The 2 Metal Bands That Jason Newsted Said Made Metallica

Jason Newsted has always been known for his bass guitar style and Metallica. Here are the music bands that make Metallica’s potential “possible” these days. In this article, we detail which metal and rock music bands make Metallica “possible.”

Jason Newsted is an American musician, best known as the former bassist of Metallica. Born on March 4, 1963, in Battle Creek, Michigan, he started playing music at a young age, first picking up the guitar before switching to bass. He played in several local bands before joining the thrash metal band Flotsam and Jetsam in 1982.

In 1986, Newsted got the opportunity of a lifetime when he was invited to audition for Metallica, who were in search of a new bassist after the tragic loss of their original and legendary bassist, Cliff Burton. After a successful audition, Newsted joined the band and made his debut on their fourth album, “…And Justice for All,” released in 1988.

Newsted’s time with Metallica traveled from 1986 to 2001, during which he played on five studio albums, including the successful “Metallica” (also known as “The Black Album”), released in 1991. He was known for his energetic stage presence and his intricate bass lines, which helped to drive Metallica’s sound.

However, Newsted’s tenure in Metallica was not without its difficulties. He was often seen as an outsider within the band, as he was not one of the original members and was brought in after the tragic death of Burton. Additionally, he was sometimes overshadowed by the band’s frontman, James Hetfield, and felt that his contributions to the band were not always properly recognized.

In 2001, Newsted left Metallica, citing personal reasons and a desire to focus on his solo career. Since then, he has played with several other bands, including Ozzy Osbourne, Voivod, and his own band, Newsted.

Jason Newsted reveals the two metal bands that made Metallica “possible”

In his latest interview, Jason Newsted also revealed music bands that Metallica is “possible” for these days.

“There are a few very important elements that made this concoction come together, percolate and do what it did.

Also, he mentioned “the tools” that made it possible for Metallica and added, “Start out with the hard work of the band, so you go back to ’83”. This entailed releasing their 1983 debut album Kill ‘Em All, touring Europe, and building a fanbase there “before America even knew what were.

Then there was Cliff [Burton]. Devastating, it will never be, ever, forgotten. We will never be able to come away from the changes that were made there inside the people. And then I come in, and we work for four and half years, pretty fuckin’ hard, buddy. Talking again about the team that was established, from carpenter to manager, to every person that took pride in the band, and was there to do whatever was needed to make it happen.”

In one of the most exciting points, Newsted maintained that the “secret” to Metallica becoming a mainstream hit was their “softest song” at the time, ‘Nothing Else Matters’. The secret of it all, secret… I don’t know; it’s what came in, and now we know as knowledge and fact. The softest song that we ever had up till that point is called ‘Nothing Else Matters’. The softest song broke down the tallest, strongest barriers for ‘Battery’ and ‘Fight Fire With Fire’ to get through. We couldn’t have done it the other way around. It would not have worked the other way around.

The overall of Metallica‘s hit song ‘Enter Sandman’ helped the band break into the mainstream and introduce audiences to their other popular tracks, such as ‘Battery’. Following the massive success of ‘Enter Sandman’, which topped the charts in 30 countries, Metallica’s popularity skyrocketed, allowing them to expand Metallica‘s touring reach from 30 to 50 countries.

Jason Newsted also explains why AC/DC and Iron Maiden are important for the band. 

“The one, chronologically, that actually made it all possible. AC/DC and Iron Maiden from the early 1980s up through to the time that we were coming to that spot right there. They had played those 35 or 37 or 39 or whatever it was, those countries that were allowing Westernised heavy music by that time. Communism, Islam or whatever didn’t keep it from coming there. They went to all those places first. They knocked down the first batch of trees and kinda gave us a rough road. In some of the places, they paved that shit in some of the bigger cities.”

During his appearances in magazines, Jason Newsted reveals the metal music bands that are important for Metallica:

• Iron Maiden
• AC/DC

1. Iron Maiden

In 1975, the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden was founded in London. They are regarded as one of the most popular and significant heavy metal bands in history and are well-known for their upbeat live shows, elaborate guitar solos, and operatic singing.

They often combine historical, mythological, and science-fiction elements into their music. Among their most well-known songs are “The Trooper,” “Run to the Hills,” and “Fear of the Dark.” Iron Maiden is still a well-liked and important band in the heavy metal genre, with over 100 million records sold worldwide.

Jason Newsted also describes why Iron Maiden is important for Metallica:

“The one, chronologically, that actually made it all possible. AC/DC and Iron Maiden from the early 1980s up through to the time that we were coming to that spot right there.

They had played those 35 or 37 or 39 or whatever it was, those countries that were allowing Westernised heavy music by that time. Communism, Islam, or whatever didn’t keep it from coming there. They went to all those places first. They knocked down the first batch of trees and kinda gave us a rough road. In some of the places, they paved that shit in some of the bigger cities.”

2. AC/DC

Australian rock and roll band AC/DC was established in 1973 in Sydney. The group is renowned for their upbeat live shows, hard rock aesthetic, and memorable guitar riffs. With songs like “Highway to Hell” and “Back in Black” emerging as classic anthems, their music is frequently linked to revelry and rebellion.

One of the bands with the most records sold in music history is AC/DC, which they sold over 200 million albums globally. Brian Johnson has replaced the late Bon Scott as the band’s main vocalist, and despite his untimely death in 1980, the group has continued to release albums that top charts and put on exhilarating live performances.

Jason Newsted also describes why AC/DC is important for Metallica:

“The one, chronologically, that actually made it all possible. AC/DC and Iron Maiden from the early 1980s up through to the time that we were coming to that spot right there.”