Rob Trujillo Claims ‘There Aren’t Many Bassists’ Who Could Do His Job in Metallica’, Says Jason Newsted Was ‘More Simple Than Cliff Burton, but in a Good Way’

“I’m not being disrespectful to all the bass players out there, but there aren’t many bassists that could do this job.”

Rob Trujillo Claims 'There Aren't Many Bassists' Who Could Do His Job in Metallica', Says Jason Newsted Was 'More Simple Than Cliff Burton, but in a Good Way'

Robert Trujillo named bass playing itself as the biggest challenge he came across upon joining Metallica, arguing that not many bassists could do the job that he’s been doing for the past 23 years.

Joining a band that’s going through what was probably its most challenging period, at a time when your new bandmates are all living legends *and* when your predecessors have already contributed to some history-making studio albums sounds like the challenge of all challenges for a professional musician, but Rob Trujillo has proven to be up to it.

Since most fans would have trouble imagining anyone else than the former Ozzy Osbourne & Suicidal tendencies four-string marauder in Metallica, the audacious statement Rob made in an interview with Bass Player that’s recently been published online can’t be taken as anything but facts. While commenting on the challenges that joining Metallica brought, the bassist began:

“I feel like I’ve had so many challenges. You know, I live in Los Angeles, but since I joined the band I’ve been spending more time in the Bay Area, and I actually really like it. Los Angeles has become so overpopulated and blown out. San Francisco has such a nice balance, almost like a funky ’70s flavor to it. The way LA used to be back in the Cheech & Chong days!”

“But the biggest challenge has been with my bass playing. I’m not being disrespectful to all the bass players out there, but there aren’t many bassists that could do this job. Playing with Metallica is the most demanding gig there is.”

Still, Rob has nothing but high praise for both of his predecessors — after all, their contributions are part of the reason why his job has proven to be such a challenge. Reflecting on the beloved, late Cliff Burton, Rob said:

“Cliff was amazing for Metallica. His ideas, his presence, and where he was taking the bass and taking metal, were so special. And his stage presence – he was such a physical player. He played what he felt, and that was the bottom line. His approach was, ‘I’m gonna play what I feel, and if you don’t like it, screw you!'”

“He used to ask Kirk to show him Lynyrd Skynyrd guitar solos so he could play them on bass, and not many bass guitar players were doing that back then. I thought that was so cool. Cliff was a force on a lot of different levels.”

The same goes for Jason Newsted, who often doesn’t get the same level of praise as Burton:

“I really appreciate Jason Newsted. Considering he’s a pick player, and the speed and dexterity involved in this music, I think it’s a tall order. But he was really keeping it and holding it down, keeping it solid – more simple than Cliff, but in a good way.”

“I love the fact that we’re all different. We all have our thing that we’ve brought to the band, but I also have my own style and I like to express that.”