In an interview, by VG TV [via blabbermouth.net], yesterday James Hetfield of Metallica continued to put down Jason Newstead:

James Hetfield: “I don’t really have to say it, but I will — he’s an amazing bass player; very competent. He can play pretty much anything we throw at him. Not only that, but obviously [Robert] playing with his fingers brings a fuller sound. He — and no disrespect to Jason [Newsted, Rob‘s predecessor in METALLICA] — but Rob has already written more on this album than Jason had in his whole 14 years. A lot of that had to do with us not being willing, and I totally understand that, but just his material seemed to gel better. It feels as though we’ve known him forever, basically, is what it feels like. And there’s still times when I see him in pictures with us, and I go, ‘Oh, yeah! He’s in our band. Dude, we kick ass even more now.’ It’s a good feeling.”

I agree that Trujillo is a sick bass player, but come on, it was Jason singing “Seek & Destroy” and running around the stage like a lunatic that made their shows so awesome. Of course Trujillo has the talent, that is why Ozzy hired him, and kept him for so long, but he just lacks the presence of Newstead. It’s time to face that, James.

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