In 1986, Metallica resented hiring one of their bandmates. 70,000,000 album sales later, he refused to be disrespected by them
Metallica recruited Jason Newsted after bassist Cliff Burton died in a 1986 bus accident, but the band’s grief and anger were often directed at their new member. The article says this strained Newsted’s place in the group, even as Metallica’s music went on to reach a vast audience.
James Hetfield later acknowledged that Newsted was an “easy target” and that the band had treated him too harshly. The article cites the low bass mix on 1988’s *…And Justice for All* and says Newsted eventually left after being denied the chance to pursue a side project; he wanted room to express himself musically.
In short
- Newsted joined Metallica after Cliff Burton’s death.
- Hetfield later admitted the band took its grief out on him.
- Newsted left after being refused a side project.
Explained simply
Metallica are an American heavy metal band formed in the early 1980s, with singer and guitarist James Hetfield among their founding members. Bassist Cliff Burton joined in 1982 and played on the band’s first three albums before dying in a bus accident while the group was touring in 1986.
The band then brought in Jason Newsted, who played bass and contributed backing vocals. His arrival came as the surviving members were grieving Burton, and accounts of the period describe tensions over how Newsted was treated and how much space his instrument had in the band’s music.
Metallica went on to become one of the world’s most commercially successful heavy metal bands. Newsted’s experience matters to the story of the group because it raises questions about his place in the band and his ability to pursue his own musical interests.