Jason Newsteds abilities were wasted on Metallica

[Russ]

22 hours ago, shoulderpet said:

I mean no disrespect to Trujillo , he has ability I can only dream of having and his right hand attach is deadly but although he is a great player he has always seemed like a hired gun in Metallica , to clarify what I mean he seems like the kind of player that could play circles round the others but decides not to rock the boat so as not to damage the other peoples ego's , again I mean no disrespect

At this point, Trujillo has been in Metallica longer than Newsted was (he's been in Metallica for 17 years now, Newsted was in the band for 14 years).

I guess he just hasn't made his presence known in the music - there's very little in the way of exposed bass parts in the albums they've put out since he joined, and he didn't play at all on St. Anger. Which is a shame, as you rightly say, Trujillo is an absolute monster bass player - check out his work with Infectious Grooves, Suicidal Tendencies and Mass Mental for some absolutely immense playing. 

[shoulderpet]

3 minutes ago, Russ said:

I guess he just hasn't made his presence known in the music - there's very little in the way of exposed bass parts in the albums they've put out since he joined, and he didn't play at all on St. Anger. Which is a shame, as you rightly say, Trujillo is an absolute monster bass player - check out his work with Infectious Grooves, Suicidal Tendencies and Mass Mental for some absolutely immense playing. 

Yes, I think you are onto something there, his bass playing is very low in the mix on their albums and as you say there is little in the way of exposed bass parts, for all the bass you can hear on their recent stuff he could be playing a bass uke 

[redbandit599]

I first saw Robert Trujillo in 1990 at the Clash of the Titans in Wembley arena. Slayer,  Megadeth,  Testament and Suicidal Tendencies.  ST seemed like an odd fit, but they absolutely ripped it and Trujillo just blew my mind. He's been bossing it ever since imho. 🤘

[Lozz196]

Sometimes, and it might seem heresy saying this, but especially in a 2 guitar band having a not particularly loud bass can work quite well. I think AC/DC would have suffered had Cliff Williams been louder in the mix (am not knocking Cliff here btw, I think his bass is great). Not a particular Metallica fan so can’t comment too much on their material.

[Noisyjon]

14 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

Sometimes, and it might seem heresy saying this, but especially in a 2 guitar band having a not particularly loud bass can work quite well. I think AC/DC would have suffered had Cliff Williams been louder in the mix (am not knocking Cliff here btw, I think his bass is great). Not a particular Metallica fan so can’t comment too much on their material.

I think you've hit on a good point here Lozz.

It is a tough one (where to mix the bass) and what I've noticed with Metallica, especially live, is that the bass is not particularly noticeable in the mix but you would miss it if it wasn't there. Almost like a 'thickener' (ooh-er!) to the sound - Hetfield & Hammett's guitar sound is pretty high gain and 'waspy' when heard without bass accompanying.

It also doesn't help that the 2 guitars & bass are tight as a gnats chuff which doesn't allow for any real separation in sounds.

All IMO of course  

[christhammer666]

if you watch the year and a half vids prts 1&2 they hazed Jason for years and don't think it ever stopped. it was a shame really because I think he fired the band up live wise and after he left and they then resumed live playing with Rob I don't think that fire in their bellies has ever been the same. if you listen to the isolated bass for dyers eve off the justice album Jason is an absolute monster on the bass

[dudewheresmybass]

On 30/08/2020 at 22:48, fretmeister said:

Best one I’ve found.

 

 

 

 

 

This video is epic. 
so much better than the “and justice for Jason” version out there- all artificially enhanced low end and rare moments of actual bass

[No. 8 Wire]

On 30/08/2020 at 22:48, fretmeister said:

Best one I’ve found.

 

 

 

 

 

That is truly epic.  AJFA was actually my favourite Metallica Album as a guitar playing teenage numpty, but I really lost interest in them from the Black album onwards.  Just lately I've been getting into the Burton albums again, but not AJFA - I really like the version above though.

Better with fingers than pick I have to say (sorry Jason!)

 

[Noisyjon]

42 minutes ago, dudewheresmybass said:

This video is epic. 
so much better than the “and justice for Jason” version out there- all artificially enhanced low end and rare moments of actual bass

Wow, yeah, what great playing, sound and mix!

For those who haven't had a look/listen - The Bass Channel bloke has recorded himself playing along to AJFA with a 2005 Warwick Corvette Standard and a Darkglass Microtubes 900 v1 amp through a cab mic'd with a Shure Beta 52  

Edited September 1, 2020 by Noisyjon
detail

[fretmeister]

17 minutes ago, Noisyjon said:

Wow, yeah, what great playing, sound and mix!

For those who haven't had a look/listen - The Bass Channel bloke has recorded himself playing along to AJFA with a 2005 Warwick Corvette Standard and a Darkglass Microtubes 900 v1 amp through a cab mic'd with a Shure Beta 52  

For a little while there were individual videos for all the tracks but the Metallica management got upset at those so they took them down and just did this complete album vid.

There are still some by the same people - but with even higher bass levels that are great for learning but too high for listening.

 

Fortunately I was able to grab the individual tracks before they were taken down!

[odysseus]

On 30/08/2020 at 18:20, shoulderpet said:

I mean no disrespect to Trujillo , he has ability I can only dream of having and his right hand attach is deadly but although he is a great player he has always seemed like a hired gun in Metallica , to clarify what I mean he seems like the kind of player that could play circles round the others but decides not to rock the boat so as not to damage the other peoples ego's , again I mean no disrespect

I love Trujillo's playing, but I can see exactly where you're coming from.  One of the lads in work lent me a dvd about Metallica - I didn't know quite the extent of James and Lars' egotism and childishness until I watched it.  Kirk Hammett used to get criticised for a number of reasons but, gee whizz, the guy should get a medal for putting up with that pair of idiots.  I'm glad Kirk has now got Robert Trujillo to have a decent conversation with, and I'm glad Robert has found a 'home' band inasmuch as he can earn a few quid, get his name out there, and pay the rent for the foreseeable future.  I just hope he gets to continue any side projects he might be involved in, such as Infectious Grooves.  I prefer his playing in Infectious Grooves, but I totally get why he is in Metallica.  Good on him!

[AndyTravis]

@odysseus that’s why Jason was given grief towards the end, a side project.

Apparently JH/LU didn’t like it.

[odysseus]

Just now, AndyTravis said:

@odysseus that’s why Jason was given grief towards the end, a side project.

Apparently JH/LU didn’t like it.

Yes indeed. Jason was interviewed on that same vid about that topic. I picked up a copy of his album and what quite surprised how grungy it was rather than metal.  Good though! 🙂

[AndyTravis]

3 minutes ago, odysseus said:

Yes indeed. Jason was interviewed on that same vid about that topic. I picked up a copy of his album and what quite surprised how grungy it was rather than metal.  Good though! 🙂

Was that Echobrain?

[tauzero]

I must say, Flotsam and Jetsam have definitely moved in a new musical direction from when they were first formed.

 

 

[Skybone]

Don't forget that while he was doing Echobrain, he was also a member of Voivod.

Edited September 1, 2020 by Skybone

[AndyTravis]

1 hour ago, Skybone said:

Don't forget that while he was doing Echobrain, he was also a member of Voivod.

And he played a tour with Ozzy around that time...his predecessor had been Rob Trujillo 🤔

[dudewheresmybass]

3 hours ago, fretmeister said:

For a little while there were individual videos for all the tracks but the Metallica management got upset at those so they took them down and just did this complete album vid.

There are still some by the same people - but with even higher bass levels that are great for learning but too high for listening.

 

Fortunately I was able to grab the individual tracks before they were taken down!

I disagree.  The mix is done in a way that enhances The whole but in no way dominates with bass. 

[odysseus]

16 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

Was that Echobrain?

Yes that's right. The name had escaped me temporarily due to advancing age and a large weekend of drinking.... 😶

[No. 8 Wire]

16 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

Was that Echobrain?

You can still buy their signature pedal:

 

[Doctor J]

17 hours ago, Skybone said:

Don't forget that while he was doing Echobrain, he was also a member of Voivod.

He had pretty much removed himself as a player from Echobrain, who were winding down, before he joined Voivod. He did double duty on Ozzfest tour, doing the Voivod set and then playing Ozzy’s set afterwards.

This video is well worth watching for anyone who hasn’t seen it.He goes into the bullying and Hetfield’s objection to him having side projects (he had projects with Andreas from Sepultura and Tom Hunting from Exodus before Echobrain and even guests on a track on Sepultura’s Against album) and Echobrain was the clincher.

Great player, he doesn't get as much credit as he should because he plays with a plec but, on the first F&J album in particular, he is a beast, before Metallica squeezed the life out of him.

 

 

[Killed_by_Death]

 

04-Mar-63

Jason is born:

Rob is also a wasted resource in Metallica, his bass was front & center in Infectious Grooves.

 

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

On 30/08/2020 at 18:54, stu_g said:

I remember buying the $5.98 EP when Newsted had joined and i love the bass sound on that  and it was all recorded and mixed in 5 days or something.

bought  justice for all and i was so dissapointed in the mix it sounded so lame to me,i think they must have disappeared up there own bums when they mixed that one.

Spot on 😼👍

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

A bit of a mystery of what's going on with Jason now ..

His solo project was costing him an arm and a leg . Seems to have disappeared  now.

Probably doing low key stuff like the dog 'n' duck keeping low-key 🐕🦆

Edited March 4, 2021 by RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE

[Killed_by_Death]