Jason Newsted Bio

Name - Jason Newsted

Instrument - Bass Guitar

Place of Birth - Battle Creek, Michigan

Date of Birth - March 4, 1963

Fav. Bands - 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

First Concert - Ted Nugent, 1975, South Bend, Indiana

Jason Newsted was brought into Metallica after the tragic death of their original bassist, Cliff Burton. He was chosen from over 40 other additions mainly because he was the only one that could keep up with the bands drinking habits. But Jason had some big shoes to fill. Cliff was more than just a bass player, we brought the band with musical knowledge.

Jason was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, and raised in Niles. At age 14, his family packed up and moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan, were he grew up 5 miles from the Gibson Guitar Company. The reason Jason wanted to play bass was because he was very inspired by Kiss' Gene Simmions. After an unseccessful start at bass, he picked the insturment again and gave it another shot when he got his first bass.

He saved up his money to buy himself a better bass and hooked up with a local band, Gangster, which included guitar player, Tim Hamlin. Hamlin became a teacher for the bass player. But Jason then quit school 3 months shy of graduation and left town to live with the guys of Gangster. (Since quiting school, he has gotten his GED and does not recommend anyone to leave school)

In 1981, Jason and Hamlin left for California but they only made it to Phoenix. In Phoenix, Jason kept himself busy by getting a job at a Subway. Jason and Hamlin drifted apart though and then Jason hooked up with drummer Kelly Daivd-Smith. 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.

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. The band signed with Metal Blade Records and released their first album, Doomsday For the Reciver.

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.