix, Jason kept himself busy with odd jobs including a stint at a Subway sandwich shop. He and Hamlin drifted apart and Jason hooked up with drummer Kelly David-Smith.

With David-Smith, Jason jammed for awhile with Paradox, but that amounted to little. Eventually he moved in with David-Smith in Scotsdale, Arizona. There, the they dug up guitarists Mark Vasquez and Kevin Horton. With Jason on bass, and often singing, the fledgling band dubbed themselves Dogz. Horton was soon replaced by Ed Carlson, and this line up played various gigs and recorded some demos.
The Definition Of Cool
In 1983, vocalist Erik A.K. joined Dogz, and shortly after they changed the name to Flotsam & Jetsam. Jason acted as bass player, chief songwriter, band manager, fan liason, and lyricist.

Flotsam & Jetsam got a spot on the same Metal Massacre compilation that spawned Metallica's career a few years earlier, and the band was soon signed with Metal Blade records. They released one album, Doomsday For The Deceiver with Jason, and released another with songs written with him. On Halloween night, 1986, Jason played his last gig with Flotsam & Jetsam.

For his audition for Metallica, Newsted learned all of Cliff's parts, but also added some things to show that he was his own person and a capable bass player. The audition was stretched to the next day and finally that evening at Tommy's Joint.. he was finally asked the big question:

"Do you want a job?"

Jason's response? A yell that nearly scared off the other people in the bar.

His quick ascent to Metallica, which was his favorite band, was not easy. He went through a year of hazing and abuse which bordered on ludicrous, absurd and amazing. But Newsted proved himself capable.

Today Jason is an integral part of the band, and as a former fan himself, is widely respected for his ongoing commitment to the fans.

Equipment List For Metallica's Energy-Bomb Bass Player

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